"When striking a fortunate harmony, we see through our separateness as the spirit of player and listener flows into one great sea. It is the feeling of the Way surging through - beyond the capacity of words to describe, yet instantly understood to be the truth.
It is a collective epiphany."
- Phil Sudo

This quote from the brilliant book "Zen Guitar" explains, in a nutshell, why I play music. My essay for this month, entitled "Ichigo Ichie," is about a very intense weekend of gigs, and the great feeling of connecting with the people who come to listen. Enjoy.
- Ben

"Ichigo Ichie"

Click on the titles to read past writings:

"FEAR FACTOR AGAIN" - Be afraid, because your
e-mail told you to...

"CAN WE TALK?" - about religion? Are you kidding?

"Fear Factor" - Uh oh.

"30 Years; Why Am I Still Here?" - Summing up what keeps me excited about music after 30 years.

"tek-neek, n. [from Greek 'technikos']" - How high a priority should technique be? How much is enough? I get into the pros and cons.

"Sometimes You're The Windshield...Or: Two Nights In The Life" - Sometimes you're the bug. A tale of two memorable gigs.

"What Are You Going To Do Today?" - I go off about passion and integrity. Wear a flame-proof jacket!

"Look Inside My Mind" - The state of things in my life in early 2001.

Rants in response to 9-11:
Oct. 1, 2001:"How Do We Respond?"
Oct. 8, 2001: "Is It Human Nature?"
Oct. 22, 2001:"One More Time"