The Music Career Memory

     I had a really fascinating moment musically speaking a few minutes ago and figured I'd share it with you.
I'm currently putting the finishing touches on the design work for the release of my "Learning Chicago Blues Piano" Instructional DVD. I just posted one of the song snippets on my listen page (check it out here "Steve's Boogie" under Blues Keys).
     As I was posting this song I ended up getting a moment to listen back to some of the older pieces I've recorded over the years. I almost never do this. I don't reflect much on where I've been and never really have. I spend most of my time thinking about where I'm going in the future. My focus is almost always on the "next gig" and I don't ever feel comfortable resting on my laurels. I'm not quite sure what this comes from but I know that my hunger for both artistic and music career improvement is just as strong as it was when I played my first gig...in fact it's even stronger.
     Anyway, so I'm listening to a couple songs from the past (of course to make sure they were still fit my artistic voice moving forward) and I was just struck with such a rare and pleasant feeling. The satisfaction didn't come from the notes or the music itself. Rather, my contentment actually came from remembering just how truly hard I worked on those previous projects. Thousands of hours put forward into creating something that did not exist before. The sounds were just a nugget or a dream I had in mind and through the thousands of hours of crafting they became tangible. I didn't take much time to appreciate them when they were initially completed because I was always on to the next gig or the next project.
     It was a similar feeling that a home builder might experience if they had been building homes non-stop for 10 years without a single break. Then one day they're driving down the road late night after a slight lull in their workload. They look out the window and there right in front of them is a home they had built. A physical structure now exists....made from the earth and crafted from their own two hands and sweat equity. They look at their hands and then look back at the building....just thinking " I can't believe I made this. It just doesn't seem real."
     So, I sit here for a brief moment in acknowledgement of the countless hours I've put in up to this point. These moments don't last long for me. I'll live this feeling for just a minute here until.....I.....uh....I...wait....oh no!!.....next gigs this Tuesday.....back to the piano! Moment over.