Dec 13 2012
Blackman? or AWESOME-man??
Really, it might sound crazy, but what is intimacy? I think it is baring your soul; intimacy is turning yourself inside out and hoping for the best. It is about putting your heart on your sleeve and hoping no-one crushes it. It is about closing your eyes, hitting those drums, and being sure that you are safe in doing so. Nobody will hurt you, nobody will yell out in hatred, because you are that beautiful, you are so good.
Cindy Blackman closes her eyes and hits those drums. She is safe in her actions because she loves what she does, and she knows she is good. Her confidence protects her.
When she plays, she plays from her heart. I felt her passion in my bones, and watching her face proved to me that her passion was genuine. She is real, honest, inspiring, and exhilarating.
It sounds like you’re pretty passionate about Blackman’s drumming. I have to agree that watching her drum was an intimate experience, as you put it. Her experience leads to her confidence and a great performance! The drums took hold of her and also of the audience! Do you think it also had to do with how loud it was? I felt the drums in every part of me!
Your definition of intimacy is compelling, but it speaks directly to what Cindy was doing up on that stage. I mean, one false swing of a drumstick and who knows what could have happened?! I like how you describe her performance as “honest.” Is that how we should really judge talent, on an honest performance?
I agree with you that Cindy Blackman is amazing! I can’t believe that we got to experience such great work. I agree with you that she plays from her heart and you can feel her passion. I like how you ask a rhetorical question about what is intimacy and then you explain what it is. I love the great descriptive details that you give about her performance. Why do you think she plays with such passion? What could have made this situation more tailored for you?
Your use of the word intimacy isn’t weird at all! In fact, it captures the essence of Cindy Blackman’s performance perfectly. I completely agree with your comment on the power of her confidence and how it shines through when she’s playing the drums. Can you imagine how many years it took to acquire such talent? How many hours to reach such a masterful level talent? It really was an amazing an incredibly intimate performance to watch.