The internet connection at home has been having fits and starts, and it has been taking a ridiculously long time to access any websites, download pictures or do anything else I need it to do, despite my best efforts. So in the meantime, I’m going to skip the Weekend Photos in Review and take this opportunity to break out some of my Seattle pictures. Today? The music scene.
When you think of Seattle and music, there are quite a few “big names” that quickly pop to mind. Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Ann & Nancy Wilson (of Heart), Death Cab for Cutie, Foo Fighters, Kenny G, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder all come to mind. But music and Seattle go much deeper than that, as Sarah and I discovered on our trip last week. Many corners downtown, and particularly the Pike Place area, were filled with music. Beautiful haunting tones from a saxophonist. The steady rhythmic beat of a drummer near the water. A guitar playing soulful singer parked outside the first-ever Starbucks store. And a guy who balanced a guitar on his chin whilst playing the harmonica, hula hooping, finger clicking and shaking a tambourine on his feet. To say I was smitten by the music scene would have been an understatement. It made turning down every corner a little adventure on its own, with a new artist just waiting for discovery. Some were doing it for tips, others were doing it for exposure. All were amazing in their own right.
I could have listened to this guy play for hours. And his smile? Incredible. The sounds of his saxophone carried across several blocks and it was amazingly beautiful.
Once he saw my camera out, he finished his song and asked how I wanted him to pose, fixing his collar first. I need to dig out his information; somewhere in my unpacked bags, I have his website written down. He has a full-of-life and soulful voice, and a CD available.
As soon as this musician saw my camera out, the guitar went on his chin. I can barely handle walking sometimes (as most recently evidenced by two huge black-and-blues on both my knees), yet he worked his talent from every angle (and had incredible blue eyes to boot!).
PS – If any of this pictures strike your fancy, a few of them will be making their way to my Etsy shop later this week, along with many other Seattle pictures.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
A good music scene really is enough to make me fall in love with a city. I love how much talent you encountered merely walking down the street!
Nice post! That guy with the guitar on his chin was a trip, wasn’t he?
Brought to you live by my mother and father, kept that way by a miracle just like you, also made possible by running out of ritalin, I call it random attention distribution… it’s RAD! That’s what I usually say after busting a big trick. =) Thank you for catching this moment.