ROAR OF THE CROWD

HIS STYLE HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY RAPID, GRACEFUL BLUES-TINGED MELODIC LINES UNFURLED IN LONG WEAVING PHRASES WITH THE INEXORABLE LOGIC OF AN EPIC NARRATIVE; AND A VISCERAL SENSE OF RHYTHM, TRANSMITTED WITH FIRE AND SNAP." HE COMBINES TWO QUALITIES - "EFFORTLESS FLUIDITY AND CLOCKWORK PRECISION" FOR WHICH HE IS RENOWNED. THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH "HIS PERSONAL ARTISTIC EXPRESSION RESTS," AND "PULLING THEM OFF REQUIRES A HIGH LEVEL OF ATHLETIC PROWESS.

A CRITIC AND JAZZ AFFICIONADO WROTE THESE WORDS ABOUT JAZZ ICON, OSCAR PETERSON. MILLIONS OF POP MUSIC BUFFS ATTACH SUCH OVER THE TOP SENTIMENTS TO THEIR INDIVIDUALLY, PREFERRED MUSIC GENRES: ALT-COUNTRY, BRITPOP, ELECTROCLASH, EMO, GLAM, HEAVY METAL, INDIE ROCK, JAM BANDS, POP-PUNK, PROG, POST-GRUNGE, SKA, TRIP-HOP AND TWEE. I, HOWEVER, SMELL THE GREASE PAINT AND HEAR THE ROAR OF THE CROWD AT ANOTHER THEATRE WHERE A PRIMITIVE MUSIC THUNDERED IN ANCIENT EARS AND WAS EQUALLY APPRECIATED WITH SHOUTS FROM THE MASSES.

I HEAR THE LION'S GRACEFUL, SOULFUL ROAR, UNFURLED IN WOVEN PHRASES RISING TO A CRESCENDO WITH THE URGENCY OF A WELL-PLOTTED TALE. INSTINCTIVELY HIS VISCERAL SENSES SNAP INTO PLAY. THE RHYTHM IN HIS LOINS TRANSMITS HIS DESIRE WITH FIRE AND LOGIC. EFFORTLESS FLUIDITY AND CLOCKWORK PRECISION UNITE FOR THE MESSY KILL FOR WHICH HE IS RENOWNED. WHETHER THE FIRST CHOICE IS VISCERA OR THE BRAIN STEM, HIS ARTISTIC EXPRESSION ATTAINS THE SAME HIGH LEVEL OF ATHLETIC PROWESS. THE LION'S ON STAGE. THE ANIMAL INSTINCTS OF HIS APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE ROAR IN HIGH GEAR AROUND HIM. THE MUSIC OF THE CROWD DOES NOT SOOTHE THE SAVAGE BEAST; IT INSPIRES HIM. THE MUSIC OF THE BEAST FOLLOWING THE LAW OF HIS SAVANNA ALSO LURKS PERPETUALLY, BEHIND MAN'S CIVILIZED VENEER.