Today’s Best Of 2009 Blog Challenge prompt is…

Q: Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

A: There have been many musical moments that could qualify as my best rush of the year.  Sometimes they happen when you least expect it – at an ordinary gig, playing the same tunes as the night before. More often, I’ll get a rush when I play with an artist for the first time.  Especially if it’s someone I’ve admired and listened to obsessively.  Like Mary Margaret O’Hara.

Sitting beside me with a guitar on his lap is Don Rooke.  It was also quite a rush to get to play with him.

I aspire to play like Don.

This was a chaotic musical moment, playing Tom Waits’ “Big In Japan,” swimming around behind Mary’s vocals and feeding off of Don’s steel.  The energy of the moment was also frantic.  Sandwiched between Mary and Don, I got to witness the hilarious dynamic they’ve developed over the years of playing together – Mary is really, really funny, and Don is equally as funny, but in a dry way.  I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

I love musical moments like this.  They’re messy and funny and beautiful and buzzing with energy.  I guess those are the qualities that make up a feeling of “rush” for me.

(photo by Ali Eisner)