Each January, I select what I call a “keyword” for the year. I call them keywords because they connect to other words and can help amplify or bring forward connections I might not make initially.

For example, in 2017, I chose the keyword FLOURISH because I was working on my album. I knew it would be year of planting seeds and that what I would build could (and hopefully would) carry forth into future years. What I didn’t anticipate was how my network of collaborators and my music-making practice would thrive and grow. In hindsight those connections seem so obvious, but I didn’t have those goals in my mind when I selected flourish.

Last year’s word was ENOUGH.

I’ve shared here before that I don’t regularly refer to my keyword throughout the year. I simply let it sit in the background (aka the back of my brain), and do its thing. Still, I’m slightly embarrassed to say that in December when I was talking about picking a new keyword with my sister, I couldn’t remember the keyword I selected last year. At all. (It’s true; I had to look it up. *sheepish grin*)

But once again, I observed the power of the keyword. Even though I’d completely ignored my keyword as the year progressed, it worked. Looking back, I see last year was a year of enough — enough music-making (including improvising), enough students, enough new projects and (nearly) enough rest. As usual, my keyword had done it’s job. Or if you’ll permit me; it had done enough.

…

Shift to picking my word for 2020.

Maybe it was the new decade or the double 20s, but it took me longer than usual to settle on this year’s keyword.

After 11 years, I do have a process (of sorts) that I use to come up with my word for the year. Some time in December I acknowledge a new year is coming *smile* and I start thinking about words. I pick them out and try them on, but not actively. It’s more like they sit on the back burner, sort of simmering. When it occurs to me, I recall the words and see if any of them “clicks.”

It’s tempting to pick words that seem clever, or good for me, or ones that I’ll be “good” at. I spent a couple of weeks thinking clarity was my 2020 word. I liked how it connected to 2020, as in 20-20 vision. (Thanks to my friend M for that connection.) But for all it’s cleverness, upon further examination, the word didn’t really resonate. So I moved onto craft.

My spring schedule feels more up in the air than usual this year so part of me (okay many parts of me *smile*) wanted to take charge of how things would go this year. I want to get back to the songwriting sessions I developed in 2017 while working on my album so I thought I could work on my craft while I crafted my year. But upon reflection, it felt like I was forcing the word.

Then I had a conversation with a singer friend of mine who shared that she sometimes picks a song for the year. (I’ll admit I found this idea interesting and completely overwhelming. *smile*) She also talked about a prayer that she says about being visible. And there it was … the click.

…

I resisted for a while.

It wasn’t my idea so it couldn’t be my keyword. (Apparently, I’ve made up a rule that keywords must be original?) It didn’t take long to realize that was a silly reason to avoid a word.

And, the more I thought about the word visible, the more I resonated with it. I have a goal (and a job requirement) to become more visible. Also, like the word clarity, it has a connection to the idea of seeing clearly in the 2020 decade. (As in things will become visible to me.) Probably most important, however, is that it makes me kind of uncomfortable. I am from the Midwest after all and we have a hard time boasting. It feels a bit scary, not to mention self-centered(!), to ask for attention. (And if I’m really honest, I worry about attracting the wrong kind of attention.)

But.

I’ve learned through singing/improvising that beyond discomfort is where the good stuff is found. The new stuff, the I-didn’t-know-I-had-that-in-me stuff.

Over the past few years, I’ve felt sometimes that I worked very hard at making sure people know who I was and what I was up to (blog posts, emails, social media, etc.), but that those efforts didn’t always result in me being seen. In some ways I know that’s connected to being an Black artist (and woman). In others, it’s about being good at non-musical things like organizing, project planning, technology, marketing, etc. And finally,  it’s about making choices — and music — that show who I really am. To that end …

My keyword for 2020 is VISIBLE.

visible (adj) – that can be seen; perceptible to the eye; apparent; manifest; obvious; being constantly or frequently in the public view; conspicuous;

If you’ve spent time here then you know that I pick what I call a “keyword” at the start of the year.

Keywords connect to other words and ideas and they bring a variety of results.

I usually start thinking about my word in December (but only sporadically given that it’s such a busy time *smile*). In January, I focus on finding a word and usually announce it in the 2nd or 3rd week of the new year. Not so, this year.

This year’s word was slooooooow to arrive.

…

As always, certain shiny words caught my attention in the moment (the word “root” came to me quite strongly at a musical event I attended) but upon further reflection they all seemed … wrong.

My word for last year was replenish. After a big year of composing and recording in 2017, I imagined I would spend 2018 relaxing and regrouping. Except … that’s not really what happened.

As you may recall, mixing and releasing the album took a lot longer than I had planned (but I learned a TON!) and that meant we released What the Music Says Do in August (not June as I originally had planned).

I even thought about choosing replenish again, but that felt like cheating. (Did I mention I make up rules for myself?)

…

The days of January continued to pass by and I tried on other words. Nothing felt quite right. I couldn’t do an ambitious word. This wasn’t a year to stretch or grow. I’m still kind of tired from the last two years of stretching and growing *rueful smile*. And I’ve still a got a lot to do to promote my “new” album. And I’ve got a February full of performing. I am not complaining, but things feel … full.

So I wanted/needed a word that would let me rest when I needed, but that could also push me to move forward on the things that (I think) have to happen.

To that end, I chose ENOUGH.

…

As in …

I am doing ENOUGH. What I have done and will do are ENOUGH. There will be ENOUGH (time, money, rest, gigs, students, etc.)

How about you? Do you have word, goal, resolution or North Star for 2019?

Here are some ideas:

share, focus, replenish, trust, explore, allow, release, start, finish, relax, birth, flourish, savor, simplify, balance, create, dare, prosperity, plant, discover, nurture, wellness, nourish, creativity, discipline, perform, shimmer, power, present, authenticity, beam, be, embody, imperfect, willing, rejuvenate, unpack, …

The 20th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival began Thursday, June 21st and ended Saturday June 23rd. I can definitely say that “I got my money’s worth” out of this free annual festival. *smile*

Thursday

I get up (very) early to go talk about the festival and sing two of my original songs on TV. (You can watch the full segment here.)

w/ Giulio Xavier (bass), Javi Santiago (piano) and Steve Heckler (Festival Director)

I also launched the video for “Awake” — one of the songs from my upcoming album – that morning.

That night, I go to my last night with the kids at the ComMUSICation Sforzando studio camp — a weeklong camp during which we assisted middle school students in writing, rehearsing and recording original songs.

Friday – My Solo Show!

With the band and Davis, Jazzfest 2018. L to R: Dean Magraw, Steven Hobert, Davis Wilson, Giulio Xavier, Nathan Greer and me

The road to a show isn’t always smooth and that proved to be the case with my CD preview show. The Saturday before the festival, my bass player for the show, Jax — an international student from Madagascar — contacts me to tell me that because of the McSmithly closure, his international  student status and the current changes in the enforcement of US immigration policies, he needs to leave for home — immediately. He won’t be able to play the show.

Fortunately, Dean Magraw has already agreed the day before to join us for the evening so I have piano, guitar and drums, but … I still really want a(n electric) bass player. I reach out to a few folks, but it is Jazzfest — folks are working.

Then Javi Santiago (piano) who has agreed to join me for the TV appearance Thursday am asks if his bass player Giulio Xavier can join us for the appearance. We get to chatting and I learn that Giulio is available and interested in playing my show Friday night. (Yay!)

Early Friday evening, my brother arrives. We eat a quick meal and head to the venue. My dad and his wife and many of my friends are there. (Thanks, friends!)

And in the front row are all the kids from camp.  (They’ve ended their week-long camp with a field trip to see my show. *smile*)

We get on stage and it’s so much fun! About half the songs we play are from the album and the others are simply songs I like. By the end of the set the audience is up and dancing.

We leave the stage to make room for Nancy Harms who does a beautiful set with local musicians (including Javi from my TV appearance Thursday am).

Then it is time for the Scat Off.

Maryann Sullivan, Katia Cardenas and I conceived of this event for the 2016 jazzfest and I am so happy we were invited to return in 2017 and again this year. A personal highlight  for this year was that Sistet singer Mankwe Ndosi joined us. Once I learned that Mankwe had never(?!) sung at the TC Jazzfest, I invited her to join our Scat Off adventure. No surprise, she tore it up. We sang and laughed and played until it was time for the stage to close.

Saturday

Honestly? I had not planned to attend jazzfest on Saturday. *grins*

I’d had a tremendously busy week teaching summer school, teaching camp, getting the materials for my CD ready for the manufacturer, and singing two shows Friday night. But … I left my table at the TPT stage.

And I never picked up my check.

I knew (from past experience *sticks out tongue*) it would be easiest to pick it up both while the festival still going. And if I was going to go out, I should probably get myself to the FREE clinic with Dee Dee Bridgewater at Macphail. (I mean, it is Dee Dee Bridgewater and it is free.)

So after my family departed, I cleaned up and drove downtown for the clinic.

…

A friend asked me how the clinic with Dee Dee Bridgewater was.

In a word? Real.

Ms. Bridgewater began by talking about how she travels with Daisy, a shiatsu she calls her emotional support service animal. She regularly travels with Daisy and so Steve Heckler had made accommodations with the hotel for Daisy and her, but some young thing at the desk didn’t know that and threw her all kinds of attitude. (Now Ms. Bridgewater never says it because she’s some “old black lady with the dog,” but …)

She told us that story and said, “Then I have to come here and speak with all of you …” As a black woman in the music industry, I so appreciated her candor about the “stuff” she still encounters as well-known performer.

She talked to us about singing, vocal health and touring, and answered our questions. Then she asked if anyone wanted to sing. Um … yeah! (The lovely Laura Caviani was there to accompany. *smile*) Three of us sang for her and she gave notes and compliments! *smile and then it was time to end.

Afterwords, I thanked her and asked if we could take a picture. (She graciously said yes.)

with my new friends, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Helena.

…

Next, I headed over to Lowertown. I knew parking would be an issue and after circling the TPT building a couple of times, I finally decided to pay the event parking fee and use the TPT  ramp.

I found my table easily, but was unable to pick up the check I’d left behind the night before. The venue had very responsibly returned it to Steve, which meant that I would have to try to find him at the festival. (Piece of cake!)

As I was contemplating where and how I might find Steve, I realized Debbie Duncan’s set was starting soon. Debbie is a mentor and friend, so I went over to say hello. We got to visit a little before she had to go sing. Her set was great, especially her version of “The Way You Make Me Feel” with only voice, bass and drums (featuring Jay Young and Nathan Norman playing the swankiest, sassiest, most laid back groove I have ever heard). After her set, I headed to the park to see if I could track down Steve.

It likely goes without saying that Steve is a stupidly busy man on festival days. Once I found him, he told me to take a seat and he’d go grab my check. I met some of the festival volunteers and set up my stool and found a bottle of water. Then Steve asked me to wait for Nayo Jones to finish playing and then he’d go get the check. But he got caught up in waiting for Dee Dee to go on so I got to hang in the pre-stage area with St. Paul’s new mayor Melvin Carter (he was so excited, I wish I had a picture *smile*), Nayo Jones and Ginger Commodore. We all danced with Dee Dee Bridgewater before she went on stage.

I stayed for Dee Dee’s set (duh), then walked with Debbie Duncan back toward the ramp. We each were kind of wondering what to do next – check out some of the indoor events (the outdoor music ends at 10pm) or head home? We both made noises about begin tired and parted ways. I got in my car at the ramp and was about to leave when I realized that Solomon Parham’s jam session was less than a block away. I charged my phone for a few minutes and then left my car in the ramp and walked over to Hygge (pronounced hue-guh and former home of Bedlam Lowertown). I stayed for about an hour and got to meet some of my facebook musicians friends in real life and listen to the lovely Aja Parham sing. When they took their break, I headed out.

At this point, it is clear that I am in it for the long haul. I mean I have been now been festival-ing for the past 7 or 8 hours.  So I leave the TPT ramp and head over to Vieux Carré to catch the end of Jon Weber’s jazz jam. I walk in and who is there? … Ms. Debbie Duncan. We laugh about how neither of us was ready to go home. While we are there Nayo Jones and her band come in. I met her very briefly in the pre-stage area and she comes over and gives hugs to Debbie and me and then finds a seat with her father and band.

Debbie tells me to go over and tell Nayo she should sing something. So I find her at her table and tell her “Ms Debbie says you should sing something.” Nayo replies that “no one has invited her to sing.” I laughed and said that no one (except me?) would want to make her uncomfortable by asking. (I also make a point of saying that if she is done singing for the night that is totally fine. *smile*)

Shortly after Nayo gets up and sings the liveliest, killin’-est salsa version of “If I Only Had a Brain” with her band. She and her father dance during the instrumental breaks. Her band stayed up for a few more tunes, including a Latin-inspired Summertime with Jimmie-apolis. Tabla player Krissy Bergmark also took to the stage … er … floor for a couple of tunes.

Debbie and I joined her on a swingin’ version of “Blue Skies.”

Whew! And to think I wasn’t even going to leave the house. *wink*

—

Sarah M. Greer is a fiscal year 2017 recipient of an Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.