I am finally in Austin rehearsing with Conspirare for our upcoming trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.   I am LOVING it.  Everything about it is just so inspiring: the repertoire, the friends, Craig Hella Johnson, charming Austin, etc.

I just love the way CHJ speaks about music.  He has an incredible way of explaining musical concepts and  ideas with images.  The images are so diverse and descriptive, and he manages to come up with them on the spot!  I started writing some of them down in rehearsal, so here is my collected list.  I’m sure there will be many more to come before our trip is over!  (And probably many of these won’t make sense out of context, but they are still really interesting!)

“Like a duck under your heel.”

“Like standing at the [ballet] bar, doing your leg lifts.”

“Sing one duple per pigeon.”

“Just beautiful only.”

“It’s good, anyone would buy it, but let’s make it better.”

“The way you’re singing - it’s an interesting color, but I’m not sure what purpose it serves in this moment.”

“Up in the cheekbones.”

“More sexy Arabian.”

“The energy isn’t just here [pointing to his belly], it’s all around us, and we get it from each other, too.”

“Like the full Berlin Philharmonic cello section.”

“Sing it with no beard.”

“Like a marionette theatre.”

“Cotton ball weight.”

“Like cotton balls, but right in time.”

“The inner workings of a Swiss clock.”