Karaoke For the Win: Music Therapy that Validates and Builds Community
“The highest goal of music is to connect one's soul to their divine nature, not entertain.” - Pythagoras (569-490BC)
Last night, I happened upon one of the coolest scenes. Far away from the reaches of NYC, in a tiny mountain community that will remain nameless – I went to the local Karoake. I had a connection through a friend, it wasn't just random. Otherwise, I never would have known about this weekly party.
You see, the host was a career music therapist. I've never met someone who had been doing Music Therapy for as long as he did; long before it started picking up some traction in the early 2000s- or at least, that's when I started tracking it.
I explored programs at McGill in Montreal, Descarts IV in Paris, and NYU. All the programs to study Music Therapy were in their infancy and it was well know that it didn't quite have the backing of Public Health and American Association of Medicine as a legit discipline.
But here was my friend's brother having had a LONG career as a Music Therapist - employed by the state - to work in both groups and one-to-one capacity. He had worked with SO many children and adults of all kinds of disabilities in that 40+ year career.
When I walked into the jam, I realized that though he was retired, his work continued to this day.
The Karaoke attracted locals of all flavors and colors; many with disabilties, many kids, many with kind open hearts. We listened to each other enthusiastically and without any pretense.
There was no competition, no need to be the best. It was about pure human expression. And the room felt electric with life and love.
You see, when you are doing music in NYC, it's so easy to get caught up in comparision and image.
When you go to jams, it's easy to be infected by the mentality of competition and perfectionism.
It all gets fueled by insecurity and feelings of inadequacy and it does affect the power of the music.
The music becomes more about ego than the spirit that connects us all.
These mountain singer's were experts in connecting us in spirit. Their purity of soul rode the waves of their songs, fillin the room was pure joy – something that many academic jazz shows of high caliber have missed the mark on lately.
One singer with downsyndrome sang through This Land Is Your Land. At first, she was thrilled to be up there but as some of the lyrics ran across too fast, tears came to her. It took all of her to sing, and even still she just couldn't quite keep up. My heart broke open so wide in that moment that my brain got completely reset.
I realized how much I've taken for grated my ability to sing. This young singer reminded me what music is really about. She humbled me with her performance as she held nothing back, no even her frustration. So raw. She reminded me to be grateful for any chance to sing. She reminded me to be grateful that I even can sing. Not everyone is so lucky.
This is what music is about and this is what true community is. To bring you back to the truth of life, that it's not all about you. It's so easy to loose your head up your own ass in the vastness and vapidness of NYC. You need authentic artists to hold you accountable.
I talk a lot about this in my content as “My Ego sneaking in” - whether this is an accurate description or not, it's the gravity pull of fear and competition mindsets. It's truly contagious; the temptation to make music just another corporate, souless pursuit about money and status. Turning the art into just another way to get validation and approval from the world.
Last night, we were all validated, but not our egos. We were validated much deeper than that. We were reminded why it's wonderful to be human. in another way that is starkly missing from so many And you know, no one was lonely in that room.
No one needed to improve, or change to be accepted in that room.
I'd go so far as to say, we all felt lucky to be there. I know I felt like my luck was changing entirely; that somehow I ended up there, amongst this incredible scene.
And that's the kind of mentality that not only makes for great music, and binds us together in community. On occasion, I believe that this kind of music has even changed our stars.
This is what music can be. And has been, in worlds past.
Last night, I saw a true master at work. It's not easy to create a safe space for people of all walks of life to show up and expression themselves in music. And I saw how much it meant to each of us.
This type of validation is not about being perfect or the best, it's about being brave enough to share who you are, and where you are, in your human journey.
I guess a simple way to say it – that it was music with out any pretense. And though the notes weren't always right, nor the lyrics, the vibe was so right on that we all left uplifted. We were all left with the strongest sense of well being.
I find this especially amazing given how dark and depressing The City has been lately. In that room last night, there was nothing but hope and blue skies for humanity. I was rekindled. My heart and mind reset on what really matters. Why music really matters to me.
It's always been about using the universal language of music to connect, build esteem, express emotions in a healthy way and learn valiable skills such as focus and discipline that apply to all of life at large.
I had no idea what I was being led into last night. The other singers have no idea the gift they gave me by sharing their songs. This is the great mystery of life revealed in the kaoroke scene of a town I'll keep anonymous for their sake. One bad apple can ruin the bunch.
But rest assured, there are people and scenes all over the US that are not on the internet but keeping the human spirit alive one song at a time. Time to go out and seek one for yourself. You don't have to be a performer. But you will be part of the community just the same.
Karaoke, Jazz Jams, Open Mics, Spoken word – they have the potential to be a safe space where the loneliness of modern world can not survive in the warmth of human creativity and pure expression.
- Lyndol Descant