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I turned 50 recently, here are a few thoughts...

Dario NapoliDario Napoli Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
in Gypsy Jazz 101 Posts: 345


Forgive the "youtuby title", but the things I cover in the video seem to be resonating with a few people, my wish is it might be of help to anyone who is a musician or a musician at heart.

Best,

Dario

DoubleWhiskyBucoBillDaCostaWilliamsMichaelHorowitzScoredog
«1

Comments

  • flacoflaco Shelley Park #151, AJL Quiet and Portable
    Posts: 117

    I love this video, thanks for posting it! I took a lesson from a pro country guitar player probably 10 or 12 years ago, and he also didn’t own a TV. That really stuck with me! My question is, what will your 70 year old self want to come back and tell your 50 year old self 20 years from now?!

  • Posts: 4,944

    These things are fun (or not) to look back and say oh if I could go back I'd do this and that differently. But, we don't write our life's story, the life does the writing.

    What would I say to myself 30-40 years ago? Sit your ass down and practice the damn thing. Which I did but not nearly enough. Many reasons for that, not just being lazy. Now I'm catching up, at 54. Do I wish I liked practicing then as much as I do now? Yes, I do. I even regret it a little bit. But it's not causing me grief. Things happened the way they had. As long as I can keep injuries and/or arthritis away, I have enough time to get where I want to be in the next 10 years or so. The trip is fun.

    billyshakesBillDaCostaWilliamsWillie
    Every note wants to go somewhere-Kurt Rosenwinkel
  • Dario NapoliDario Napoli Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
    Posts: 345

    Ha! First of all thank you for tuning in:) Great question, to which I don't have an answer yet:)

    My wish is that at 70 my life won't be terribly different from now, still touring, still teaching, just better at everything...but I'll be curious also!

    flacoBuco
  • Dario NapoliDario Napoli Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
    Posts: 345
  • ScoredogScoredog Santa Barbara, Ca✭✭✭✭
    edited October 29 Posts: 900

    That's a very good video.

    I started Gypsy Jazz at age 55 so one can certainly improve in our later years. Do I wish I started earlier?...maybe but my earlier self set me up so I could focus on Gypsy Jazz in my senior years w/o a lot of distractions though I had no idea when I was composing TV shows Gypsy Jazz is where I would head.


    BTW often one should search for possible pain as related to the video as overcoming it brings the greatest satisfaction. Turning from it is often avoidance and temporary comfort.

    rudolfochristBucorichter4208BillDaCostaWilliamsChiefbigeasy
  • Dario NapoliDario Napoli Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
    Posts: 345

    Absolutely feel the same way, thank you for tuning in:)

  • ChiefbigeasyChiefbigeasy New Orleans, LA✭✭✭ Dupont MDC 50; The Loar LH6, JWC Catania Swing; Ibanez AFC151-SRR Contemporary Archtop
    edited November 3 Posts: 355

    At age 50, after having always being a musician with a day job, having played guitar since age 12, studying and playing everything from folk, rock, dabbling in jazz, playing blues in Chicago nightclubs, studying flamenco, and ending with a New Orleans funk and Texas blues band in Berkeley California, at age 50, I moved back to New Orleans and stopped playing guitar for 10 years.

    At age 60, I picked it up again and began studying Django. I got more serious during the pandemic, devoting time and effort to long practice and playing, especially after having retired a few years ago.

    At age 70, I find myself in two manouche bands and playing in one of the greatest music cities in the world, the birthplace of Louis Armstrong, New Orleans, Louisiana.

    Although most if any of the magic of my improvisation and playing has happened in the privacy of my practice room, I’ve managed to pull off a few sparks of brilliance in performance. Playing music with other professionals has given me a great respect for those who pursue this full-time. I’m honored to be in their company.

    I could say I regret a lot of wasted time in my youth (Dario and I share an appreciation for masterful partying in the New Orleans area), but those experiences have led to where I am today.

    I will continue you to practice diligently, try to be the best player I can be for as long as I can. At 70, I continue to place myself in uncomfortable and challenging situations, I continue to enjoy learning new material (just started playing “La Zingara” and “Valse de Niglos“). There are times at the end of my practice session that my improvisations flow like water. Even if it’s only me hearing it, I know that I’m doing it, I’m hearing, it I’m playing it.

    What can I say? I think it’s never too late to be the best musician you can be.

    flacobillyshakesWillieluxBucolittlemarkvoutoreenierichter4208Scoredog
  • pdgpdg ✭✭
    Posts: 484

    As a person in my early 70s, I'll second that!

    Buco
  • Dario NapoliDario Napoli Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
    Posts: 345

    This is the best thing I've read all day:)

    Thank you so much for sharing your journey and experiences, if I ever get back to N.O. we are due to jam and play (minus the masterful partying, or at least tamed down:))

    All the very best in the meantime!

    Dario

    ChiefbigeasyBuco
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