Who is, or rather, was Chet Baker? Let's begin with a little background: "Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. (1929-1988) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist. Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals." (Wikipedia)
(May I suggest that before reading on, you visit YouTube and check out "Almost Blue" with Chet Baker...I've got it playing right now..)
For some of us, words just don't seem to "cut-it" when it comes to expressing our deeper emotions, and often we find it easier to do so through the use of an instrument: piano, sax, guitar, trumpet, flute, etc.. and for others, ...through listening to music.
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." (Victor Hugo)
Music, in my view, is a communication tool that can assist us in sharing our experiences as human beings regardless of our spoken languages. "Music touches us emotionally, where words alone cannot." (Johnny Depp)
My school years were not easy; I was skinny, quiet, shy, and in many of the other kids eyes, very strange. I listened to jazz and classical music, played the trumpet and piano, copied Michelangelo paintings, and had very little interest in sports. (Although I was quite good at hitting balls and running fast)
In hindsight, I get that they thought that I was strange, however, one of the consequences of being viewed as strange, meant that I often felt rather lonely and left out. I turned to music and it became my "best friend". Regardless of what kind of music I listened to or played, I felt as if it communicated with me and expressed what I felt without the use of words.
Music has played a part in human existence since year dot so some say...beginning with simple lullaby's, melodies played on flutes carved from bone/wood/reed, and a number of "signals" beaten on various types of drums, ....fast forward to now>>>> and music is a multi billion dollar industry.
Chet Baker, did not live an easy life, rather, his life was very complicated through his lifelong battle with drug addiction. However, his music was not complicated, rather, he managed to tell whole life stories and complex emotional experiences with the help of a very few, but well chosen, notes.
The sound he produced on his trumpet was his own, and for many of us, he "said" things on his trumpet that mere words couldn't. But he was, and is not alone in doing so: BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Miles Davis, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Chris Botti, Beethoven, Bach, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, etc.etc....also have/had their very own "sound". Music with words perhaps in some way may be easier to access, or relate to for some of us rather than instrumental music, but the absence of words in instrumental music, does not prevent us for creating our own internal "stories" to accompany the music. Music, it seems, can be emotionally evocative, bypass words and tug at our "emotional strings"..... hence we often categorise music as "happy" or "sad", energetic, chillin', angry, motivating, meditative, "bump&grind", "elevator", and so on. (Can't help wondering what would happen in a posh French restaurant if they only played heavy metal music, or in a MacDonald's who played Italian Opera ....hehe)
According to research, emotional reactions to music involves the limbic lobe, which means that we respond to music before we have had time to think about it. ...hence music in shopping centres to make us feel good and feeling good, we spend more money. Music can also help us feel connected with others by sharing our love for the same kind of music, as in concerts, festivals, clubs, societies, YouTube, Facebook, etc. Some of us who may find it hard to express our feelings in words, and perhaps chose making "mixed tapes"(pieces of music specifically picked) in order to better convey and share our feelings with someone else.
Music, because of its ability to affect us, can be used as a helpful tool to address issues we deal with, as in Music Therapy. "Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program." (American Music Therapy Association)
For what ever mood you are in, my guess is that there is music that can comfort you, or dance to, or chill out to, or meditate to, or relax to, or feel invigorated and energised by,.... but what that may be, is up to you to find.
“Where words leave off, music begins.” (Heinrich Heine)
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