Musician: Nat Keen (guitar, vocals)
A new day, a new tune.
I like writing songs with Big Joe, the benefit that our sessions bring to his life are plain to see, but they also come my way in abundance. When I’m attempting to write my own music, I find the prospect of finishing anything very challenging, there are lots of ideas, but when is enough enough and what is the purpose of the music? These real or perceived barriers don’t exist when Big Joe chimes in with some words for a new song, these songs have become a central part of his identity and there is a necessity for him to share his expression through music. Having a weekly time frame brings a sense of focus in which we can work on conveying the essence of his message without too much debilitating deliberation. So, thank you Big Joe and let’s finish off song number four next week. Just to whet your whistle, expect a Bluesy, driving Funk tune about strutting around the streets of London!
In the meantime, here’s a short clip of one of Big Joe’s fans listening to his song in a scenic spot in Rio, Brazil….. worldwide appeal!!
Next to Big Joe is Mr IG He has been sitting side by side with Big Joe for the entirety of our writing sessions. He faces the frustration of being unable to use words and at times my feeling is that he would like to express something to me. When connections are so obviously positive, such as the one I have developed with Big Joe, it can be easy to overlook others who long for connection but find it harder to express. This has been true of Ms SR in the last couple of weeks and today, as Mr IG strained to vocalise something towards me which I perceived as angry or irritated, I wondered just what he was feeling. I approached him to ask if he’d like a song. He nodded, smiled, and the tension across his face dissolved. I’d remembered his love for country music and began to play Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ to which he started laughing and producing a high pitched whistle sound through his teeth. It seems obvious now that he wasn’t necessarily angry at me but simply wanted to be involved and couldn’t use words to express it.
I continued with a visit to Ms SR who in the last weeks has been incredibly expressive and articulate about what music means for her. As her confidence builds week by week, a dry sense of humour is revealing itself. As I gave her some options for music that I could play, she cheekily chimed in with;
‘I don’t mind what you play…but it better be good!’
When nurse Daniel entered to check what the laughing was about and affectionately tease her about hogging the musician, she was quick to fire back with a smirk and a cutting retort ‘pack your bags!’.
I popped in to see Ms AS who unfortunately was on her way to hospital. I was pleased to see her surrounded by family members but looking fragile and weak. As soon as she saw me, she proudly welcomed in Pepe (her Spanish name for me) and said something along the lines of ‘I need an injection of music, not an injection in the hospital’
