The Rebel
For all of my life, people have been telling what I could & couldn’t and should & shouldn’t do. But, my life is not theirs to dictate. I will listen to this one thing though–shoot for the moon, and even if you miss you’ll land among the stars. You better believe I’m going to the moon and no one can stop me. I’ve worked too hard and too long for someone who doesn’t know me at all to tell me I can’t pursue all of my dream. If I can’t do it there and I can’t do it here, I’ll keep going and piss off people in the process.
Just because I’ve spent most of my conscious years playing music, doesn’t mean I have to stop or even limit my expression. There are so many great artists who pushed the envelope, or completely disregarded it! Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Milhaud, Parker, Gillespie, Presley, West, Gaga, Lucas, and too many more to name. They’re all revolutionaries, game-changers, visionaries. So why can’t I be among them?
The violin can’t be limited because it was meant for orchestral and chamber music. If marching instruments are found in a jazz combo, a Broadway pit, and in New York Phil performances, I can do what I want and you can shut-up and listen or keep on moving. Just wait, you’ll see.
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“‘And, now, welcoming to Avery Fischer Hall for their debut performance’ me. That’s how they’ll announce me.”
“Sure, dude. Whatever, you say. Until that happens, can we get back to rehearsal? The performance is in three days, this isn’t there yet, and it’s my senior comp recital. Basically, if this sounds like crap, everyone looks at me first.”
“Fine.”
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“So how did you hear about our collective, kid?”
“Well, actually, my parents grew up listening to anything and everything what I was growing up, which meant I did too. There aren’t many people out there that do what you are doing. One of my composer friends from school actually recommended I check you guys out and you were playing a small venue downtown the next week. I bought us tickets, we went, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“I thought you looked familiar! I told you he looked familiar, Jude.”
“Yeah, I know, you have a great memory for faces,” Jude mocked.
“So, kid, why are you here?”
“All my life people told me everything I could & couldn’t do, how I can & should act and perform, but I’ve always wanted to just be. So, if you are willing, I’d love to play on your shows sometime, sub-in for a gig if a guy gets sick or whatever. I don’t know, but I just want to let the world hear my one can bring people tighter, prepare them for war, lead people in remembrance, but really just tell you how and where I am.”
“Kid, I can’t promise you anything. But, I dig you heart.”
“Yeah, I totally vibe with that.”
"Cool.”
“Cool…Hey, what’s your name anyway?”
“You can just call me The Kid, everyone does”
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“Yeah, thanks for coming out tonight. Before we go, I want to introduce you to someone. He’s been playing with us on our past few shows. You’ve probably seen him with a sax and his twin with a violin. But, it’s actually just him playing both! So, for his debut solo performance with Et. C., The Kid and an original for violin and sax.”
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“How did you first hear about the Ethos Collective?”
“Long short, short: I hate boxes and a friend showed me to this dope group of artists that played as if the box never existed.”
“If my sources are correct, is Et. C. disbanding?”
“You’re sources are correct, unfortunately.”
“What does that mean for you and the other artists?”
“For me, this was just a long layover on my road of artistry. It doesn’t end here for em. I love the wicked artists I got to work and collaborate with. They’re like family, ya’ know? But, my mantra for a long time now has been–I’m going to do what I wasn’t, and you can shut-up and listen or keep on moving. And, I’m going to stick to it.”
“What’s next for The Kid?”
“The moon and, if not, the stars.”
#CreativeWriting #Fiction #FictionWriting #CharacterArchetype #Archetype #Rebel