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Oct 175 min read
“Let’s not do any more questions. Let’s just play music.” - DJ Trump (almost)
What he actually said at the press conference was “Let’s not do any more questions. Let’s just listen to music.” This is the closest I’ve...
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Oct 174 min read
Be the Middle Note
Originally published on Medium.com Sep 27, 2020 A few weeks ago I brought my ukulele to a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Prescott,...
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Sep 104 min read
Where is the Connection-Coop?
To paraphrase one of my jazz heroes Sun Ra “We’ve tried everything possible and nothing worked. Now it's time to try the impossible.” ...
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Jun 19, 20236 min read
The Teachings of the Elect Lady Evangelist Shirley Davis
Here I go again, trying to make sense of a White Black world. It's awkward but I keep trying. Shirley first came to my studio in the 80s...
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Mar 10, 20238 min read
You ARE Being Replaced...But Who Are You?
Some people think that truth is like a fruit tree. There are many truths growing on this truth tree. You could pick a truth and share it...
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Feb 16, 20223 min read
Why Am I Singing While this Woolly Mammoth is Charging Us?
When I play music with people, we are conveying ideas and expressions that go where words can’t possibly go. I believe that this kind of...
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Jan 7, 20223 min read
The Gifted Child - Who Unties the Bow?
I am often given links showing child prodigies on Facebook. If you know me, you know that these little movies usually scare me more than...
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Oct 15, 20214 min read
Can Music Turn White Supremacy into Love Supremacy?
My band Horned Beetle has a gig coming up this Saturday at Founding Fathers Collective. They want us to play there regularly. Since they...
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Jun 21, 20213 min read
From Maasailand to comMUSIKey
The first time I went to a Music for People workshop, I came straight from the airport after two months in Maasailand, Kenya. Although...
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May 9, 20217 min read
An Antidote to the Spell of the Invisible Hand
This was originally posted on Patreon.com And then it was posted at jonathanbest.com on MAY 10, 2021. Click on the date to see that...
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Jul 31, 20203 min read
Playing a Different Part of the Same Elephant
This was originally posted to the comMUSIKey website July 31, 2020. (click that date to take you back to the original post with a comment...
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Jun 16, 20202 min read
Osingolio!
I recorded this album in Maasailand, Kenya in 2007. It is available at jonathanbest.bandcamp.com. Friday, June 16, 2020, 100% of...
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May 21, 20151 min read
Beethoven’s Gift
Here is a quote from Ludwig Van Beethoven as interpreted into English by Corinne Heline in her book ‘Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies –...
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Jul 15, 20141 min read
The Rhythm of Nature
Here is an example of nature creating a groove. These are two different raindrop streams falling from a gutter, one playing three beats...
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Jul 15, 20144 min read
Who’s Musical?
Who’s musical? Hint: Every Body Originally published in 5enses Magazine MAY 30, 2014 • Photo by Ramona Smith. By Jonathan Best Go outside...
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Feb 18, 20141 min read
Our Musical Terrain
Go outside a listen to the musical terrain. Start walking and listen to it change as you take part in its rhythm. This is collaboration...
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Sep 25, 20134 min read
How Can There Be Wrong Notes When There Aren’t Any Notes At All?
In my studies at MUSIC FOR PEOPLE I learned that there are no wrong notes. My favorite Thelonius Monk quote is “The piano ain’t got no...
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Sep 18, 20131 min read
Moving to the rhythm ‘can help language skills’
Moving in time to a steady beat is closely linked to better language skills, a study suggests.
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