Africanaudiovideo.com

African Music Outlet

African Healing Dance

Jacky Essombe

An Existence of a Musician

Is the bar set too high? Have the muscles been properly trained to compress and unleash the energy necessary to successfully leap over it? At what time would my efforts deemed satisfactory? Of what will my tomorrow be made if the veil to my eyes remains un-lifted? Is my unsteady walking a sign of weakness, or is it the evidence of resiliency, of a desperate courage rooted in the very essence of me? Will I ever make it? Am I frightened? Am I subjected to the terror of an unfulfilled existence that the colleague Jackson Browne speaks of when he says in "The Fuse": "…And the fear of living for nothing strangles the will..."? Fear…should I admit to its existence forcibly imposed on me by all means? Or should I simply refuse to give it the breath of life with a total despise? Great gods and goddesses, protectors of the crafts to which I'm only one of the humble stewards, do you heed me?

Endless fights engendering in turn doubt and worry, humiliations and annihilation. From the difficult conjugation of the duty to live and the art of enjoying it, I foresee a destiny fulfilling at its own pace, day after day. A musical note…a chord burst from the deeper part of me with no apparent connection to anything but its own universe, brings forth to me the sense of that duty. I live two parallel lives, I evolve in-between two worlds, which codes are often contradictory and with the vectors of orientation only complementary to the eyes of the wise. I catch myself wanting to be freed from the constraints imposed on me by my duality, to immerse in the infinite ocean. This childish thought of the kid in me probably has its reason to be, even though it commits the sin of denial. Perhaps is it necessary to take note of it, as to better appreciate the fights I would have successfully conducted? Engraved, they are in the prize list of my "Dared to", I must not forget.

Musician I am, musician I shall be! I renew allegiance to the primordial imprimatur that presided over my conception and over my birth. Never minding the pecuniary tribulations, the tough times and the low blows, the constant menaces of poverty that offer, sniggering, their specter. Muse! Goddess of my nights and days, don't you abandon me! With you, I'm alive. With you, I exist. With you, I am. As long as you will deign to visit this humble dwelling of my being, this existence of mine will be justified. The sobbing of my embattled heart will find the jubilation and the elation of a beautiful Major Seventh chord with its subtle reverberations propagating in an infinite echo with no resolution. Doesn't the harmonizing of the separate entities allow the manifestation of the mathematically just principles, generator of a new dynamic? To live day by day…but to live nevertheless with the resolute will to write the story of my existence, till the end, thus playing the role that is mine by the Providence's Decree. And if I should falter, facing the scales of the final justice, may no weight of my own doing be ever put against the weight of my already light soul.

For, that soul of mine, I'd wish it on that day, to be as light as the thinnest feather of the wing of the dove. Gorgeous symphonies would rock my passage to the other world, a just reward for having been a musician till the last breath rendered. From the place I would be assigned to, I would turn back to my brethren engaged on the path once mine to whisper to them in their sleep: To live…To live day by day…nevertheless to live!

Jean-Pierre Simons

© 2004

An Excellent Idea

It was strongly suggested to me by a couple of friends to get "Turquoise" published as a novel or novelette. I had thought of compiling all the episodes at some point and have them published. But I found the idea suggested to be more exciting and challenging. I will be working in that direction. So, this 12th episode of "Turquoise" is the last I will publish in my Newsletter.

I will quietly continue to write the story until its completion. The past episodes will be re-written, so as to include some details that I had left aside in order to make things fit the format of the Newsletter.

When the novel is ready, or is published, you will of course, be the first to know about it. In the meantime, the past episodes written will remain posted as usual.

I thank you for your support. Your suggestions are welcome, as always.

Amicalement,

Jean-Pierre Simons.

Note: All the Newsletters can be read at the following address:

http://www.sighes.com/news_letters_lettres_publiees.htm

I Recommend...

• Charlotte Mbango
• Sally Nyolo

News ... News ... News...News

Greetings!!

• My interview (in French) with "1001 Musiques".

• The online distribution of my CD has been expanded to now include Tower Records.

• There is a new online store specialized in African Audio and Video. It's called : Africanaudiovideo.com This store carries my CD as well. I had a pleasant contact with the CEO of the enterprise. I wish him the success he deserves.

• FREE DOWNLOAD of my Screen Saver "Love Me".

A t t e n t i o n !! You made a lucky purchase...

The new album in production will include the current Single on sale "Aime-Moi" and "Like A Friend".

All those who have purchased, or who will purchase the Single, will have one FREE COPY OF THE FULL ALBUM !!!

This is what you'll have to do in order to receive your free copy:

Once you complete your transaction, send me an e-mail to the following address:

jean-pierresimons@sighes.com

with

a/ your mailing address

b/ the name of the online store you completed your purchase with.

c/ time and date of the transaction.

Amicalement,

Jean-Pierre Simons

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