Well, what can I say, you saw this coming. IT was bound to happen. There, I said it, so let us move on.
Phish is one of the best bands on the planet to run to, to dance to, to sing to, to drive to, to raise kids to. It's no mystery that Phish is a high energy band; they are an improvisational strong arm that sets them head and shoulders above any other in the category. And, there is a category; Phish is a jam band. But long ago, far far away, there were a bunch of folks who listened and followed and grooved deeply without the category. Now there are many who follow in their footsteps, just as Phish has footsteps it follows; but, their legacy can never be eclipsed by another. I promise.
Phish has kept me coming back over the years and with good reason! The music is fresh, it's ultra~creative, genius, brilliant, composed with elements that make you smarter, and, not unlike any classical definition of a musical composition.
Their music is like a concerto, allowing and alternating between each, leading the rest, emerging slightly from the other three. You have the accompaniment and the soloist, there are counterpoints, there are modulations and monotones, there is the discretion of each of the guys as they work together, there is harmony, expression, intonation, inflection.
For me, as far as my rock-n-roll experience, both live and studio, these guys really have had my attention for many years; they will continue to have my attention even though the shows I'm not going to continue to pile up. Stepping off to the side is okay, too.
Good news!! I am flying to Telluride this summer to see two (very special) Phish shows. I am bringing my running shoes!! It will be fun to go for a run before the show. To have Phish in my ear buds maybe playing a selection that will surface later that night. Maybe what I hear in my headphones will become 'my call' for the evening as we discuss sets lists and what they haven't played in a while. Or, what has been in heavy rotation. Or, what soundcheck revealed while running by.
One thing is for sure, whirling around in this dizzying inspiring concerto I call Phish, there is Jon Fishman. He really is what makes this great running music. I so totally dial into his hi-hat or maybe the ride to the far right. My feet found a home there in the eccentric end of his rhythm. YOu'd think it is the kick. But it isn't. Or, maybe the snare as it sharply thrusts through the other fella's instruments. Not. Instead, it's the lively and even~tempered repetitions of the consistent beat; the beat that the other sounds situate themselves in within the percussive measure; this becomes almost a template for Fishman as he scans, organizes and displays the elements of his kit.
I once had the very awesome privilege of reading Fishman's senior thesis from Goddard College (The Vault) entitled "A Self Teaching Guide To Drumming Written In Retrospect". In this thesis, Fishman deconstructs the techniques and methods used for jazz drumming, cultural stylings of African drumming and really a variety of techniques. I was convinced after reading his paper, that there is a very intellectual side to the jazz drummer and to hear this training in his technique distinguishes him as a rock-n-roll drummer and pushes him instantly to an all new level of badass. The listener isn't always able to pick of the finesse of a jazz trained musician and, really this says nothing about either participant. What it does show, however, is the ability for a musician to use his training, in Fishman's case, as part of an intelligent network of communication, a system devised by the band that includes me and makes me feel welcomed~regardless of what I bring to the event. But this I know, Fishman has personally powered me through workouts, whether a MOMA, Julius, Carini or the classic standards for running: Antelope, Tweezer, Weekapaug and YEM, for me the guy has ceaseless talent and I am stoked that we graduated from the same college!!! I can't wait to find out what is on the horizon me this summer in Colorado. Time to focus and make lists!
Keep Running!
And, I certainly wish the guys a great summer on the road! (Uncle Pen in Telluride, encore the first night, and maybe a lovin cup thrown in there for good measure. am I right, John?)
