Respecting Your Elders

By Frank Cosentino

 No matter which master you serve, always remember and honour those architects who laid the groundwork and template you are following as an artist. When you play their music it is not just a cover song in your set list.  By continuing to play the music, you not only become the catalyst for others to discover these important artists but in the process you are keeping the music relevant and vital, and most important alive.

 There is a saying … ‘In any art, you must keep looking and moving forward but at the same time keep your feet firmly planted in the past’.  When I write songs I keep my ideas in check by asking myself how would Muddy, BB, Miles & Hendrix approach this?  Some days that approach just does not work and I have to trust my instincts and ears.  Instinct is a strong force.  Never be afraid of it and know when it is right.

 For many of us, we learned our craft by first emulating our favourite artist and the music that grabbed us.  Reviewing the music has always been a huge source of inspiration to me.  Inspiration is motivation to perform, write and master your instrument and craft.

So the next time you hear someone say … ‘Oh man that’s old music’, set them straight.  Educate them by playing some of that music and let its sheer power take your audience the same way it did to you on the first listen.

 As an artist, it is important to acknowledge and pay tribute to those who have laid the groundwork for our craft, by continuing to perform and create music inspired by our predecessors; we can keep their memory and art alive for future generations.

Website: www.frankcosentinoband.com