From the beginning of my time writing about Vancouver jazz, I’ve been a coward.
Which stories in our community have been the most-discussed, the most controversial, or the ones where we could benefit the most from an exploration? The ones I avoided and never wrote about, of course.
I approached my twice-weekly cadence of publication with the attitude of, “What’s the quickest route I can take to I fill these spots?” instead of, “I have these opportunities to tell stories. What’s the best I can do with each opportunity?”
When I did decide to bear down and spend long hours on Rhythm Changes, what did I do? I blasted through dozens of album reviews, often making no contact with the artist or other people involved in that music.
I love to say that I am Rhythm Changes’ biggest consumer. If someone other than me were in charge of it, and I observed them operating this way, how would I feel? Shortchanged, a bit disappointed: they’re capable of so much more with this.
If my real-life subscribers felt this way about my work right now, could I be surprised?
I share these feelings with you not, as is often the case for me, out of self-pity. Rather, a new word of focus for my work at Rhythm Changes entered my life this month: brave. May God help me attempt to live up to it.