On yonder hill there stands a creature,

Who she is I do not know.

I go and court her for her beauty,

She must answer yes or no…

These words could conjure a beauty standing atop a sand dune glistening in the blinding haze of a hot July. Or, as the groove would suggest, something darker. She’s unidentifiable. A woman? Yes. Human? Inconclusive. Beautiful? Again, yes. Friend or Threat? The tension is stiff, how will she answer. He has made himself vulnerable, clearly nervous, what will the outcome be. “The Creature” runs for almost seven minutes. Tension like this can last a lifetime.

I’ve heard many responses for “What is blues?” My favorite comes from John Dee Holeman, “The blues is a good man feeling bad.” To me, that answer speaks to the contention that music is the language of the heart and at its best shortens the distance between two souls.

Happy Halloween!!

– Aaron