Not just the name of a very fine Police album, this actually happens to me now and again. Years ago (I’m talking 1980 or thereabouts) it was all things Japanese. I’d just been given Shogun by James Clavell to read by a friend, which is a rollicking good adventure and suddenly everything was Japan, fashion (pale skin, red lips blue-black hair) music and a huge exhibition of samurai artefacts at the British Museum. Then the TV series with of all people Richard Chamberlain who was not how I’d imagined the hero. Never mind. But it does give a good indication of what I mean. This kind of synchronicity seems only to happen to me where the arts are concerned, by which I mean books, TV, music, and in some cases a particular historical moment (my Ancient Greek phase has passed into legend).
At the moment, it’s music. Imagine gentle reader, I’m sitting in my humble living room watching The Wire and thinking, “gosh, this music’s good”, whereupon I surf the web, find a CD compilation of music from said TV series and purchase same. Fast forward a week (exciting, isn’t it?) and I receive the disk, download it onto the iPod and there on the second track is what I can only describe as the VOICE OF GOD.
You heard me. I’m trudging to the bus stop at 8am and then this VOICE comes on and I nearly fall over. Now, I am not given to that kind of behaviour in public (dignity, always dignity) but this man’s voice is so powerful, beautiful and in every sense moving that I have to find out more. His name is Michael Franti, he’s been on the scene (as far as I can tell) for over ten years, making music that speaks to social justice, and love.
This man is fab! Of course, my initial reaction is “he’s gone, no one that radical is allowed to exist in this world for long” but no, he’s still there, he performs at one of Obama’s inauguration balls, and even better, HE’S COMING HERE!!!! (Manchester Academy in July). Oh My God (the name of the track that caught me and one I would thoroughly recommend for a nano-lesson in recent American history).
Synchronicity, see?
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