Beautiful Noise

There are three different musicians playing in my house right now. It’s noisy and chaotic and I can’t say I mind one bit.

Penn, 15, is playing bari sax in his room. It has a good tone. He plays alto in the jazz band at his high school. He also plays drums now and again. He has a Coltrane poster on his wall.

Lucy, 7, is playing the piano. Right now she plays 7 Years and the beginning of Für Elise by ear and an original tune she’s writing every time she sits down at the piano. She also plays her lesson material most of the time, and occasionally breaks out in a Christmas song.

Milo, 4, is playing the drums. He would play my drum pad when that was the only thing to hit in the house. Then we got him a kid drum kit for Christmas. Then we were given an old electric drum kit. His internal metronome is pretty on point, and he understands quarter and eighth notes and how to play a 2-4 beat.

I’ve played drums since the 3rd grade. Prior to that, I would set up various things in the house as makeshift kits. So I’m pretty proud of my 4-year-old son’s interest in and aptitude with the drums.


Two weeks ago was Penn’s high school band’s big fundraising concert at Dallas’ Granada Theater. I did the website for the event, which featured East Dallas’ own Tim Delaughter of Tripping Daisy and The Polyphonic Spree. It was a great show and a great time and a moment of local unity around the arts.

(photo by Carissa)


Last night Carissa and I went to see Damien Jurado, which was originally going to be at The Wild Detectives but due to inclement weather was moved to an event space in Oak Cliff. It was a really good show, and one of the best shows by a guy sitting on a chair with a guitar I’ve ever seen. (The other one being Denison Witmer circa 2002.) He said he related most to authors on a book tour. I liked that. We’ve been listening to a lot of his stuff today.

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