The Basement is my very favourite place to experience and to perform live music in Nashville.  The layout, lighting, and/or unseen aspects of that environment are inexplicably conducive to the intimate exchange of energy betwixt performer and audience.  It is appropriately termed ‘The Basement’ as breaching its discreet rear entrance is liken-to taking refuge in a storm shelter – amidst a swirling squall of worldly complexities.  I like the safe, underground feeling invoked by this dimly-lit dive, both on and off the stage.  I have witnessed countless shows there which I would categorize as ‘magic moments’, being saturated in that certain something that makes for an awe-inspiring performance.  Stand-out performances by Sarah Siskind, Jennifer Niceley, The Altered Statesmen, Kurt Wagner of Lambchop, and many others rush into my mind as I recall that feeling of musical transcendence.  Certainly, there have been many great performances there which I have missed altogether, and so other minds have surely been impressed with once-in-a-lifetime experiences within that space which have managed to evade my consciousness.  But in those sanctified moments of my recollection, I have no doubt that every other present soul was equally inspired and engaged as I was.  It is among my philosophies that this is the aim of music – to invoke this mysterious, collective experience that I want to call Unity.

Last night, from the vantage-point of the stage, there were undeniable moments when logic was suspended just long enough to allow that unnamed entity to flow into our performance.  It seems to me that the degree to which every participant – musicians and spectators alike – is willing to surrender in this way is directly proportional to the success of the performance – ‘success’ being defined in the aforementioned terms.  I am at a loss when I attempt to intellectualize this experience, so I will say only this:  It felt Good.  From my position in the stage-lights I was only able to discern a room-full of shadowy figures.  I often find these lighting conditions favourable, because in my opinion it is detrimental to a performer to gauge the response of an audience in-the-moment, or to second-guess any myriad of perceptions in-order-to adjust his performance in alignment with some imaginary expectation.  Emerson said it best: “Shall I preclude my future, by taking a high seat, and kindly adapting my conversation to the shape of heads?”  It would serve no end for me to deliver some performance that I could only mistakenly presume one would want to hear.  Moreover, it feels extremely liberating to allow for the possibility that my own perception could be the correct one!  This is how last night’s performance felt to me – as though my own intuition was served.

After the performance, that collective body of silhouettes disintegrated into individual personages with features and expressions and encouraging remarks!  It is inexpressibly gratifying to receive such an overwhelmingly positive response after having detached from a need for it.  It is at such a moment when I am completely fascinated with the perceptions of others with regard to my music.  I want to know what they see and hear and visualize, and if it speaks to their experience of life.  I want to know how they came to be there, and recognize the synchronistic undercurrent of those logistics.  I want to say a silent prayer of gratitude for having crossed their path.  The same goes for my band-mates, the New Transcendentalists.  I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to share the stage with each of these highly-creative individuals.  Yet, having said all that, I have the sense that our stage-show has yet to become fully actualized.  Upon the release of ‘Days of the Visceral’, I fully expect our presentation to have reached greater and greater heights. 

~ Mr. Hazelwood