Breathe

I started hosting this podcast in October of 2018. I was reminded of this fact last week when the yearly bill for the website arrived. It took three months to air the first episode because there was a learning curve at every stage of the process. For instance, buying a website was easy. Actually knowing how to use Squarespace was harder than I’d imagined. My friend Sandra got me started, and then I found a full-time website person.

Similarly, hitting the record button was simple. Making the podcast sound good however, was more difficult. I needed a tech person to advise and help with editing, because learning Logic was just another thing to add to a full schedule of gigging at least 4 days a week and teaching 25+ students. My creative team of Daryn and Brett is incredibly supportive and professional, and I’m blessed by their expertise and friendships. This is how I arrived here a year later with a project that is a true labor of love.

So far I’ve met with eighteen accomplished musicians who all have the keyboard instruments in common. Every one of them loves music, strives to better themselves, and plays with care and expression. Each person has given me multiple gifts in the form of friendship, advice, wisdom, humor, and honesty. The podcast has improved my life in so many ways and has made me well— busier.

So it was timely that I met Kamber Kigin last week. Kamber reminded me of the most basic concepts. She mentioned that her teenage students don’t breathe, and I must admit that over the past week I’ve been noticing when I’m clenched or constricted. I’ve found myself stopping whatever I’m doing to open my chest and belly, and suck down a bunch of air. How much more fundamental can one get? Oxygen is imperative!

What is actually hilarious and I suppose, Murphy’s Law-ish is that for a good portion of our interview, some workers were dealing with a storm-downed tree in the front yard. They were using the most obnoxious power tools known to mankind! There were chainsaws and leaf blowers at the very least. I’m convinced that Kamber is a holy sage because she stayed the course and I hope you will too. Ignore the cacophony because Kamber gave a great interview.

She is, in fact one of the most calm and spiritual people I’ve spoken with in a long time. She spoke of the importance of finding safe places to fail and the need for musicians to jam freely. This led us to discuss the prevalence of teen praise bands and why they are such fertile musical training grounds for young pianists and musicians. She also had this advice for young students: “Adapt adapt adapt,” “Get over not wanting to be a good reader,” and “Take whatever opportunities come your way.”

Kamber is the keyboardist and lead singer for the band Raviner and her favorite part of touring is “just meeting special people [when] you know you’ve had a true connection with them and you feel like you’re there together in that space for a reason.” Listening to her sing was like completing three productive therapy sessions. Not surprisingly, she tackles difficult situations in her soon-to-be-released solo EP featuring five songs dealing with the stages of grief.

After you listen to “On My Own” at the end of the episode, be sure to go hear her performing with Raviner on Sunday, October 27 at HOME in East Nashville. The address is 615 Main St. Suite G1. And be sure to check out Kamber’s custom-made, skeleton key necklaces that Raviner sells as part of their merchandise.