Gracias Por La Musica
(From Latin Beat Magazine © 2009)

I run to you to celebrate, to mourn, to forget, to express myself, to be grounded again. I run to you to get a taste of the way the world should be: passionate, but orderly; inventive, but tight; new and repetitious, progressive, but dependable.

I lose myself in the juxtaposition of your sweet harmony, bone vibrating bass lines, the crack slap of the conga’s ‘two;’ the resonance in my belly of its open ‘four – and.’

When you stroke your guiro it might as well be my spine. When you drive the cowbell you dictate the rhythm of my heart. When you sing your boleros you are my heart.

You’re a best friend. You move me from the inside out -- and you make me dance and be happy no matter what hell the world is experiencing at the moment. You’ve been there for me through wars, poverty, racial strife, inhumanity and disappointment. You’ve helped me celebrate my marriage and the birth of our daughters.

Without you life would be white bread; a quality white bread, but white bread nonetheless.

You’ve helped me complete myself; to reach my potential as a feeling human being and partner.”

To all the Latino composers, arrangers and artists who’ve graced me with their music -- and souls;

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Dedicated to Tito. I miss you.

© 2005 Don Kellin