As I sit on Metro North on my way up to Pawling, NY, I gaze out the window onto the beautiful, snow covered Hudson Valley. The further the train gets from the madness that is NYC, the hustle and bustle slows to a much calmer pace. It gives me a chance to reflect on how incredibly fortunate I am in life, as well as my career.

I’m on my way to Daryl’s House, the nightclub owned by Daryl Hall. We are filming yet another episode of Live From Daryl’s House. This will be the forth one for the upcoming season.

The show is a pleasure to be involved in. As a live audio engineer, I too infrequently get to experience the music creation process. While there are concert nights where spontaneity takes over and the magic of the creative process brings something new to the table, it’s not quite the same thing.

LFDH is a group of seriously talented musicians who play together regularly, getting together with guest artists to create something new. The typical scenario is four of the guest artist songs, then two of Daryl’s. The arrangements get changed, sometimes the key. The musicians decide who takes what part, who does a solo, if they’ll trade solos, how to end the song. Then record is pressed and they run the song a couple times, to settle in. Usually in the next two or three passes, it happens. Something takes place and the individual parts that the nine or so musicians are playing, becomes one. One brand new musical moment has been captured. An instant in time, where the creative forces inside a musician escapes and collide with anothers. That is when music happens. The collaboration between real people, playing real instruments together.

Having the luxury to be there when it happens is just that, a luxury. Most experience music after the fact, once it has been born, cleaned up and groomed. Witnessing its birth, is truly an amazing thing. I’m blessed with this luxury and am very appreciative and thankful for it.