John Coltrane

I hesitate to say I'm taking Giant Steps. But somedays it feels like it.

Two days ago I parted ways with my most recent trusty sidekick, Sariel. Travel is weird. You get to know people far too well in farr too little time. Today I ventured north of Buenos Aires, my most recent hub, across the River Plate to the tiny colonial town aptly named, Colonia in Urugay. Taking the first solo step out of the Lime House youth hostel into what many see as a hostile world. I see it a bit differently, the world to me has never been anything but warm and friendly (for the most part). I find myself now writing on a free computer with internet and YouTube to boot. I can safely say travelling sans iPod, while very liberating, has been the biggest mistake I've made all trip. I had a dream the other night of John Coltrane playing live for a few of my friends and I and luckily Adobe FlashPlayer has been able to give me some satisfaction here at El Viajero Hostel. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kotK9FNEYU and then if you wish, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_ywkpVJ624

Relaxing to some Coltrane is one of my favorite things to do. I find him utterly inpirational. I've been writing so much it's unhealthy, too many stories in too many different directions. When I listen to Coltrane I feel the same sense of depletion at the end of a song as I do when I'm stuck in the middle of a story, or if I'm lucky, once I've been fortunate enough to finish one. His saxophonegoes off in so many different waves, so many different directions, and yet get pulled back together at once with the quartet at the end.

I ate pasta tonight with my own quartet: a pair of Ozzies and a mad Englishman who provided an ample amout of humor and conversation alongside dinner. It was delicious, in case you were wondering. A perfect mix of bowties (my fav), tomate sauce, and palmitos (palmhearts). Everyone ahd something to give to the mix, and though we are all from markedly different places, spatially speaking and in life as well, we got together and made something happen.

In the middle of that version of Naima at Antibes, 1965 there is a part where Coltrane's solo is almost too much to bear. Like you wanna almost turn it off. The other day I wanted to go home so bad it hurt. I miss my friends my family my car and all the familiar things (dare I say, "My Favorite Things," hehe, another Coltrane reference for good measure) you take for granted when you are not a million miles away from your house. Having been here almost three months the allure of travel has begun to wear off and some days are more tedious (in transit, alone, with random strangers, etc.) than others. After a long conversation with my mother (I love you) I came to the conclusion that sticking this whole bit out is the only way to break through the bad solo and bring this whole thing back together, find some purpose, finish this song, is to stick it off, to not turn it off just yet.

A lot of Coltrane haters say he's too busy. Sure, free time jazz just aint my thing either. But when you live in free time you come to appreciate the cacophony- if only for the moment right before the end of the song when everyone gets together on the same rythmn, just in time to end it righteously. I'm stranded here in Uruguay, waiting for an email from Lord Juan Pablo telling me where to go next. There are cattle to be found in the north of here I'm told. If I can find work I'll be home in a month. If not, expect to see me in weeks.

I love you all supremely. I can't wait to see what you have all been up to and to show you what I've been doing in my wandering down here. Needless to say I've got months of photos to upload and stories to write. For now I'll continue improvising for as long as I can bear. Here's hoping I can rock out as well as Trane.

Love,

Sean

ps- to all the Coltrane heads or wannabes, check this out. He speaks! Wicked wicked interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZRbuNfhFEc&feature=related