The Front Row

Matt and Mariah at the coffee shop...

When it comes to the front row, music venues are the exact opposite of movie theatres. The dreaded front row of a movie theatre leaves you with a strained neck and headache. But when it comes to live music, however, the closer the better. I always want to be nearest to the musical source, so that the notes wash over me first, when they're still pure and clean. That and no tall people blocking my view.

Yesterday I saw Matt Lacour's Senior Recital, the culmination of 4 (plus) years of jazz study. Working his way through a somewhat disjointed progression of six numbers, each displaying a unique style and sound, the common thread offering unity was his playing, which offered a sense of penetration and refinement. Sitting in the front row, first to hear the diminished sevenths and captivating solos, I was overcome by the realization that my friend is incredibly talented.

It was not unlike the feeling one encounters when seeing the beautiful telescopic shots of far off galaxies, and one is left thinking "I knew we were small, but not this small." As Matt's fingers gracefully crawled up and down the fret board all I could think was I knew he was good, but I didn't know he was that good.

Gratefulness, trust, and loyalty are invaluable virtues when it comes to friendship, but there's something about being proud of your friends. And that's the only way I can describe how I felt: I was proud to be friends with someone who possesses such immense talent. The front row was a good place to be.