Homo Musicus

This will be a place to regularly talk about all things musical.
“…our capacity to ‘read’ rhythms, melodies, and pleasing harmonies, like our uniquely human ability to learn language, was genetically prescribed. These three elements were found by anthropologists to exist in all musical cultures. Our ear for harmony was hardwired. (Furthermore, without a surrounding context of harmony, disharmony was meaningless and uninteresting.) Understanding a line of melody was a complex mental act, but it was one that even an infant could perform’ we were born into an inheritance, we were Homo musicus; defining beauty in music must therefore entail a definition of human nature…” –Ian McEwan, Amsterdam
Claire and I got home from work the other week to find a giant wrapped gift in the entry way. My emerged explaining that Santa had come early. We debated opening it now or later, though I was mostly doing it to tease Claire, seeing how curious she was and knowing Benny is the kind of guy who doesn’t make you wait to open gifts. Dad tipped the scales by saying, “I don’t know why you’d wait to open it when you can start having fun with it now.”
Now, after a certain age you sorta say goodbye to fun gifts, especially ones the size of bike-boxes, and so hungrily, cluelessly we tore off the wrapping paper, and peeled open the FedEx box.
It was a glittering ruby red Fender Starcaster with pearl pick strum guard, complete with amp, tuner, a stand, carrying case, extra strings and picks. It was totally f-ing awesome. Dad proceeded to demonstrate what could be done with the device, particularly in the way of fuzzy blues-rock, something to shoot for. Is it any wonder I have an easy time imaging the character of God the Father?