My daughter recently recorded a few songs with Colin Killalea of Chris Keup’s White Star Sound. After hearing a rough cut of the first song, “Anastasia,” I was moved to tell Colin that I saw, I knew, I could tell, that his work was in service of the music. Colin, a remarkable musician and producer, knew exactly what I meant. When I listen, there is no ego, no showing off, no marking territory, no wink to the listener saying, “aren’t I clever?” Our attention remains on the story, the feelings, the beauty and meaning of the song as told through the melody, lyrics, musical performances, and production. The work is to reveal that song, not obscure it. Colin’s work treats the song itself as a precious thing. As you listen, notice the delicate, almost etherial piano, the emotional swell that takes us with the storyteller into her dream, the hush of recognition as the song ends. This quality of “expression in service of,” threads itself throughout my work and in this blog. Generally, it is connected to…Read on.