By Deems Tsutakawa
In my lifetime I have been consumed with creating music that is creative as well as marketable. Fortunately for me, my instrument of choice is the acoustic grand piano, which has a timelessly good sound quality. A well-crafted musical instrument in the hands of a serious musician will sound good in any generation from here to the end of human civilization.
There are many aspects of our existence that stand the test of time. Fresh foods such as fish, produce, fruits and even beer all taste better than canned, frozen or dried eats. Besides what we eat, there are other consumables that have what can be called a “shelf-life.”
The musical format called the Blues has had a long-standing place in our culture and still enjoys popularity today. Good toe tapping jazz, symphony orchestras and choral music will be enjoyed by countless generations to come.
Whenever people hear an old song on the radio, TV, YouTube or internet, it always brings back memories of what was happening during that particular era. The clothing fashions of the day, car stylings, popular foods and even the political scene all come to mind. Pop culture is, of course, totally based on new trends, which is good for the manufacturing industry but is also quite shallow in its essence.
Unfortunately, in the name of making money, large companies are constantly putting out products that have no substance or are even harmful to our health. I know that there is nothing inherently wrong with new products, but it is rather galling when the quality is absent.
I personally have always loved products that have a lasting, time-tested quality to them. I guess one could call it a niche market as opposed to mainstream, and this suits me just fine.
[Editor’s Note]
Deems Tsutakawa is a local Sansei musician. He can be reached at deemst@deemsmusic.com.
