The gift of music
Music is the universal language, and for many people, it’s helping to get them through the COVID-19 crisis. Musicians have answered the call with a number of live shows online. One of them is Jay Nash, a longtime internationally-touring musician based in Hartland, Vermont.
Nash, like so many performers throughout the world, saw tour dates slashed from his schedule when the pandemic spread. Then, he had to figure out what to do next. Part of the answer was Monday Nights Live, an 8:30 p.m. Monday concert each week, where fans from across the world, including California, Germany and Illinois, join Nash virtually in his studio on Facebook Live. The first show, done on a Saturday, got 6,000 views. The joy and togetherness of the experience has been inspiring.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” Nash said. “There are all these new friendships being formed.”
Although people have been generous with the “donate” button, he wants to give more than he gets. So, a free video of each Monday show is posted, and, every 7 to 10 days, he puts up a record for free as well. Also during Monday Nights Live, Nash has been championing “Music Cares,” a fund through The Grammy Foundation which now has a COVID-19 relief program for musicians.
The inspiration for the free record came when he was listening to a streamed version of Iron & Wine’s “Beast Epic” album - the music took over, and the gloomy news of the day vanished from his thought.
“It re-affirms the healing power of music,” Nash said, adding that it could help those struggling amid the crisis. “If I can give them a free record and it’s going to make them feel better, that’s what I want to do.”
And people have given plenty of appreciation in return.
“I didn’t know I could be the recipient of such an extraordinary showing of love and support,” he said.
Nash, the father of two children ages 4 and 9, has also put out an online offering called “Quarantunes for Kids.” The half-hour sessions, taking place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m., offer some music history and some tunes of course (Bob Dylan has been a topic, as well as the blues, and the Grateful Dead is up for Thursday). The adults can also enjoy it - especially since many of them have had to transition into home-school mode overnight.
“My goal has been to broadcast something that is entertaining and educational at the same time,” Nash said.
Reflecting on the whole experience of recent weeks, Nash affirmed what many are feeling: “I’m finding a lot of comfort in music right now.” And that’s the same for the musicians he’s been speaking with as well.
“It’s a real break from the bad news,” he said.
Nash said he’s felt the impact of the adjustments to life in general, along with the loss of income from cancelled shows.
“The hardest part of the whole thing is, seeing your kids’ lives change so rapidly and drastically, and feeling kind of powerless to do anything about it.”
But, he felt the crisis could be giving society a big reset, and a renewed focus on what’s important in life. He noted the strong sense of kindness and generosity being shown through the online world, no matter where people are from.
“People are showing better versions of themselves on social media than they have in a long time,” Nash said.
— Gareth Henderson
