10/30/2025
In Appreciation of Brave Ears and Open Hearts
When it comes to music, I think our ears can be pretty brave. But our minds can be like an overprotective parent—wanting to keep everything nice and safe. That's why I love events like Yearnings, happening November 13th, which invite us to listen beyond our comfort zones.
As our tastes develop, it’s only natural that we start narrowing our choices, sticking to what we already know we like. But if we’re lucky, every now and then we encounter something new—something we may not fully understand but that somehow moves us.
The Yearnings concert is just such a leap, presenting faith-rooted music from five different traditions- Black Spiritual, Carnatic, Jewish, Native American, and Sufi— featuring their different styles and languages. I confess: I don’t know most of these languages (some would say that even includes English), but I do know when I hear something expressing a deep emotional truth. That's what this concert is all about.
When someone uses music to reach toward a spirit deep within themselves, the language doesn’t matter. Can you still feel a sense of longing when it’s sung in Yiddish, Sanskrit, Punjabi, or Narragansett? I believe you can. (Just listen to Umer Piracha’s singing below.)
Take a chance and buy a ticket at https://bombyx.live/events/yearnings I’m confident you’ll hear something that moves you—and maybe come away with a deeper sense of how music connects us all.
I’ll see you there.
