Hi, it’s me, Jonah, the baritone saxophonist. Remember? 

I gave you a nice long break in December and January but it’s time to get back to reading my emails. I’m afraid if you don’t, I might disappear.

I’ve been absorbing a lot of information recently that arrives in a frame like “the news is brutal, but…” or “in these dark times at least I have….”. I freely admit that in this moment of hopelessness – the special kind that comes from losing (not just elections, but lives & homes) when it feels so important to win – it can be tempting to try to look on the bright side. With that acknowledged, I offer this invitation: don’t. 

Here’s what happens to me when I stop looking for a silver lining.

I am very sad. Usually I’m sad long enough to be afraid I will always be sad. As that sadness begins to settle into a certain kind of permanence, and I consider that it might always be there, 

I start to notice a reservoir of energy building up. It turns out I burn a lot of my strength searching for a positive spin. With my newfound energy rising, 

I ask myself, if the world is going to be like this until something momentous occurs, where do I want to fit into the work to make that momentous thing happen? From there,

I want to help. Choosing how to help is a pretty personal decision, and I fear we’re dancing on the edge of mission drift. After all, my substack isn’t called Jonah Volunteers for The School Board Project or Jonah Donates to IfNotNow. It’s called, Jonah is a Musician. 

So let’s talk about music.

In March, I’m very much looking forward to my first non-December trip to Finland. I’ve got four solo concerts around the country, and before that I’ll be spending a couple days in the studio with Lau Nau, making a new album. I’ve chosen all of these venues because their aesthetics are rooted in community. All I need to complete that is you. So if you live in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, or Pori, I hope you’ll think about coming. 🙂 

March Solo Tour Dates
19.3 • Digelius Music • Helsinki FI
20.3 • Bar Kuka • Turku FI
21.3 • Pethaus • Tampere FI
22.3 • Validi Karkia Kotikonsertti • Pori FI

If you don’t remember what my solo music sounds like, its sounds like this.

By the way, there’s more to life as a musician than the sound of music. I kinda think this whole email is about being a musician, not just the part at the end. Do you? No? Email me!

See you out there,
Jonah