The Take Away

I’ve been a long time observer of street performers. Musicians make up the bulk of performers in any city, most of them dropping a hat or case and playing for a few hours to pick up to change.

For me, there is something elegant and lovely about the musicians who play in such a quiet way. They’re not out to gain an audience necessarily, and they don’t take pains to gather a crowd or engage. Mostly they come to these busy places to practice and hone their skills, and to perhaps pick up a little green in the process.

They provide a textural backdrop to the busy noise of the city, a softening of the din, a seductive counterpoint to distraction, and quite often they’re just good musicians learning and growing in full resolution.