NOVEMBER 2013
the newsletter for Nuçi’s Space, a nonprofit musicians’ support/resource center
It’s All in the Output
A
few weeks ago Terrance, a former Nuçi’s Space co-worker, invited me to join him during a rare night out to see Neutral Milk Hotel at the 40 Watt Club. Prior to the show Terrance and I took the opportunity to catch-up with one another over dinner and a couple of drinks. A classically-trained flautist at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, a Navy veteran and now a Senior Software Engineer with a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Terrance is a great example of the unique group of people that I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with at Nuçi’s Space. After finishing our meal, Terrance and I made our way down to the club. It was the first night of three soldout shows that Neutral Milk Hotel had booked at the 40 Watt and the first time, following a “15-year break”, the band had performed in their hometown of Athens, GA. As expected, the club was already packed with fans brimming with anticipation. When the band finally took the stage to begin their set, a hush fell over the crowd, allowing the room to fill with music. The moment was striking. The band continued to deliver one of the best performances that I’ve been fortunate to witness from a live band. I remember thinking during the show that something about Scott Spillane, one of the band’s horn players, stood out from the rest of the group. Having seen Scott perform a handful of times with various bands and projects over the years, his exceptional musicianship wasn’t a secret. However, there was something notable in the timbre of his horn, his energy, his presence—it was special. The next day, while talking with friends and acquaintances about the show, it became apparent that my observations of Scott’s performance were not unique. Every conversation included a statement like “Scott was on fire!” or “That horn player killed it last night.” Others flocked to Facebook to applaud Neutral Milk Hotel for a great show and echo Scott’s praises. It was agreed that we had witnessed something extraordinary. This morning, as I settled into work with a cup of coffee and a quick “check-in” on Facebook, I read a post by one of my friends, a local musician and record store clerk. He shared, “I’ve got such a soft spot for musicians and artists that work day/night jobs in addition to
by
Bob Sleppy
creating beautiful works of art. It all becomes part of their output—staying in touch with real life. I was touched by all the comments I saw saying ‘Scott E. Spillane is king’ etc. after the Neutral Milk Hotel shows at the 40 Watt. That man has put in years as a carpenter—crawling into nasty crawlspaces, sweating and straining, and it’s all in his sound. That majestic beautifully round and heartfelt tone.” He continued by citing several examples of local and world-renowned musicians and artists that had similar experiences. His observation struck a chord with me. He touched on what I’ve experienced during my time at Nuçi’s Space—the core of what makes Athens and other “creative communities” so incredibly special. Creativity, passion, love and beauty are not things that people turn “on” and “off.” Whether you’re a carpenter/musician like Scott or a software engineer/musician like Terrance, those qualities live in every thought and action of those who choose to embrace and practice them. Just as individuals manifest these qualities, they are then carried over into organizations—like Nuçi’s Space. The culture of an organization is dependent upon the convergence and evolution of the shared values and experiences of individuals with the espoused values of the organization. Over 14 years ago, when I picked up my first piece of Nuçi’s Space literature, the words “Nurturing, Understanding, Compassion and Insight” were prominently displayed across the top of the brochure. Linda Phillips, using her son’s name to guide her, offered these four qualities as the tenets in which the foundation of Nuçi’s Space was to be built. This foundation has been responsible for attracting the employees, board members, volunteers and donors that have nurtured and cultivated its growth. To this day, whether we are developing a new program, making a financial decision or simply welcoming a guest into the Space, we are mindful of the foundation we’ve been entrusted with and ensure that it all becomes part of our output and can be heard in our sound. To all of those musicians and artists who continue to work so hard to bring joy and meaning into our lives by “creating beautiful works of art,” and to all of you who support their efforts through Nuçi’s Space, we’d like to say ‘thank you.’
nuçi’s space 396 Oconee Street Athens, GA 30601 706.227.1515 space@nuci.org www.nuci.org www.facebook.com/ nucisspace Newsletter Contributors
Bob Sleppy Chris Byron Laura Ford Will Kiser Design & Layout
Larry Tenner