Weekly Column 9/3/21: New Beginnings!

Good morning, Happy Friday, and welcome to what will serve as the beginning of a weekly piece of content designed for your enjoyment, and my personal reflection and discovery. Will this remain a column? Turn into a weekly podcast? A video series of sorts? Who knows! What I do know for certain is I am grateful you have chosen to join me on this journey of self-discovery.

Speaking of self-discovery, I want to begin by acknowledging what for me feels like the craziest journey I have embarked on thus far; finally moving to New York City. Wow! Even now, it feels unreal to type those words as just two years ago that felt like a pipe dream, but here I sit in the tiny studio apartment I first dreamed of when I was 12 years old walking down 7th Avenue blinded by the lights of Time Square. These last two weeks of getting settled in have been far more difficult than I anticipated. In 2019 when I had first tried moving to the city, I sublet a tiny studio for two months and it felt the transition would be a piece of cake. But when my father stepped outside to catch his plane home after helping me move in, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. My hopes, dreams and ambitions suddenly clashed with thoughts of fear, anxiety, and the realization that I was nearly completely alone. Suddenly I all I could hear was:

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”

Clearly a bit cliched, but it was the truth. And the only thing I could do was get up, pick up my bass, and play... And what a wild feeling of unfamiliarity it was! Amid the mental turmoil of essentially restarting my life, even my fundamental identity was being rewired, and what a feeling of unfairness that caused within me! And that is the place I began building fresh from. 

For those who do not know me personally, I have a bit of a problem with change in my personal life. Unfortunately, that doesn’t sit too well within my artistic self, as being an artist, I have learned to embrace change! I love discovery, I love learning, growing, and pushing the limits of musicianship! The changes I (and you yourself I’m certain!) have endured over the last year have been difficult to reconcile with on a personal, emotional, and artistic level. The Covid-19 Pandemic presented an extremely unique set of challenges. I went from performing, writing, and travelling constantly, to suddenly not at all. As a musician, so much of my language and being is based directly upon collaboration with others. It was not until recently as I return to reality that I am understanding the extent of the damage. I have lost a fair amount of confidence and spark, and I am on a journey of artistic recovery and healing. I mention this because I feel that there are many people (myself included) who are afraid to admit this uncomfortable truth and feel shame and ugliness when confronting this problem. And there is no reason to feel shame or hopelessness! I have seen hardly anyone discuss the mental health and artistic crisis that is the rubble of this cataclysmic world crisis that befell us, and I hope that in doing so, those who feel alone may realize they are not as alone as they may feel. We will get through this and recover together, and maybe in the future this a topic I will go more in depth on, but until then if you wish to, do not hesitate to reach out to me personally! My information is available in the contact portion of my website, or you can find me on most social media @chasecrossbass and message me there.

            This new chapter in my life is such an incredible source of excitement and I am so thankful to be returning to the business of life and re-discover the joys of really being able to study music hands on the way I have dreamed of the last year and a half and experience the culture and art of the greatest city in the world. I am so excited and cannot wait to contribute to such an incredible community of artists with some of the most amazing history and influence seen anywhere. 

Music can heal us individually and collectively, if only we choose to accept its help.

How about some parting words for the great Uncle Iroh as we reflect on our own journeys of self-discovery?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYkuuu9u3EI

Be kind, to yourself and those you encounter. We’re all in this together!

Best,

Chase