Places and Spaces

There is a certain magic that permeates the places and spaces where dynamic and defining musical moments exist. From dingy barroom stages, to local VFW halls, to enchanted recording studios, to the geographical qualities of a region, the physical places that musicians inhabit and create their art are interconnected and woven into the fabric of the music. 

Take Muscle Shoals, an area of northern Alabama set along the Tennessee River or “The River that Sings,” as it was coined by Yuchi people, an indigenous tribe who inhabited the region. The sound coming out of Muscle Shoals “fused hillbilly, blues, rock’n’roll, soul, country, and gospel, to create a sound that cherry-picked the best features of each to forge something new.” Rick Hall’s FAME studio and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio captured this fusion which resulted in some of the greatest recordings in music history. The mystical and geographical forces of this specific region manifested into powerful, transformative music. Could the music that came from Muscle Shoals only come from Muscle Shoals, in northern Alabama along the Tennessee River?

But what comes first? Is there “something in the air” that drives the creative energies of the artists or do the artists bring mystical and spiritual forces that remain in the space and multiply over time? 

Take Van Gelder Studios. Located in Englewood, New Jersey, Rudy Van Gelder’s Studio is responsible for some of the most iconic jazz albums of all time. And sure, Englewood  has its charm, but it ain’t Muscle Shoals. Was there really some mystical force that was hovering around this Jersey town that helped shape the whole Blue Note records discography? Maybe, in contrast to Muscle Shoals,  the spiritual and mythic nature that is Van Gelder studios came as a result of the powerful forces that recorded in that space. Did the artists bring “it” there? Did Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins, J.J. Johnson, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Hank Mobley and so many more jazz greats who recorded at the studio alter the spiritual environment and make it a space that would drive creativity whenever an artist entered Van Gelder studio? Does every pianist who sits at the Steinway where Herbie Hancock unleashed his musical prowess benefit from the creative force Hancock left behind in each and every key of the piano?

But, really, does it even matter what comes first? What matters is the music. If you are here at “The Lounge,” it’s safe to assume that music captivates you in ways that go beyond explanation. For us, the pursuit of music, music history and the context around music creation is a driving force of our lives. Yes, it might seem hyperbolic, but I can only speak to my lived experience and it is my truth. There’s always been “something in the air” that is beyond explanation whenever I’m experiencing music. So feel free to stick around and hang out with us as we unpack these musical experiences. The Needle and Groove Lounge began in order to keep long-time friends, who are now in distant locations, connected through our shared love of music. So, forget what I said earlier, maybe music is so powerful that it can break down any sense of place or space. You might be anywhere, but you can also be here. You could be anywhere, but you’re here. Welcome to our community. Welcome to The Lounge. Let’s find out what’s in the air. - jvg