I had the pleasure of seeing Richard Thompson in concert last night, with the Richard Thompson Band. All four band members are consummate musicians, and they play well together. The set included a number of my favorites (among them Outside of the Inside, a searing and intense indictment of fundamentalism). I liked seeing how obviously the band members enjoy each others' company and abilities; every time one of the other guys played something particularly tricky or beautiful, Richard would grin for a moment, as if to say "I'm so glad to be playing with you!" Their pleasure in the music was infectious.

It's gotten me thinking about how music and spirituality connect for me. All of my best worship experiences have involved music -- maybe because I'm a singer and I love to use my voice. When everyone in a room is singing, when the harmonies are good, when the kavvanah (focus/intent) is there: God is in that room, and I'm aware of God being there. What I'm realizing, as I think about it, is that this goes both ways for me. My best worship experiences involve music -- and my best musical experiences border on worship. There's something in really good live music which transcends the ordinary, which lifts me up. The experience borders on the mystical.

Maybe I'm predisposed to find God in great music. Maybe Richard's mystical tendencies shine through in his performances (he is, as this piece notes, a Sufi). Or maybe there's something inherently sacred in good music, joyfully performed, for the pleasure of a room full of strangers who, for two and a half hours, almost feel like friends.