Keeping My Antennas Up

Returning from a journey requires a certain emotional adjustment. It can feel a little like the week after final exams—something intense and free absorbing has ended, yet it is difficult to focus immediately on what comes next.

Perhaps I anticipated this before leaving for Mexico, because I purchased several concert tickets for performances here in the Bay Area, hoping to ease myself back into a more rooted life at home through one of my greatest pleasures: live music.

First on the list was the unexpected treat of a visit to Oakland by the Joscho Stephan Trio from Germany. The concert was held at the historic First Presbyterian Church of Oakland downtown.

I have followed Joscho ever since seeing his name associated with a Django Reinhardt Festival in British Columbia years ago. Last Saturday evening I arrived filled with joyful anticipation, along with friends I had invited to share the experience.

The event was sold out and the audience of jazz lovers was wonderfully enthusiastic. The performance itself was simply over the top.

Although Joscho’s music is deeply influenced by the style of Django Reinhardt, he moves easily through blues, pop, rock, and classical influences. He began playing at a very young age under the guidance of his musician father, whose band performed popular cover music, so Joscho knew Beatles songs long before beginning formal musical studies.

At the time, classical music was the primary music taught in German schools, and he studied it dutifully before discovering Django Reinhardt and becoming devoted to jazz Manouche.

After the concert I was able to greet the musicians and purchase their newest CD while squeezing through the happy crowd gathered around them. Nice fellows!

For years I have followed Joscho Stephan on YouTube and social media and have admired not only his extraordinary talent but also the thoughtful independence of his career. In a recent interview he discussed remaining an independent artist—organizing performances, scheduling tours, producing recordings, and operating his own Gypsy Music Academy both online and at his studio in Germany.

His repertoire is wonderfully varied. He gives his own energetic interpretation to blues, jazz, pop, classical works, and original compositions. He likes things fast, improvisational, and full of dazzling fingerwork.

Celebrated guitarists like Biréli Lagrène—one of my longtime favorites—have even participated at the Academy.

What impresses me most is how well Joscho seems to balance artistic passion with genuine generosity toward his audience. This listener certainly felt rewarded.



During quiet moments on my Mexico trip, I also discovered a television series previously unknown to me: The Mentalist. Since it ran for seven seasons, I thought it would keep me pleasantly occupied during my month away.

What surprised me was how deeply impressed I became with the lead actor, Simon Baker.

Beyond his beautiful and welcoming smile, there was something intriguing about his relaxed, understated acting style. Since returning home, I have watched many interviews and found myself increasingly drawn not only to his acting but also to his work as a director and producer.

Films such as Breath, High Ground, and Limbo reveal the complexity, beauty, and soul of Australia in ways that feel deeply authentic to an outsider like myself.



My next concert adventure will transport me once again to Mexico—this time through the sounds of Veracruz

Among the many musical traditions of Mexico, Son Jarocho remains one of my favorites. With its indigenous instruments, including the harp and the jawbone, its rhythmic dancing, and its often mischievous, gossipy lyrics, it is impossible not to smile while listening

The concert will take place at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, a venue that consistently offers an extraordinary variety of music to enthusiastic audiences who sometimes end up dancing in the aisles.

For now, my antennas are out, searching for more experiences like these. Thanks to gradual improvements in my physical condition, along with the ease of Bay Area public transportation, I feel increasingly able to participate again in the world around me.

And when I cannot be there in person, I am grateful for the many gifts shared online through YouTube and other media, allowing curiosity and inspiration to continue flowing into everyday life.