Hear the Episode that started it all!
Season 1 Episode 1: I'm a Composer and a Dad
It's unseasonably warm outside for February in the Northeast. ProfessorMom is out shaping minds, and I am with BuilderBoy and SquishyBaby at the Tot Park.
Suddenly, there's a stiff wind, the grass vanishes and the earth ripples. Right away I know who's about to appear. It's Bible with another intense compositional challenge for me, ComposerDad.
"Hello, Bible, we meet again," I say, standing tall.
"Hello, ComposerDad, I see you have your little ones with you."
"Yes. I do. I am a composer and a dad."
Bible knows all about me, but he likes to preface his compositional challenges with certain clues and wit.
"I want cheesy pasta," says BuilderBoy.
"Don't worry, Son, we'll have cheesy pasta when we get home," I say. "Right now, I'm about to receive a new challenge from Bible."
Suddenly SquishyBaby is climbing on top of a playhouse. I rescue him. BuilderBoy smirks. What's happening? How did he get up there? Never mind, I'll deal with this later. I look back to Bible.
"Your familiarity with smallness, ComposerDad, makes me think of something," says Bible. "Micah 5:2 talks about Bethlehem being 'small'. Though it was small it was called to great things–the greatest of things. I want you to create a catchy tune on smallness, based on Bethlehem. Also you must use a saxophone. Goodbye."
Bible likes to drop verses in my lap in profound ways at surprising moments, and then challenge me to respond to them using my insane musical gifts.
"No problem, Bible," I say. But Bible is already gone.
"Let's go get that cheesy pasta, Son."
We walk home. It takes forever because home is up a big mountain. After cheesy pasta, I jam with BuilderBoy and we find a hook. A hook is a part of a song that's catchy. Some of my songs have lots of hooks. This one goes like this: Mow mow, ma-ma-na-ma-na-mow-ma-na-MOW. Mow mow, ma-ma-na-ma-na-mow-ma-na-MOW. Perfect.
I find a saxophone, then I find someone who knows how to play it. I hire more musicians: a violinist, a trombonist, a cellist. We sing together, "We are small, we are small, we're children of the King." We all sing in tune. Being small feels very BIG.
When I'm done, I name my song for Bible, I'm Small. Then I post it to the WORLD WIDE WEB where everyone can hear it. Then I retire to BuilderBoy's room where I read about the extremely dangerous Island of Sodor.
I await my next challenge. When and where will Bible appear next? What is he after exactly? What is he trying to say to me? And what were my kids up to at the Tot Park back there? Next time...
ComposerDad's secret identity is Jonathon Roberts. That's Jonathon with an O, and his music for Bible is available to the whole world at jmtroberts.bandcamp.com. That's J for Jonathon, M for Muscly, T for Tiger, and Roberts for Roberts, dot-bandcamp-dot-com-dot-amen.
