I collect recoded music. I have it in every form other than bakerlite cylinders and 78s: LP, tape, CD, MD, device stored and streamed. Literally, thousands of recordings. Sometimes, I feel like an imposter. How dare I appreciate music when the best musician I could ever be described is a very poor dabbler?

However, there is a redeeming feature to my passion (obsession) for everything musical – awe. I am in awe of musicians, their talents and the beauty they create.

When I listen to many pieces of music I find myself in a transcendent state. The power of music to stimulate or change my emotions is profound, is magical, is spiritual. Play me Pink Floyd’s “Dark side of the moon”, Miles Davis’ “Blue” or Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos” and lose me to repeated epiphany – human artistry is awesome. I learn this over and over again. Take me to a local pub or concert hall to see a live performance and I will often be in my very own version of heaven.

It doesn’t matter where or when, music makes me whole again. Over and over. I thank the musicians who complete me. I wish I could tell each one personally the gratitude I feel for their creativity, their talent, their application, their consequence of putting so much musical awe in my and many other people’s lives.