Melody Gardot’s anamnesis: a jazz resurrection
March 8th, 2008 by 
ruah
Forgive me for my phrasal anticipation of Paschaltide, but I heard a brilliant interview on the radio this morning, and it struck me as, in a certain sense, quite paschal.
Melody Gardot, at the age of 19, was hit by an SUV while riding her bicycle. She just wanted to be a visual artist, but that goal faded as she lay severely injured in a hospital bed bereft of short term memory, with an acute sensitivity to light and sound.
One of her doctors, knowing that Melody had played the piano before the accident, and knowing that music therapy helps rebuild the neuron pathways that were damaged in the accident, suggested she take up music as a means to heal and regain some of her greatly diminished cognitive abilities.
And really, that was the beginning of the end. In recovery she began a foray into a new medium, and now is flourishing as a jazz/soul/folk singer who performs with the likes of Susan Tedeschi, Livingston Taylor and the Wood Brothers.
Listen the radio interview online. My little summary doesn’t do justice to her story, and frankly, you must really listen to her voice.
For me, her story is a microcosmic artistic death-and-resurrection, and it inspires. That is, it breathes in life to someone like me, who, even on the sunniest lovely Saturday, wonders if, in all my weakness, I can do or write anything inspiring.
It’s the season of hope, and I’m realizing my weakness is the perfect means for creating something great.
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