I have spent a fair bit of my holidays playing ice hockey with kids. This is nothing unusual for me as I have two boys who love hockey and I too love the game. This year I have noticed something that got me thinking.

Every kid in a hockey game has a personality on the ice. They stand differently, move differently and pass and shoot the puck in their own unique way.

It reminds me of musicians and how we as listeners love to discover a fresh sounding, unique new artist. It doesn’t matter the style or instrument; whether it was Neil Young, Steve Coleman, Henry Threadgill, Chris Thile or Bela Fleck. All of these great artists had something special to offer the world.

There was a time (pre 1975?) where all you needed was a unique sound, a little talent and a little luck and voila; you had a career in music.

Those days are gone forever. There are so many people playing music, writing songs and trying to change the face of music that we are in a big fog. Only a select few, lucky (probably fairly rich) people will get their music heard by a large group of people nationally or internationally. Talent, or individuality in music is no longer enough.

Sadly, the same thing is true for hockey. All these kids that have dreams of playing in the NHL will have their dreams shattered when they find out that every city, big or small has thousands of kids that play hockey well. Even though they have that special move or amazing shot; “making it” is only a dream.

The good news is that our future still includes lots of great local café or house concerts and shinny hockey games with nothing more at stake than some good old fashioned fun.

Happy New Years