RHAN WILSON

October 26th, 2025

I helped run sound for a band the other night at Mac's Garage; a small, intimate space up in the mountains above Soquel, CA. With everyone seated here and there, fire blazing in the stove, I had an incredible “in the moment” feeling of how wonderful our community is. 

August 21, 2025

Community. That's what gigs are all about, for me anyway. Bringing people together to share some food, drink, dance, good times… and to lend my talents to a place of business that supports community is a treat and a privilege. 

July 1st, 2025

Last Wednesday my ONE NIGHT JAM was born at The Crepe Place and it was everything I could have hoped for: excellent musicianship, improvisation, and the funkiest shit ever!!! It was just what I needed to recharge my tired old batteries.

June 22nd, 2025

I've been so bored lately. Oh, everything is going just fine… I have work, students, and regular gigs, but nothing new and challenging - and new and challenging is what keeps me going strong. 

My gig with “ONE NIGHT JAM” - a project I've thought about for decades came to fruition this Friday and, though the venue wasn't quite right, it showed me I was on the right track. I now have ideas… reasonable and exciting ideas that, I hope, have kick started my energy levels and have given me something to work on. Thanks for being a part of it.

May 20th, 2025

When I was offered a gig date at a local wine tasting room, I took it. My regular band wasn't available, so I decided that it was time to put together another project - one that I have been sitting on for years… decades, in fact. 

And so I called up my first choice players and they were all available!

February 23, 2025

Right now I am working on the concept that if something isn't wonderfully exciting and inspiring, then I need to pass on it. Being overcommitted at this time, I need to set some limits as to what I want to do - to learn to say, “No, thank you.”

And I am still staying off of social media and the news, instead focusing on what I actually can do right here in my own community.

December 8th, 2024

I find continued mental freedom since stopping the constant scrolling through Meta feeds, reels, and the news - hoping to find something of interest, but finding only frustration.

And many others are doing the same, they tell me.

Perhaps this can be a resurgence of art and creativity and being present.

November 21st, 2024

I am experiencing such freedom since I've stopped reading the news and wasting time on social media sites. The house is cleaner, things are put away, and projects are being completed!

September 9th, 2024

Other than enjoying my afternoon naps, I am feeling energized and inspired to play music, make art, and contribute that good energy to others.

August 27th, 2024

“Paw” It Forward - that's the name I came up with (with the help of June Coha) to call our Jazz The Dog gigs at Cruz Kitchen and Taps this month. We're donating our time to help them stay afloat; bringing in new customers and energy to this great place.

But what if it became a “thing”? What if the ol' “play it forward” slogan came back into use and people started realizing the effect they could have here - locally; in one's own neighborhood - wherever that may be?

August 6th, 2024

26 days on the road - everything we really needed in our Lance camper: dogs, cooler, water, clothes, guitars… We played music, wrote songs, made wonderful food, explored, four-wheeled it over miles of bumpy gravel roads in the search of that perfect, quiet campsite. Slept well with no troublesome feelings of “I should” or  “I need to.” 

Coming home felt great: familiar surroundings, plants well taken care of, but I started to get the feeling that I was neglecting something, or that I did something I shouldn't have, and yet, I had done nothing nor needed to.

What a self defeating routine I have been in - to be motivated by guilt and shame (imagined, I might add) rather than inspired by creativity and eagerness.

I think I caught myself in time. I want to hold on to that feeling of freedom to create and the permission to go at my own pace. I have everything I need right now.

June 16th, 2024

Riding high on the news that my former student, Cooper, will be attending The Berklee College of Music this fall.

Since I meet and began working with him nearly three years ago, I've spent much time noticing how much he reminds me of myself at that age (18), while simultaneously realizing how very different he is. Our passion for music unites us, but his dedication to learning all subjects is on another level. He is definitely going places.

Meanwhile, I am working on my electric guitar chops - something I put aside when I got my custom made Renaissance classical guitar from Rick Turner years ago. That guitar changed my course in music, but it's time to re-integrate my old skills back into the mix. And now that I have the amp I've been wanting for decades - I am practicing all the time.

And I am looking for opportunities to play.

May 20, 2024

Reunited with some old musician friends from my youth, I feel reconnected to my younger self and the values and, more importantly, the confidence I had when I was young. This will go a long way in how it affects my present attitude towards my many projects.

Music, of course, is my main “thang.” I am continuing to play with Jazz The Dog but trying to get out more with some other groups and situations - bringing in other musical influences and using my electric guitar more - like I used to.

I am teaching music, as I have been doing for many, many years - trying to find that way to help others find their music. My challenge is to help them relate to something they know nothing about - yet.

And my other work - construction, gardening, and design…  it's all creative, as well. That's my bottom line lately - it needs to engage my creativity. So far, so good. I turn down jobs that don't interest me, and usually for the better for my clients, as they can get that grunt work done cheaper elsewhere. 

I had been having a lot of self doubts lately about my skills, musically, and I think I've moved past that. You can always write to me to get more details, if you wish.

Thanks for checking in.