I Got You Babe

Share a story about a time you encountered difference; what difference did it make?
By Nick Raths

Please excuse me. I’ve submitted before. But this just came to me as the perfect  “All Our Fullness.”

In my later years of participation in the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet we played a six movement piece by Spanish composer Enrique Granados, a pianist that exuded the heart of Spanish music. Most classical guitarists play some version or another of Granados somewhere down the line in their career. We decide to include a flamenco dancer in our performance. I had always thought I understood Spanish music until I met a great flamenco dancer named Colette Illarde. She choreographed the Granados for us. When she danced all the music suddenly made sense to me. It was then I really discovered Spanish musical movement. We took the show on the road, but on one occasion Colette wasn’t able to join us. Her stand-in was a Japanese flamenco dancer named Sachiko. Sachiko was so Japanese (whatever that is) but when the music started she was 100% Spaniard. Her hands were so mesmerizing I could barely keep my eyes on the music. After the concert we went to a local bar. A lot of the people at the bar recognized us with adulation. There was a Karaoke. Sachiko and I sang "I Got You Babe" by Sonny and Cher.

Retired music professor and classical guitarist Nick Raths is a member of Unity Church, former Worship Associate and Welcome Team member, current choir and Sangha participant.