WHY Do you Do That? Part 4

The name "Jay Sankey" needs no introduction in the magic world, but for the benefit of my non-magician readers, let me just say that he's among the most inventive minds in magic.  He has created tricks that have become legendary, performed by the uber-famous in their television specials.  He is a deep thinker, concerned about the present and future of magic and what it needs to do to evolve as the rest of the entertainment world evolves.  He's also funny as hell.  Like many magicians, he took the stand-up comedy by-pass for a time, and has been known to post hilarious and quirky videos on his YouTube channel.  He writes, he performs, he speaks his mind... which has, at times, upset some members of the magic community.  Still, nobody can deny his drive and passion for the magic arts.  For the past decade, he has also been one of my best friends.

To this day I'm not sure how we found each other.  I think I discovered one of his videos and wrote a "bravo" email to him, as I often do when I'm moved by something an artist shares, but Jay is one of those rare artists who wrote me back almost immediately.  We started going back and forth, discussing the Creative process, and at some point he found out that I produce audio and electronic music (or noize, as I call it).  He told me that he had a funny Rap song that he needed set to music, and asked if I'd like to compose it for him.  That one piece turned into many, as I began to supply quirky little background beats for the instructional DVD's he produces and sells to other magicians.  This went on for a year or so... I'd send him my latest mad creations, he'd send me a fresh supply of his DVD's.  I was perfectly happy with that.  Then one day Jay told me that he thought I should produce a CD with all the cuts I had produced for him.  "All you have to do is make them longer," he insisted.  "They're great!"  I wasn't sure about it all, but Jay's enthusiasm is contagious, and eventually my CD, "The Sankey Directive" was released.  I sold literally ones of copies, but it was less about making a name in the music business, and more about raw, Creative fun, egged on by that mad genius from Toronto.

At this point, as I seriously return to the magic world, I appreciate his gifts and guidance more than ever.  I recently booked my first show (more on that in a future blog), and Jay's advice was short, to the point, encouraging... and delivered in less than 5 minutes after I shared the news with him.  He's good people.

Like Steve Spill, Jay has no end of Creative skills that he could parlay into any of a number of gigs in the entertainment world, yet magic continues to be his focus, as he pushes and prods the boundaries, determined to see it advance as a performance art.  Why, after beating that drum for so many years, does he do that?

I thirst for human contact. And I don't just want to 'talk about the
weather, tv shows, and what I had for breakfast.' That level of
conversation and exchange can be satisfying, real and intimate for sure.
But I do magic to yank everybody involved (which includes me) to a deeper
level, if only for a few moments. Surprise, shock, and mystery, can be
exceptional ways to open up people and then CONNECT with them. And that
level of connection is something I've craved my whole life. Maybe it's the
'middle child' thing, or growing up on an isolated farm, or my father
traveling a lot for business, or just that I've always been a pretty
sensitive person who is keenly aware of how other people are feeling.
Whatever it is, that desire for connection has fueled so many of my life
choices.

Another valuable lesson from the mouth of Sankey.  A magician can learn 1,000 ways to find a chosen card, pull bunnies and birds and ducks by the hundreds from a hat, even saw an assistant into 10 pieces, but if they don't make a meaningful connection with the audience, what's the point?

Thanks to my magical, madly Creative friend for sharing his thoughts.  More to come... but next time, the shock & awe of my first magic booking in over 30 years.