‘Catalyst Sessions’ recap: Jeremy Douglass

Wednesday on The Catalyst Sessions, prolific St. Pete musician Jeremy Douglass confessed that he’s hardly touched a piano since his first appearance on the interview program, in early April.

Then, the COVID-19 threat was new, and artists – Douglass included – were talking excitedly about how they were going to keep the world’s level of optimism up, as long as it took.

Three and a half months in, the oppressive pandemic, coupled with the shock waves generated by the death of George Floyd, have taken their toll on free-spirited and forward-thinking creativity.

The latter event “knocked the wind out of my sails,” said the Florida Bjorkestra bandleader.

“Without pointing out the obvious – white male – I don’t really feel like my voice is a contribution right now,” Douglas observed. “Plenty of people that look like me, with loud enough voices, we need those voices to be listeners. So I think what I did was, I made a decision to be a listener, and not a speaker. And any project is me speaking.”

And so, for the time being, no projects – none of those whimsical, wonderful videos created with his musician friends, each contributing virtually with Douglass conducting from his home studio.

And it’s not like there are any gigs to play, anyhow.

Somber and reflective, Douglass revealed that he’s relishing the extra time he’s getting to spend with his young children.

Today on The Catalyst Sessions: Judith Lisi, President and CEO of the David A. Straz Center, and the General Director of Opera Tampa.

Streaming weekdays at 7 p.m. on the Catalyst Facebook page. All episodes are archived on our YouTube page.