Ben Harper gets my vote as Most Evolved Performer. Actually, there are several performers out there who could be recognized as Holy, he’s merely one of them. I last saw him perform at the ACL Fest, in September of 2004; he cajoled the crowd to vote, both politically and spiritually, against the madness. He sang about love and peace. He did his part to try and rein in the spirit of hate and destruction that has been turned loose, in our name, in Iraq. (I’m not blaming the soldiers, whom I admire, respect, and sympathize with.) Ever since John Lennon died I’ve been looking for his musical spiritual heirs. Someone who’s not afraid to call hate and deathdealing what they are: the opposite of the Integrating Force. The opposite of Love. Ben Harper’s not afraid. He keeps it positive and doesn’t call names, but sees the possibilities of Oneness and Wholeness instead of “me me mine” Ben Harper is an inspiration.
