On Sunday, May 7, Dan Navarro will lead a workshop on Songwriting and the Creative Muse at The Surge (1988 Kirby Rd, McLean). Couched in the context of a songwriting workshop, Navarro will lead participants through an exploration of the foundations of creativity, the essence of verbal and musical expression, the dynamic of connected performance, and the deceptive allure of success and its various disguises.

Through collaboration exercises, critiques, monologue and dialogue, attendees will run through creative paces with positivity and support, to ideally take home concepts that will facilitate creativity on whatever level they choose. The workshop covers creativity in general and songwriting in particular, and individual attention is possible. Song critiques will be given upon request. Those attending are asked to bring a guitar, a recording or a song to share.

Navarro started his career as a songwriter, most often with Eric Lowen, for artists as diverse as Pat Benatar (the Grammy-nominated “We Belong”), The Bangles, Jackson Browne, Keb’ Mo’, Dave Edmunds, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Dutch superstar Marco Borsato, The Triplets, and Austin outlaw legend Rusty Weir.

In 2009, after 22 years and 12 CDs with Lowen & Navarro, Navarro released the spirited Live at McCabe’s, backed by Austin’s now-disbanded Stonehoney. His next album, Shed My Skin, is slated for release this spring.

The workshop serves to impart nuggets of wisdom about songwriting, the importance of creativity in that process, and connected performance. He may also discuss issues of intellectual property and performer’s rights, if there is interest.
For more information and to register, email contact@saw.org or visit saw.org