Forgive me. I needed a nice, strong headline to capture your attention.

It’s true, though. I have a new obsession in my life. Relax–you’re not destined to read another six months of blogs filled with the outpourings of a man on an emotional roller-coaster. On second thought, you might be, but not because of this particular obsession! It’s not that kind of love. I’m in love professionally. No, wait. That sounds like I’ve taken up the oldest profession. What I mean is that the professional side of me is in love with her. That’s not quite right, either.

Perhaps I should start at the beginning. Almost three weeks ago, a friend told me a story. Long, long ago, she’d gone to hear an outdoor concert by an artist named Jill Cohn. One song, called “Pink Sheets,” resonated with her so strongly, combining with the general mood, the setting, and her emotional state at the time, that she was moved to buy the “Laughing Universe” CD on the spot. It remained in her collection, so special was the song, and now, almost a decade later, she shared it with me.

To say that the song brought tears to my eyes would not do justice to my reaction. The music, the intimacy of the recording, the lyrics, and the sentiment behind them were truly powerful, and it was instantly special to me. There was more than that, though. That voice! It was similar to many beautiful voices I’ve heard over the years, yet far superior to all of them. This woman had the most expressive, most exciting voice that I had ever heard, and I do not use those superlatives lightly. An exquisite, delicious sonority, a delicate breathiness, and an almost endless range of tonal color made every phrase an adventure, and every note a sweet surprise.

My friend, clearly sensing that I was reacting positively, played the rest of the CD for me. I can’t say that I was equally moved by every song, but at least three more of the cuts made strong impressions on me. On every one, that voice called out to me, caressing my ears, seducing me with its body, its power, its sweetness. There’s a good reason I’m an audio man. My ears are not the only way to my heart, but they’re definitely the most direct route. The right sort of voice, even speaking to me, can make my knees weak. When that voice sings to me, I am rendered nearly powerless. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart pounded. I was utterly captivated, as if lured by the timbre of a siren’s song.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to Jill Cohn’s music, and I’ve been studying more or less every piece of information about her that I’ve been able to lay my hands on. Noting that she has a profile on MySpace, I created one myself and sent a nice comment and a friend request. A day later she (or the person who administers her profile) added me. On her profile are MP3 files of several of her songs. Among them is a song from her as yet unreleased CD, “Mexico City.” It’s called “My Sky,” and despite the roughness of the mix, it’s absolutely breathtaking. So is virtually everything else I’ve heard. She plays the piano (my favorite instrument by far) with grace and precision, and her lyrics and melodies are brilliant and evocative.

The bottom line here, of course, is that I want to work with her, and I want it badly! I’m learning all that I need to know in order to prove myself worthy, and preparing to make some cautious inquiries. This material would be a dream to mix. I know that I could make this talented lady sound even more magnificent, and I hope I get a chance to try.

Think I’m crazy? You may have a point. I’d rather try and be thought crazy than not try and regret it. As poet John Whittier wrote, “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!'”