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  • Published on

    198. Loosen

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:12
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:10
    Lyrics:

    Loosen, loosen, baby
    You don’t have to carry
    The weight of the world in your muscles and bones
    Let go, let go, let go

    Holy breath, and holy name
    Will you ease, will you ease this pain
    Oh holy breath, and holy name, will you ease this pain?

    Picture
    Song: Loosen
    Music by: Aly Halpert

    Notes: Written in 2017, this song by Aly Halpert catapulted its way around songleader circles, shared friend to friend, sung in cars and buses, after dinners, on walks, between dances, around fires, beside rivers and on beaches. I learned it in 2019, and it has accompanied me since through the pandemic, an intense year of many deep losses, over to Europe twice, in groups, with single friends, and alone. Some songs are like sunscreen in summer, a warm coat for winter. You may already know this one; please enjoy singing it with me. It may be new to you -- may it spread wider, carrying its healing, kind reminder to loosen.

    Songwriter Info: Aly Halpert (she/her) is a queer Jewish musician, educator, and activist living on Lenni Lenape land in Philadelphia, PA, USA. A singer, pianist, drummer, and guitar player, Aly writes songs for building community and visioning different worlds. Aly leads music and prayer for Jewish community, including Let My People Sing, Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, and Hadar's Rising Song Institute. Her songs have been sung in national gatherings, song circles, and quiet moments of personal prayer, and have moved people all over the world. Her first full-band album Loosen was released in April 2022 with Rising Song Records. Aly believes deeply in the power of music to awaken us to the loss and hope we carry, expand our sense of possibility, and connect us to each other and our collective strength.

    Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups. Aly welcomes financial and/or networking support, she would like to be contacted re: recording/performing permissions, and she appreciates donations when used by organizations with means.

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:12
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:10

    Links:
    Aly's website: https://www.alyhalpert.com
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/alyhalpertmusic
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alhalpal 
    Loosen with Aly on Bandcamp (great opportunity to support her directly!): https://alyhalpert.bandcamp.com/album/loosen

    Nuts & Bolts: 6:8, minor, 2 layers, optional harmony, optional round

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
  • Published on

    195. Get Up with guest Barbara McAfee

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:05:43
    Start time of bonus song: 00:47:50
    Start time of reprise: 01:03:55
    Lyrics: 

    Badap, badadada dadap, 
    ba da bada dadap, badadada da...

    If your business is waking up the dead.
     
    Get up, get up, get up - today is a workday. 

    Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. 
    Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight. 


     -- Lyrics from the work of Angeles Arrien and Bob Marley and Peter Tosh
    Picture
    Song: Get Up
    Music by: Barbara McAfee
    Additional vocals by: Lia Falls

    Notes: Barbara McAfee describes herself as "A nice Minnesota girl -- I like things that work!" -- and in her framework of the Full Voice, she has shaped the teachings of skilled choir leaders and the Roy Hart vocal work, as well as her own discovery of her voice into just that -- a framework that works! She says, “I’ve never believed more in the need for people to find their own voice…” and observes the deep courage of people coming to community sings for the first time after vocal wounding. The work of Angeles Arrien inspired Barbara in her own journey, and this song pulls in the grittiness and determination needed to keep waking up. Barbara adds a surprise bonus song in the middle of the episode -- "May It Go Easy As You Go" -- as we talk about singing as a way of saying what's hard to say. So much more in this conversation -- "twisting on a meathook", scheduling "workity-work" things, doing laundry before listening to the muse -- enjoy Barbara's Full Voice, and let it help you find yours!

    Songwriter Info: Barbara lives on the wild and scenic St Croix River about an hour from Minneapolis/St Paul. She is a master voice coach, songwriter, song leader, hospice choir director, long distance swimmer, poet, and author of Full Voice. She feels so lucky to be alive on planet Earth.

    Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Barbara for recording and/or performing permission.

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:05:43
    Start time of bonus song: 00:47:50
    Start time of reprise: 01:03:55

    Links:
    Barbara's website: www.barbaramcafee.com 
    Barbara's community singing page: https://www.barbaramcafee.com/community-singing.html 
    Barbara's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barbaramcafee 
    Barbara's first TEDx talk about Full Voice: 
    https://youtu.be/Ze763kgrWGg?si=hueWlQGYCqtDrarr
    Song: "May You Go Easy"​ https://soundcloud.com/barbara-mcafee/may-you-go-easy-for-tom
    Lia Falls: https://soundcloud.com/user-860092984 
    Diana Ross: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross 
    Full Voice: https://books.google.com/books?id=pETKks1jdKUC 
    Saule Ryan/Roy Hart Centre: https://roy-hart-theatre.com/teachers/saule-ryan/ 
    Rhiannon: https://rhiannonmusic.com/ 
    Daniel Nelson: https://www.facebook.com/singingfortheearth/ 
    Jenna Lindbo: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jenna-lindbo/395790602 
    The story of Inanna: https://tamedwild.com/a/blog/storytime-inanna-descent-into-the-underworld 
    Te Martin: https://soundcloud.com/temartinmusic 
    Lyndsey Scott: https://www.lyndseyscott.earth/ 
    Sarina Partridge: https://sarinapartridge.com/ 
    Heidi Wilson: https://heidiannwilson.com/ 
    Laurence Cole: https://www.laurencecole.com/ 
    Melanie DeMore: https://melaniedemore.com/ 
    Joni Mitchell’s Blue album: https://open.spotify.com/album/1vz94WpXDVYIEGja8cjFNa 
    Jon Batiste: https://www.jonbatiste.com/ 
    Jacob Collier: https://www.jacobcollier.com/ 

    Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, minor, 4.5 layers

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
  • Published on

    194. Hildegard's Song

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:58
    Start time of reprise: 00:10:14

    Lyrics:

    There is music
    in, in all things;
    but we can't hear it
    ​until we sing.


    (based on words of Hildegard of Bingen)
    Picture
    Song: Hildegard's Song
    Music by: Barbara McAfee
    Text by: Hildegard of Bingen

    Notes: Sometimes a great groove and simple harmonies is exactly what you need to explore over -- and this song is a beautiful way to listen to your own singing voice playing. Barbara McAfee joins us next week to talk about her journey toward becoming a voice mentor to many folk, developing the Full Voice program, and what that means to her. We were both reeling a bit in the wake of the apparently politically motivated shootings in Minnesota, close to Barbara, shortly before we recorded. Reflecting on the effect of listening to our own voices helped us both stabilize and ground. 

    Songwriter Info: Barbara lives on the wild and scenic St Croix River about an hour from Minneapolis/St Paul. She is a master voice coach, songwriter, song leader, hospice choir director, long distance swimmer, poet, and author of Full Voice. She feels so lucky to be alive on planet Earth.

    Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Barbara for recording and/or performing permission.

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:58
    Start time of reprise: 00:10:14

    Links:
    Barbara's website: www.barbaramcafee.com 

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, mixolydian, 3-layer

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
  • Published on

    192. Freedom Over Fear

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:45
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:35

    ​Lyrics:

    I choose freedom over fear in my heart 
    I choose freedom over fear in my bones 
    I choose freedom over fear in my home 
    Freedom in my song
    Picture
    Song: Freedom Over Fear
    Music by: Tembre de Carteret

    Notes: Which freedoms do we get to choose? What are the places or times in your life when certain freedoms were not available? Have you ever lost freedoms because of violence or threat? Sometimes it's hard to release fears that may have helped protect us in the past -- and sometimes the feeling of letting go of fear is like standing on an ocean cliff, proclaiming again and again, "I choose freedom over fear!"

    Songwriter Info: Tembre de Carteret lives in County Clare, Ireland, and has led a beautiful online singing circle called "We May Sing" since 2020. You can learn more about her and the way in which she facilitates, mentors, and builds song communities at her website, www.tembresong.com

    Sharing Info: Tembre says: "This song is free to share with your circle of loved ones and singing group. I just ask you credit me and I whole heartedly welcome any recording/video you do of the song with your group, please send to me."

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:45
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:35

    Links:
    Tembre's website: http://www.tembresong.com 
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tembre.decarteret 
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tembredecarteret/ 
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5NOOeWM2w3Og68acT2zPei 
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhgwiqOGcvICIjSsJq6iJg 

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, 3-layer

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
  • Published on

    189. Hearth

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:53
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:08
    Lyrics:

    Part 1:
    Fire at the center in my heart
    Rise of the night spark fly away
    Smoke twines together in the sky
    Oh how the dark times light my way


    Parts 2&3:
    Fire in my heart
    Praise be to the dark


    Part 4:
    Dreaming in an endless night
    Living in an endless dream

    Picture
    Song: Hearth
    Music by: Yuri Woodstock

    Notes: Yuri Woodstock knows how to start and tend fires -- and this song sings the magic of smoke and spark. He's managed to make it feel dark and joyous, with a sinuous, smoky sound to remember the mystery, the dream of being alive. Next week is a conversation where Yuri brings his high energy take on community singing and how he found his way into the world through a combination of friends and mentors and skills so deeply embedded it's hard to remember how he got them. By the end I was wishing I could visit his song groups -- I may have to plan a road trip!

    Songwriter Info: Yuri Woodstock is a community song leader based in Asheville, NC, who has run the now 180-member Hark! Community Choir for the past seven years. It is a non-performing, non-auditioned group that sings for joy and connection. He specializes in quick teaches of layer songs and SATB bangers that are easy to learn and fun to sing. Often Hark! feels like a singing dance party.

    Sharing Info: Free to share!

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:53
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:08

    Links:
    Yuri's website: https://www.weringlikebells.com/ 
    Yuri's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weringlikebells/ 

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor, 3-layer, one layer harmonized

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
  • Published on

    187. Where Am I Going To?

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:19
    Start time of reprise: 00:11:40

    ​Lyrics:


    Where am I going to, what am I walking toward?

    I'm gonna breathe

    Into the flow, flow, flowing.

    Picture
    Song: Where Am I Going To?
    Music by: Patricia Norton

    Notes: I heard adrienne maree brown describe humans as "bags of water" -- humans on average are around 60% water.... like a delta, or the land around a pond or river with its banks, or a bathtub and its water pipes -- we are a way of shaping water -- we are, literally, a flow. This song was born in motion, the kind of walking where the rhythm of your steps and breath becomes the soundscape, and you can release everything else, dropping into the flow.

    Songwriter Info: Patricia loves to walk fast from one spring wildflower to the next -- averages out to a stroll! 

    Sharing Info: Please share freely, and let people know about A Breath of Song when you do.

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:03:19
    Start time of reprise: 00:11:40

    Links:
    Flow Singing: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/flow-singing.html 
    All of what I'm up to: https://www.juneberrymusic.com/ 
    Kindred Voices Retreat: https://kindredvoicesretreat.com 

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, round or 3 layers

    Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

    Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html