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    25. The Song Inside with guest Heidi McCurdy

    Song The Song Inside
    Words & Music​ by Heidi McCurdy
    Lyrics
    My inner child sings a while,
    dances in the ancient stream.
    A memory of all the songs that have come before,
    my soul has always been singing. 
    Picture
    Notes: I told Heidi that when I learned this song from her recording, I had misheard it, and sang, "My inner child sings wild." She laughed with delight, and said, "Maybe you tapped in to what it is actually supposed to be!" Heidi is at home with change and improvisation and trusting her inner voice -- and the inner voice of others. Heidi shares the sound of her singing bowls, talks about being both shy with her voice and in love with music and singing, and where that led her. An overview of the physical benefits of singing, an exploration of how to connect singing with other arts, and more in this conversation which follows learning The Song Inside.

    Songwriter Info: Heidi McCurdy is a singer, songwriter and sound healer with a passion for teaching, sharing and creative collaboration. Having cultivated her own intimate relationship with the Muse, Heidi is a believer in the profound medicine and magic of Music – its power to heal, transform, elevate and connect us all.  

    She draws from a diverse tapestry of soul, jazz, folk and new age influences for her unique blend of Global Soul original music. Her songs have received awards and have been featured on TV and Canadian radio, and she has performed at jazz, wine and music festivals throughout Canada and Europe as well as local venues. She is known for her warm, soulful voice, and her love of tuning into the music of the moment through improvisation. Her lyrics resonate with the beauty of dreams, a vital connection with nature, and our collective power to create positive change. Recently she has been exploring songwriting styles designed specifically for song circles, singing meditation and encouraging vocal expression.

    As well as creating and performing, Heidi also leads transformational voice programs and community song circles. Guided by the Muse, she specializes in helping others to free their authentic voice and wild, creative spirit. ​

    Links:
    Heidi's website: www.heidimccurdy.com
    Heidi's facebook: www.facebook.com/heidimccurdymusic

    Songroots -- https://songroots.ca/songroots-summer-camp2021/
    Avalon: Web of Magic by Rachel Roberts
    Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life -- the link goes to the Wikipedia article about the album; you can buy or listen wherever you choose
    Amber Lily: Wild
    Dominique Fils-Aimé: The Red

    Nuts & Bolts: 12:8, Mixolydian with flat 6 (and sometimes a flat 3!), and a round.

    Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me.

    Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
  • Published on

    20. Great-Full with guest Ishka Shir

    Song Great-Full
    Words & Music by Ishka Shir
    Lyrics
    I am here on this planet, living my life,
    doing what I do, 
    feeling grateful.

    I am here, this is life, I'm grateful. 
    ​(2x)
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    Notes: Ishka talks about music making while hiking and cuddling, the influence of her singing mother, the difference between singing alone and in large groups, kitchen singing, good food, how songmaking could be available to anyone, and why she sometimes says she doesn't like music (!) And in with all that, she shares this song which originated as a walking song, but can be used in many moods... and I get to sing along so you can hear how it rounds... we can imagine ourselves in the kitchen making a yummy fall soup, singing together.... feeling grateful.

    Songwriter Info: Ishka is someone who sings from their heart.  She has been making up songs since she was a child and has been sharing songs at community song circles since 2007.  Ishka integrates song into most aspects of their life which include, hiking, gardening, cooking, biking, and cuddling clients.  Professionally Ishka is a therapeutic cuddler in Asheville NC. Ishka is especially drawn to songs that have simple yet powerful lyrics and believes that songs can help us heal.  

    Links:
    How Could Anyone Ever Tell You? by Libby Roderick (this is a live recording of Libby's with a story at the beginning; the song starts at about 3'20")
    Aimée Ringle site: http://www.aimeeringlemusic.com/
    Lyndsey Scott: to find more about her, I'm going to direct you to Episode #16, which features a song of Lyndsey's and all her multitudinous contact info!
    Ishka's Soundcloud sitehttps://soundcloud.com/user-943187430  Ishka directly shares many mantra-like songs​
    Ishka's Therapeutic Cuddling websiteholdmeavl.com 

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:36
    Start time of reprise: 00:32:55

    Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Ionian (major scale), 2-part layer or round.

    Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me.

    Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
  • Published on

    8. Penobscot Nə̀pi (Water) Song

    Song Nə̀pi (Water) Song
    Music & Words Gabriel Paul
    Composed in 2017(?)
    In Penboscot
    ​nə̀pi
    kkəseləmələpəna
    kči-wəliwəni nəpi
    kkihčitamitəhαmələpəna
    Picture
    In English
    water
    we love you
    thank you so much, water
    ​we respect you
    My attempt at IPA
    nɜbe
    gəzɑl  molvənɑ
    gəddʒi  hwəlihwəni  nɜbe 
    gədʒi  dəmi  dəhɑ  molvənɑ 
    Notes: Today’s song is by Gabriel Paul, of the Crow and Eel Clan of the Penobscot, whose homelands are located along various waterways in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. The song is a song to thank and honor water. I encourage you to learn and take it to water near you to sing -- and then maybe create your own water song and connect to the water that is near you!

    Gabe describes the song's origins on this webpage, and he and his niece, Leigh, have given permission for this song to be sung and shared freely. It is a privilege to be invited to sing in the language of the Penawahpskek nation, and I’ll help you learn it with care – but know that we are guests, and I'm sure I have an accent – it’s okay to be uncomfortable, and honored at the same time. Then visit the Penobscot nation site to respectfully learn more about these people who claim one of the oldest continuous governments in the world.

    A people who have lived in one place for 11,000 years have a very different perspective than mine, as a child of immigrants. In this episode, I quote Weh'na Ha'mu' Kwasset (She Who Brings the Light), an Indigenous writer and visionary who was raised on Penobscot land, and is also known as Sherri Mitchell. Her book is Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change.

    Links:
    Youtube recording of Leigh Neptune singing this song.
    Penobscot nation natural resources webpage on Nepi

    Nuts and Bolts: This song is unison, unmetered, Ionian (major).

    Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me.

    Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!

  • Published on

    2. Put Your Roots Down

    Song: Put Your Roots Down
    ​Music & Words: Molly Hartwell
    Composed in: unknown
    Lyrics
    Put your roots down, 
    put your feet on the ground,
    can you hear what she says
    when you listen?

    'Cause the sound of river
    as it moves across the stones is the
    same sound as the blood in your body
    as it moves across your bones.

    Are you listening?
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    Notes: This is a grounding song that's popular in the community singing movement, and in August 2021, I learned from Heather Houston that she had just learned it is a Molly Hartwell original. As a white, European American cis female in my 50s, raised to value formal education, let me tell you, my brain is littered with words like, evaluate, compare, weigh, measure, process, careful…. For me, it can be a real challenge to get out of my head and into my body! But, oh the difference when I do… the connection, the power, the sense of being enough. I love the way this song reminds me of the soles of my feet and to sense the blood rushing through my body. Trillions of cells working together so I move and breathe… and I can just watch and feel all that with amazement.

    Links:   
    Here's the Thrive Choir singing it;
    I learned it in person from Lisa Littlebird, a vital, generous songleader whose course, Flight School, helped me expand my musical world in 2019.
    And here's an update in September 2021: Molly Hartwell shared her own original version in Heather Houston's song library (which is a magical internet spot to learn fabulous songs!).
    Molly also generously gave permission for songleaders to continue sharing the song however it came to them, since the song took on a life of its own after she created it!

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:35
    Start time of reprise: 00:13:04

    Nuts and Bolts: It’s harmonized, in 4:4, Aeolian & Dorian modes (minor with shifting harmonies....)

    Join the A Breath of Song mailing list to receive a heads up as a new episode is released, plus a large version of the artwork, brief thoughts from my slightly peculiar brain... and occasional extras when they seem vitally important! No junk -- I will never sell your address. I read out all your names into my living room when I send new mailings... I appreciate the connection to you who are listening and singing these songs with me.

    Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
  • Published on

    Introduction - Finding Wellness Through Song

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    ​​“A Breath of Song” is a new podcast that grew out of my personal experience in singing as a wellness practice. Singing is proven to improve health in many ways. We plant words in our brains through songs, and these messages can support us as we flex and grow. Singing mindfully can move us into a state of flow, which is rejuvenating. It’s all the benefits of meditation without sitting still and being quiet. I believe being in tune with our own voices will uncover wellness in ourselves, each other, and our world.

    ​I hope you’ll join me -- use the subscribe box at the very bottom of this page to sign up so I can let you know when the next episode is released, or to nominate a song or songwriter. I treat your email address with great respect -- I'll never share it without your express permission, and I won't send you anything I wouldn't want to see in my own inbox.

    Each week, in around 15 minutes, I’ll introduce a new song that I trust to help my brain navigate life. I’ll teach it briefly, and we’ll sing it many times. Then we’ll take a break to hear about the origin of the song, before singing it again -- the repetition after a break will help us remember it! Of course, the podcast is available for download, and you can listen as many times as you’d like.

    Every fifth week, I’ll have guest songleaders, sharing songs they’ve written. Those podcasts will be longer and feature an extended conversation with the songwriter.... I am seriously excited about getting to know these people better, and I've been collecting intriguing questions.

    Here on the website, you can find information about singing as a wellness practice, see show notes with links, listen to more episodes, make song or artist suggestions, tell me what’s on your mind, and leave something in the tip jar which makes the podcast possible.

    After covering the monthly expenses of hosting the podcast (website, podcast host, domain name), if there is any leftover, 25% will be donated to the Jazz Foundation of America, which directly supports jazz, blues & roots musicians in need. I recognize the historic and current unfair treatment of Black and indigenous musicians, whose music and artistry is the grounding of so many of the songs I share.

    I am grateful that you are taking the time to listen to and honor your own voice, and I look forward to sharing time together, finding wellness one song at a time.