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    14. Rolling River

    4:4 Accept Calm Flex Grief & Fear Heal Protection & Presence Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Harmonized Song Form: Layer Trust Water
    Song Rolling River
    Music & Words Tembre de Carteret
    Composed in​ 2020
    Lyrics

    Rolling river, rolling river,
    makes me smooth, round and soft.
    Rolling river, rolling river,
    makes me feel I’m enough.

    Round and round, ebb and flow,
    me home, me home.
    (2x)
    Picture
    Take 2 has arrived!  After listening, Tembre realized I was sharing an early, unfinished version of this song, which later evolved into a version she loves and shares. Tembre said, "As I remember when Rolling River was complete for me when the extra parts/delayed harmony was created , it was a special moment, as I felt this song was complete in that moment and it is loved.  I love the simpleness of the melody, as the other parts are added, it slowly becomes something that is resonant, full and fluid. " So here we have the version of Rolling River Tembre loves and would like shared...  I'm wondering if, for those who heard the first, mistake episode, if that's like owning one of those special stamps that was printed backward?​

    Notes Rounding, smoothing, softening... I love the way this song invites us to relish the tumbling flow of life and let it comfort and carry us, let it reassure us that we are enough, we are home. There's a rocking, rolling melody, which can be harmonized, and then a lovely descant, or upper line, that responds to the melody. I love the way this song lets me, (not an eager swimmer!), sense the release and acceptance of allowing the water to carry me. Next episode, a conversation with Tembre that includes cold water swimming, how she supports singers who might not be matching yet, finding time to songwrite, what makes Ireland a special place for a songleader, and more!

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

    Nuts & Bolts The song is in 4:4, in 2 layers, one of which is harmonized. It is Aeolian (natural minor).

    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!
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    13. Replenish

    4:4 Be Present Heal Moon Power & Change Protection & Presence Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Harmonized Sun Water
    Song Replenish
    Music & Words by Elisa S. Keeler
    Composed in​ 2020
    Lyrics

    Drink in the healing waters, bathe in the pure sunlight/moonlight. (2x)

    Replenish your body, replenish your soul, Breathe in light/peace and be made whole.

    Drink in the healing waters, bathe in the pure sunlight/moonlight.

    Ba doonga doom, doom (3x)
    Ba doonga doom.
    Picture
    Notes I love the way songsharers around the country during the pandemic dug into music as a way of healing, comforting, hoping. So much new music came out of this time that helps us uncover the wellness that's already there, inside us. Now you might think those songs would all at tempo=comfort, or heartbeat pulse, or something else that soon feels trite. But this song, for instance, has a driving urgency as well as the sense of smiling just a bit, which feels fresh to me... and as it is unexpected, I can hear the message in a new way.

    Songwriter info
    Elisa S. Keeler is a composer, song leader and retreat facilitator who has taught voice workshops since 2003. She holds degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Ithaca College and a Masters in Transpersonal Psychology from Sofia University with a focus on the therapeutic benefits of singing in groups. Elisa is the founder of Freeing Your Voice program for adults and the Music for Unity and Social Change program for public schools. As a songleader she has worked with Threshold Choirs, the American Association of Choral Directors, religious organizations, community choruses, colleges, universities, and staff community-building retreats. Since 2011, Elisa has facilitated personal and spiritual growth retreats for adults as a co-teacher of the Hidden Treasure Program at Light on the Hill Retreat Center. She lives with her family in Ithaca, NY. 

    Songwriter contact
    www.elisamusic.com for music, scores and information about workshops and retreats
    www.patreon.com/elisaskeeler for Patreon account

    Nuts & Bolts 4:4, harmonized song with a bass line, Aeolian (natural minor)
    ​
    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!
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    7. Spiral

    4:4 Accept Change Flex Gratitude & Trust Grow Heal Journey Power & Change Release Scale: Aeolian (minor) Song Form: Harmonized Song Form: Layer Trust
    Song Spiral
    Music & Words Patricia Norton
    Composed in​ 2020
    Lyrics

    I'm letting myself move in a spiral,
    I'm flexing and I'm swaying and I'm bending with the wind.

    I'm coming down to where I want to be.

    Gotta let me grow, gotta let me grow,
    you know.... I've got to grow.
    Picture
    Notes I wrote this song a few months into the pandemic, at a point when I was disappointed with how I seem to know all this wisdom in my head, but have so much trouble translating it into body knowledge... I was tearful & fearful – and so frustrated with myself. Then I realized – oh, right -- this what it feels like to grow! Moving from comfortable to uncomfortable in a spiral of growth. Which started me thinking about prairie grass – the beauty of acres of grasses swaying and moving in the wind. Roots in the dirt and touching the sky... both growing up and coming down. Natural patterns that occur and recur -- including the spiral.

    ​    Be one of the first to know as new episodes are 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. Click here.

    You can learn more about me and what influences my choices and work here​.

    ​    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:26
    Start time of reprise: 00:14:08

    Nuts and Bolts 4:4, Layer song, Aeolian (minor)

    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!
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    6. Be Open

    2:2 Change Flex Gathering & Welcome Journey Notice Open Play Power & Change Release Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Harmonized Song Form: Round Trust
    Song Be Open
    Music & Words Debbie Nargi-Brown
    Composed in 2017
    Lyrics

    Be open for something wonderful to happen
    Be open to the possibility (x2)

    Aiye Aiye Aiye, Aiye Aiye Aiye (x2)
    Picture

    Notes To be open to the possibility of something wonderful happening seems both counter-intuitive in the middle of the pandemic and multiple crises, and also surprisingly comforting and hopeful. And indeed, wonderful things are happening in addition to what's hard and perplexing and dismaying. I love how I feel lighter after singing this -- I wonder how you feel?
    Debbie said she wrote this song to help a couple people in her life that were going through difficult times. She says it is a great song to help manifest a dream into being -- you can think of something you want to come into your life and sing that into being, to embody it as you sing and to really see it happening, to call it in for yourself.

    Songwriter info Debbie Nargi-Brown started singing and dancing on the day she was born! A gifted community song leader, an award-winning dance teacher, and a talented songwriter, she offers her songs with love, compassion, and the hope of bringing joy and healing to others. Debbie’s lyrics and melodies are sung all over the world. She writes songs for the heart, healing, transformation, love, grief, and all that connects us as human beings. Bringing people together in dance and song is one of her greatest joys in life!

    ​Be one of the first to know as new episodes are 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. Click here.

    You can connect with Debbie and her work at debbienargi-brown.com
    Support Debbie directly by buying "Be Open" on Debbie's Bandcamp: debbienargi-brown.bandcamp.com/album/grief-joy

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:09
    Start time of reprise: 00:10:00
    ​
    Nuts and Bolts 2 harmonized sections which can be sung as a round or layered, in 2:2, Ionian (major) mode.

    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!
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    5. Find Our Way Home

    3:4 Accept Calm Gather Gratitude & Trust Grief & Fear Journey Protection & Presence Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Harmonized Song Form: Layer Songwriter Conversation Trust
    Song Find Our Way Home
    Music & Words Maggie Wheeler
    Composed in​ 2020
    Lyrics

    We are out here in the open water
    No clear direction to carry on.
    We are out here in the open water
    Together we'll find,
    Find our way home.

    We are out here together (4x)

    Together we'll shine the light,
    Together we'll shine
    Together we'll find
    Find our way home.
    Picture

    Notes Maggie Wheeler talks about the bravery of this last year, how campfires affected her songleading, and how singing becomes a forgiveness practice. But first and last, she shares a song of hers, Find Our Way Home, which rose out of the pandemic, and will be included on a new project she has just started working on. (I go maybe a LITTLE fan-girl-squeaky, but, hey, my first interview, and someone I deeply admire -- I think I can be forgiven!)

    Extra special thanks to Patty Piotrowski, who provides beautiful art for each episode; I particularly love the sea otters in this one!

    Learn more about Maggie's extensive work, and sign up for her emails (I'm definitely on the list!) so you can keep up with what's coming up at goldenbridgechoir.com

    I mention a Peter Occhiogrosso interview with Maggie, in which she eloquently describes the many benefits of singing, among other things...

    Maggie talked about a few artists -- if you have a local music store, of course get them there -- but here are some links, as well:

    Sweet Honey in the Rock Live at Carnegie Hall

    Singer-songwriter Aimée Ringle -- Human and Tender 

    The South African acapella group The Soil

    ​    Maggie Wheeler is best know in the U.S and internationally for her work as an actress in film, television and voice-over and most notably as the character of Janice on NBC’s hit series Friends. Maggie is a passionate singer, songwriter, choir director and workshop facilitator. She has been teaching her vocal workshop "Singing In The Stream" for over 30 years at retreat centers, universities, communities and schools to provide the experience of creating interpersonal harmony and internal harmony through the powerful act of creating vocal harmony. Maggie directs the 100-voice Golden Bridge Community Choir in Hollywood, an inter-generational, non-auditioned choir now going in its 16th year.
    She is a prolific songwriter with a catalog of powerful and timely songs that have been sung by choirs worldwide. Maggie’s original music for choirs and communities is available on Itunes and other music platforms. To accompany her most recent CD entitled 'Walk With Me’, Maggie has created a songbook available by request through her website www.goldenbridgechoir.com Throughout this year of change Maggie hosted a weekly online community gathering called Together In Song, bringing together people from around the world to join in the healing power of singing.

    Links: To learn more about Maggie’s work please visit: www.goldenbridgechoir.com and maggiewheeler.net

    ​    Nuts and Bolts This layered and harmonized song is in 3:4, Ionian mode (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!
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    3. Woyaya

    6:8 Accept Calm Empower Flex Gathering & Welcome Grief & Fear Journey Power & Change Ribbon Scale: Ionian (Major) Song Form: Harmonized
    Song Woyaya
    Music Sol Amarifio
    Words Sol Amarifio (title in the Ga language of Ghana)
    ​Composed in 1971
    Lyrics
    We are going, heaven knows where we are going, but we know within.
    And we will get there, heaven knows how we will get there, but we know we will.
    It will be hard, we know, and the road will be muddy and rough,
    But we'll get there, heaven knows how we will get there, but we know we will.
    Wɔyaya, Wɔyaya, Wɔyaya, Wɔyaya.
    Picture
    Notes You'll hear me playing with different patterns and rhythms under this song... some of which work well right off, and some of which are more... umm... experimental! But we're all about exploring and growing and changing here -- and one of the downfalls of the highly polished recordings we are immersed in is that we forget that in real life, as we sing by ourselves or with each other, some of our experiments sound great, and some turn out to not be ones we want to continue -- heaven knows where we are going! But we'll get there...

    Songwriter info: Sol Amarifio was the Ghanian drummer of the band Osibisa. The band members were African and Caribbean musicians living in London: Teddy Osei, Sol Amarfio, Mac Tontoh, Spartacus R (Roy Bedeau) Wendell Richardson, Robert Bailey, Loughty Lasisi Amao. 
    This song is under copyright, so recordings or performances for profit are subject to copyright restrictions -- please sing freely at home and with family!

    Links: 
    Here's Osibisa with the original.
    Anaïs Mitchell and Kate Stables collaborated on a beautiful cover of this. 

    Nuts and Bolts: Harmonized, in 6:8, Ionian mode (major).

    Song Learning Time Stamps:
    Start time of teaching: 00:02:10
    Start time of reprise: 00:16:18

    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!