Red Grammer comes to town again! Part 1

Red Grammer came to our town again to sing for us last week in the historic Eureka Theater in Eureka, California. I was honored and tickled pink to be given the opportunity to join him on a couple of songs. We did his song "Listen" and I echoed his words in Spanish and also signed many of the words and phrases. Then I shared my song "One World/Un Mundo". Local schools were bussed in to enjoy the program and Red had everyone captivated with his inimitable, joyful style. The k-8 students all enthusiastically joined in on every song. All around the theater, big smiles were everywhere. I came away with an expanded appreciation and respect for how Red conducts his shows and draws the listeners---young and old---into the community of song.

A Big Thank You to Public Libraries

I dedicate this post to our local libraries. I am enormously grateful to have a lovely place where I can go regularly and get things for free. Besides the time-honored and beloved books, there’s a whole array of different genres of music on CDs to check out: Classical, Jazz, Showtunes, Rock, Country, Blues, Experimental, Spiritual, Latin, Popular, Reggae, Rap—to name a few—and of course, music especially for Kids & Families.

Car trips are a great way to try out some new sounds you may have never considered before. And those of you with children can treat the family to a steady stream of new and different sounds. A big huge Thank You to our public libraries!!!

Greetings dear Reader, What a magical time of year this is, with the crisp, spicy scents and brilliant colors….and the songs! We’re heading into the season of some of the most beautiful music of all time.

I have a concert coming up this Saturday which will be at one of the elegant “Women’s Clubs” in our area. This event marks the second annual benefit concert for the local Redwood Coast Montessori School. It’s a lovely group of people, and in honor of the season and of the gratitude I feel to be a part of this, I’ll be doing some songs that express thanksgiving.

One of these is a song called “I’m Lucky There’s a Sun” by Nancy and Cody Cassidy, which sweetly gives a generous list of the beauty and nature all around us. Here’s one of the verses:
“I’m glad the rains fall, the winds blow, the oceans roll and roll. I’m glad the flowers bloom, the birds sing, and the Earth spins round and round…” I’ve been practicing with the children so they can join me. We’ll also have a sign interpreter to convey these beautiful images with hand signs.

With the accompanying dreamy melody, this song expresses so much of what we all have to be grateful for. There is an infinite wealth and bounty of beauty, pleasure, and soul-food to enjoy and appreciate, if only we take the time to focus on it!

That’s what the Season of Light, Christmas, Winter Wonder is all about. And for those of us who share and lead songs in this season, the practice and rehearsals start weeks and months in advance. So I already have some old favorites plus some new ones well in mind.

Wishing you all the joys of the season, and the time and patience and mindfulness to enjoy all that is most dear to you and yours!!!

Music Mondays with Birdsong

Happy Monday Greetings, dear Reader!

From last Monday’s Music Magic:

How I love Shell’s musical notes and their joyful pattern, and hearing about Amanda and Rachel doing chores accompanied by < loud! > music, Zanna’s windsong and Bela Fleck tunes, Zanna and Kate’s mention of bird song clocks, L.J.’s rain and other Nature music, and Nichole’s field trip songs featuring pumpkins and skeletons!! Plus the variety of other magic that surfaces and gets posted here each day—-all joyful notes that give meaning and value to us all.

And now, more about Birdsong, Part III, the final installment! Birds use both songs and calls. ” Song is a loud, complex and often musical utterance used mostly by male birds.” (I didn’t know that!) “Calls, in contrast, are simpler and usually softer sounds used by both sexes to communicate alarm, hunger, aggression, and a variety of other motivational states.”

The songs of birds have been categorized as countersinging, song-matching, song duetting, and song-dueling. Fascinating! I’m sure these techniques have been the origin and inspiration for rap, techno, opera, ballads, and definitely love songs!

Thanks to a guitar student, I’ve been learning all this from her little field book, Common Birds and their Songs, with accompanying 65-min. CD.

Have you noticed anything new about the birds in your neighborhood? Birds, birdsong, bird magic, or anything that sweetens your day—-please share it with us by posting in comments below. Then we’ll all experience a little more magic in our lives!

Music kisses,
Lisa

Fun Music CD Giveaway!

The awesome Boston Children's Music site is doing a very fun children's music CD giveaway. Check it out and enter to win. They have reviewed my children's music albums and done giveaways with them. And once I won a cool Leeny and Tamara CD! Very fun!

You'll like visiting Boston Children's Music...happy giveaway entering!

Animal Sounds---Nature's Music

I have a new guitar student, 10. She is keenly motivated to learn classical guitar. After the second lesson she was moved to show me a book about birds with an accompanying CD which she wanted me to borrow and enjoy til next week.

So last night at dinner, with Dh, ds, and his new love, we listened to the bird CD for the first time. It’s about an hour of bird songs, all kinds. Then we put it on again….then again, while we were still around the table. By now we could name a bunch of the birds. Some were “song birds”, some percussionists (woodpeckers), some impressionists (one sounds like our cat Charlie). Some are “alarmists” —the crows and jays. My favorite is the wild call of the Canada Geese. It stirs something deep in my heart.

This all led to a discussion of favorite Disney movies—via the seagull---remember that comical character?--- in “Little Mermaid”—and the songs we love from them. Disney <<<< songs <<<< animals <<< birds <<<<

Then, while sitting on the deck, came four Red Tail Hawks flying right over-head, with their unforgettable high-pitched sweet strain. Such wild, magnificent freedom!

Are there any animal sounds that particularly move you or kindle your appreciation of Nature's music all around us?

My Everyday Music

Happy 1st Monday in October---- it's "Walk and Roll to School" Month, and October 6th, Wednesday, is International Walk and Roll to School Day! "A record 40 countries officially participated in Intl. Walk and Roll to School events in 2009...and more are expected this year. These events raise awareness about the positive ways that walking, bicycling, and skating to school help children, communities, and the environment." Community Wheel

To help spread the word about street-crossing safety, here's the video I did with some local kindergartners and the community, "Stop, Look, and Listen"

And then there's this song by Frances England on her CD Mind of My Own with such a sweet message of kindness. I found it in a review from Boston Children's Music, 9/27

I’m a red balloon
I’m a full moon rising
I’m an apple tree
I’m a lemon drop
I’m a flower petal
I’m heavy metal
I’m two years old and I’m nonstop
I’m two years old and I’m nonstop

"In the song To Be we hear Frances really appreciating the simple things in life. As parents we all know how sobering it can be to suddenly see the world through our kids’ eyes and realize the beauty of a flower or triumph of climbing a tree.

Frances says: “As a mother of two, it… feels really good to use song writing as a way of reflecting on daily family life. It’s such a precious time but too often we all lose sight of how significant it is because of our crazy schedules. For me, writing and singing these songs serves as a reminder that this stage in our families’ lives is golden.”

That’s a good reminder for all of us.

A final glorious note: this song, an interpretation of which we heard performed by our son's new lady love: "Give Me One Reason" ....because it just sends me!