Afleveringen
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Song: Good FriendMusic by: Jan Harmon
Notes: Both harbor and freedom, connection and release, seasons and timelessness. Jan Harmon's song, written in 1985, has generous space for harmonies, and impels us singers forward, as though we were the sail catching the wind. I love the feeling of holding and letting go as I sing this song -- it helps me grieve, helps rejoice, helps me open, helps me curl up... I wonder what you will experience as you sing it with me?
Songwriter Info: Jan Harmon (1940-1993) was a published poet, a writer of short stories and biographical non-fiction, as well as a prolific composer of choral music, topical songs, ballads, rounds, musicals, and instrumental pieces. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan and lived in many places from southern California to Maine.
Sharing Info: When sharing in a money-making venture, like a workshop, class, or performance, please contact Scott at Harmon Publishing for permission and rates: https://harmonpublishing.com/contact.php
Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:02:47Start time of reprise: 00:16:25
Links:Song info on the Harmon Publishing website (including a sheet music PDF): https://www.harmonpublishing.com/jan/music/library/good-friend
Nuts & Bolts: 2:2, minor, 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
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Song: (O Spirit) Guide Me to Those I NeedMusic by: Aimée Ringle
Notes: If you've run across Aimée Ringle's work, you know her wicked musical skills, her exuberant, high-energy presence, her huge heart and desire to be of service... and you may not yet know how she grew into her voice, the questions she asks herself around how best to contribute to songcircles, her deep desire for village community, and questions about how to make that real in the here and now. We dig a little into one of the hard conversations in songcircles or any group situation where people bring varying skill levels -- how can people of varying skill levels feel welcome and find space and satisfaction as they are? We talk about what Aimée finds she needs to be able to let songs come through and more! Aimée shares the story of how O Spirit came through and we sing it both with guitar and in an up-close and personal way. It's a big episode because we let our conversation spread out, enjoying the end of summer and a sense of expansiveness. I hope you, too, find that pleasure of connection when you join us.
Songwriter Info: Aimée Ringle is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, song-leader, and storyteller. She has an invigorating teaching style that is enriched by her capable percussion and guitar skills. Aimée’s work as a song-leader and storyteller have woven her into an ever widening community of cultural shifters around the country in the realms of sustainable agriculture, alternative education, community living, healing, creativity, and spiritual exploration ~ all of which are reflected in the songs she carries. As a song-leader, Aimée’s work and example have become a valued part of several Ancestral skills gatherings including Winter Count, Spirit Weavers and Sharpening Stone.
Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Aimée for recording and/or performing permission. She says: "For now, the song is just the chorus, but I am paying attention to its evolution and leaving space for the possibility of verses, etc. But this will not be a group process and I'm not inviting unsolicited creative ideas in this process."
Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:53Start time of reprise: 01:34:28
Links:
Aimée's website: www.aimeeringlemusic.com
Aimée's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AiméeRingle
Aimée's O Spirit video on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8wzISTpTsh
Aimée's Bandcamp: https://aimeeringle.bandcamp.com
Earth Practice: https://www.instagram.com/earthpracticemusic/
Tone Home by Elijah Ray: https://soundcloud.com/entheo/tone-home?in=l29rjc61w9os/sets/the-upload-1
I'm My Own Walkman by Bobby McFerrin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8DUi9RCTiQ
Samara Jade: https://www.instagram.com/samara_jade_music/
Three Wheels Turning: https://threewheelsturning.com/
"We are what we repeatedly do." Aristotle interpreted by Will Durant: https://blogs.umb.edu/quoteunquote/2012/05/08/its-a-much-more-effective-quotation-to-attribute-it-to-aristotle-rather-than-to-will-durant/
The Sharpening Stone: https://www.instagram.com/thesharpeningstone/
Laurence Cole: https://www.laurencecole.com/
Liz Rog: https://www.facebook.com/liz.rog1/
Shireen Amini: https://shireenamini.com/music
Song Village: https://www.songvillage.net/
Emergent Strategy and Holding Change by Adrienne Maree Brown: https://adriennemareebrown.net/book/emergent-strategy/, https://adriennemareebrown.net/book/holding-change-2/
Billie Eilish: https://www.instagram.com/billieeilish/
Ganavya: https://www.instagram.com/ganavya
Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, Aeolian, unison chant
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
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Song: The Ambulance SongMusic by: Aimée Ringle"Ooo Love" part by: Laurence Cole
Notes: We live on a busy road, not far from a fire station -- an ambulance is not an unusual sight -- and thanks to Aimée Ringle, I have the perfect song to wish the people involved well... and now you do, too! Next week, Aimée and I talk about the tender place music is able to open up, how someone with considerable musical skills and experience finds how they, too, can be included in community singing... how we are what we repeatedly do, and what that means for Aimée. She is generous, vulnerable, clear-sighted, and willing to name her own challenges. I hope you can join us... but before that, please enjoy adding this song to your personal repertoire!
Songwriter Info: Aimée Ringle is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, song-leader, and storyteller. She has an invigorating teaching style that is enriched by her capable percussion and guitar skills. Aimée’s work as a song-leader and storyteller have woven her into an ever widening community of cultural shifters around the country in the realms of sustainable agriculture, alternative education, community living, healing, creativity, and spiritual exploration ~ all of which are reflected in the songs she carries. As a song-leader, Aimée’s work and example have become a valued part of several Ancestral skills gatherings including Winter Count, Spirit Weavers and Sharpening Stone.
Sharing Info: Yes -- The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Aimée for recording and/or performing permission.
Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:04:12Start time of reprise: 00:17:38
Links:Aimée's website: www.aimeeringlemusic.com
Aimée's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AiméeRingle
The Ambulance Song video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b6WxqtlIbo
Aimée's Bandcamp: https://aimeeringle.bandcamp.com
Laurence Cole's website: https://www.laurencecole.com
Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Aeolian, 4-part
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
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Song: Quiet At First
Music by: Eileen Webb
Lyrics by: Kai Skye
Notes: How often do you get to sing with a thrush? Eileen Webb has made that possible for us... and so we get full enjoyment out of it, singing the entire song twice after learning it. The song itself, with words from Kai Skye, is a succinct reminder to drop in to that sensation of connection to all living things and how good it feels. What could be better? Recording this was unusual for me, because instead of loops on Loopy (where I just have to get it sounding right once!), it's layered tracks because of singing with the thrush... so I got to practice staying centered for the entire length of the song... not once, not twice, but three times plus a bit! It was really good for me -- so thank you for singing with me and perusing the A Breath of Song library -- I love the way my sense of responsibility to you keeps me in practice.
Songwriter Info: Eileen is a consultant and facilitator who helps tech companies build stronger relationships within and across their teams. She loves how music-making helps create deep connections in diverse groups of people, and leads the circlesinging community in Portland, Maine.
Sharing Info: The song is free to share, but please remember to share the lyrics credit to Kai Skye as well!
Song Learning Time Stamps:
Start time of teaching: 00:04:33
Start time of reprise: 00:17:52
Links:
Eileen's Portland circlesinging group: https://www.meetup.com/circlesinging-portland/.
Kai's art website: https://flyingedna.com/
Note: For credit purposes, his NAME is Kai Skye, his PEN NAME (also his previous name) is Brian Andreas, and the site where people can buy his arts is Flying Edna.
Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, 2-3 part harmony plus some extras
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, or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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The Sunday after this episode is released, August 18th, 2024, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, there will be an online gathering of folk who use song to help navigate life -- and we'll sing through this Ribbon of Songs with live-looping! To learn more, click here, or sign up right now to join us!
Lyrics & Links to the original episodes for the songs in this ribbon.
84. May I Be Openby Heather Pierson
May I be open to things as they are right now,because this is how things are right now.
Remember the breath, remember the body,remember the goodness that you carry.
55. Everything Is Changingby Kaitie Ty Warren
Everything is changing.Life keeps rearranging; andsometimes it feels awkward,but we cannot go backward.We cannot go backward.
34. Possibilityby Lisa Forkish
An end is not the end, it can be the beginning.
Like a river, I flow.
I am open to all the possibility.
148. Oh the Rainby Patricia Norton
1. Oh the rain,the rain it comes down,and it carries a worldin its sound.Oh the rain,oh the rain,it comes down.
2. Sometimes I feel blue;I’mgonna take a breath or twoand soften,let my heartbe tender.
3. Softly,gently,let it fall as it will.Softly, gentlytender, tender.
139. Bend & Reboundby Heidi Wilson
Bend and rebound, bend and reboundGentle strength of the willow is found
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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Song: We Got All The LoveMusic by: Helen YeomanNotes: So many different things going on in this episode! First, in some ways this is a "greatest hit" of the community song world, so maybe you already know it? Helen Yeoman's confident, sweetly harmonized zipper song speaks to what can build and sustain hopefulness -- this knowledge that, in some way, we are exactly where we need to be. I am delighted to welcome onto the podcast my beloved husband of almost 35 years, Tom. He gives us the benefit of his long vocal chords to reach some low notes that are out of my range! Instead of looping this episode, I went back and edited in the alto and tenor parts -- and, oof, the pressure to perfect it, to sing exactly in tune -- I'm not sure I could ever let it go. But here you have the best I could do this week, with the alto panned left and the tenor panned right, soprano and bass in the middle. If it's a song you already know, I hope this gives you great practice; if it's new to you, welcome (and check out the shownotes for other learning options)! Fill in our sound with your voice!!!Songwriter Info: Helen is a well-loved choir leader & composer from the UK. her songs are sung all around the world - literally. She is self-taught and calls on every day events as well as global issues for her inspiration. In 2015 she won the esteemed international UK Songwriters Contest in the gospel category. She has four children and lives in Devon, England. Helen runs workshops and holidays in the UK and Europe and is coming to the USA in September 2024.Sharing Info: When sharing in a money-making venture, like a workshop, class, or performance, please contact Helen for permission and rates.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:35Start time of reprise: 00:17:09Links:All of Helen's music can be found at www.helenyeomans.co.ukNuts & Bolts: 4:4, major with raised 4 & 5, 4-pt harmonyJoin 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, or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Notes: Joanna and I explore the idea of inviting fear to come closer and be held, through song and word. We talk about how gifts of attention can come from wounds, and therefore be mixed blessings. Joanna describes the "field" she tends in a song circle, and what craves special notice when you live and work with the same person. This was recorded shortly before the political change in the USA when Biden chose not to run for office, so you won't hear us talking about the buoyancy that can come from feeling hopeful... but we do touch on navigating grief and fear! We also talk about one of the huge gifts a group singing can give a songcarrier....Songwriter Info: Joanna Laws Landis (she/her) is a song-carrier and grief-tender with a deep trust in the transformational healing power of welcome and compassion. Joanna was steeped in song and harmony from her early years: in church, at school and in community choirs. In her late 20s, she discovered the community singing movement and felt a deep alignment with this simple and direct pathway to connection and healing. After collecting a wide library of songs from the midwest to the pacific coast, she has been leading community song circles regularly since 2020. Joanna has recently relocated to the land of her maternal grandmother’s people outside of Asheville, NC where in addition to leading singing & grief-tending, she is deepening her understanding of the body’s innate wisdom for healing with Somatic Experiencing International, and is studying collective trauma integration & facilitation with Thomas Hübl.Sharing Info: You are welcome to share/teach the song in community settings, and Joanna always welcome financial support when it is available. Please contact her for recording and/or performing permission.Links: Listen on Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/joannalawslandisEmail Joanna at [email protected] Follow Joanna's Grief Tending offerings on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/o/joanna-laws-landis-amp-will-rogers-30189070512Donations gratefully received on PayPal or Venmo @joannalawslandisThomas Huebl trauma integration: Academy of Inner Science https://thomashuebl.com/courses/training-programs/Robert Frost - 'Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.' https://quoteinvestigator.com/2021/05/24/poem-tennis/Bliss Is Ordinary podcast – the 4th & 5th episodes are with Laurence Cole: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1939735Laurence Cole: https://www.laurencecole.com/Laurence Cole and Ahlay Blakely are also hosting online grief circles:: https://www.healingattheroots.com/onlinemonthlygriefcirclesThe Cranberries Everyone Else is Doing it So Why Can’t We?Soup: Jook… A Chinese rice porridge with ginger and garlic & maybe chicken. Here’s a Mark Bittman recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1839-jookLianne La Havas artist – Paper Thin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug3Q9RmFywcNuts & Bolts: 6:8, harmonic minor, 2-partJoin 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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Notes: As we gather, by whom are we held? The trees, the earth, the air, the bugs, the people? And what do we bring? Hunger, courage, fear, hope, laughter? Our voices... our dreams. Joanna Laws Landis has written a song to hold the fullness of all this, and the ways in which we are not alone. Next week, join us for a songwriter conversation that explores how we show up... I'll give you a hint: Joanna says in it, "I am a new person in every moment," and talks about how she has observed “how much singing together can really knit a group together.” I hope you experience the fullness of being held... I am looking to be more aware of that myself!Songwriter Info: Joanna Laws Landis (she/her) is a song-carrier and grief-tender with a deep trust in the transformational healing power of welcome and compassion. Joanna was steeped in song and harmony from her early years: in church, at school and in community choirs. In her late 20s, she discovered the community singing movement and felt a deep alignment with this simple and direct pathway to connection and healing. After collecting a wide library of songs from the midwest to the pacific coast, she has been leading community song circles regularly since 2020. Joanna has recently relocated to the land of her maternal grandmother’s people outside of Asheville, NC where in addition to leading singing & grief-tending, she is deepening her understanding of the body’s innate wisdom for healing with Somatic Experiencing International, and is studying collective trauma integration & facilitation with Thomas Hübl.Sharing Info: You are welcome to share/teach the song in community settings, and Joanna always welcomes financial support when it is available. Please contact her for recording and/or performing permission.Links: Listen on Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/joannalawslandisWould love to hear from you via email: [email protected] my Grief Tending offerings on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/o/joanna-laws-landis-amp-will-rogers-30189070512Donations gratefully received on PayPal or Venmo @joannalawslandisNuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor with an occasional major 7, 2 part song; 2nd part harmonizedJoin 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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Song: Blessings Whenever You BreatheMusic by: Melanie DeMoreNotes: Melanie DeMore has probably influenced your singing, whether or not you've had the chance to sing with her in person yet! This week is a chance to spend some time with one of her songs that is a breath blessing -- as we sing, you can notice the breath pouring in, and just to be sure we don't miss it, there's a tapping rhythm on the chest to help center attention. Melanie is one of my heroes in the songleading community -- and I was too intimidated to ask to share one of her songs -- but it turns out, (no surprise to those of you who know her already), she's absolutely lovely (although she did give me a talking-to about not viewing myself as a "real singer".) What finally got me over the hoop of reaching out to her? The fact that she has made an ask of the songleading community, and there's a special chance to give back to someone who has given so generously...Songwriter Info: Melanie DeMore is a 3 time Grammy nominated singer/composer, choral conductor, music director, and vocal activist who believes in the power of voices raised together. In her presentations, DeMore beautifully brings her participants together through her music and commentary. DeMore facilitates vocal and stick-pounding workshops for professional choirs, and community groups as well as directing numerous choral organizations across the U.S, Canada, and beyond. She is a featured presenter of SpeakOut!-The Institute for Social and Cultural Change, the Master Teaching Artist for Music at UC Berkeley/CalPerformances; works with everyone from Baptists to Buddhists, and was a founding member of the Grammy-nominated ensemble Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir. She is Music Director for Obeah Opera by Nicole Brooks and will be touring with the company to South Africa. She is a charter member of Threshold Choir founded by Kate Munger, a mentor to the Jerusalem Youth Chorus and conducts song circles with an emphasis on the voice as a vessel for healing. In her own words: "A song can hold you up when there seems to be no ground beneath you."Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Melanie for recording and/or performing permissionSong Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:56Start time of reprise: 00:15:43Links:Help Melanie find a place to call her own in Taos, New Mexico: https://gofund.me/6be198cbA great interview with Melanie about being a vocal activist: https://chorusamerica.org/article/%25E2%2580%259Ci-use-my-voice-weapon-mass-connection%25E2%2580%259D-interview-melanie-demoreNuts & Bolts: 3:4, MixolydianJoin 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, or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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The Sunday after this episode is released, July 7th, 2024, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, there will be an online gathering of folk who use song to help navigate life -- and we'll sing through this Ribbon of Songs with live-looping! To learn more, click here, or sign up right now to join us!
Lyrics & Links to the original episodes for the songs in this ribbon.
73. Love Flows In
by Roberta KirnTake a moment to quiet the mind,to settle down deep in the body.Love flows in, love flows in, love flows in.Like the waves, like the tide, like the everlasting spring,love flows in.
37. Lead With Your Heart, Friends
by Ian CarrickLead with your heart, friends, the day is unfolding;the way is clear.You already know.
38. This Is A Wave
by Emily RoblynThis is a wave, I am the ocean.This is a wave, I am the sea.
114. All Motion Is Love
by Pam Blevins HinkleAll motion is love, we follow the love we are given.All motion is love, we follow, we follow the love.
59. Heart Wide Open
by Lea MorrisKeep your heart wide open, though the waves want to push you around.You've got to keep your heart wide open, 'til your faith brings you back to solid ground.I'm gonna keep, I'm gonna keep, I'm gonna keep my heart wide open --although the waves want to push; although the waves want to push me around.I'm gonna keep, I'm gonna keep, I'm gonna keep my heart wide open --until my faith brings me back; until my faith brings me back to solid ground.
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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Song: DeeperMusic by: Meg O'Dell ChittendenNotes: I was stymied when I came to the point in the podcast where I explain why I chose this song... because to me it simply is exactly the way I'm trying to live. It's like Meg O'Dell Chittenden went in my brain and named what was happening! Do you find songs like that -- ones that simply speak your truth so clearly that singing them feels like naming your very own core? It reassures me that I am not alone...Songwriter Info: Meg loves helping people access their innate capacity for healing, connection, and joy. She is a somatic coach, supporting individuals and couples in growth, transformation, and healing. Because she's always found the voice, and especially singing in harmony with others, to be a particularly powerful pathway for connection with ourselves and the world around us, she delights in serving as a music teacher, song leader, and vocal mentor. She hosts an annual adult and family singing retreat on the coast of Maine called SongWeavers. In addition, Meg is an Adjunct Professor for Antioch University's Graduate Program for Waldorf Teachers and for the Center for Anthroposophy's Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program. Her sources of inspiration include the small, misty mountain that overlooks her home and singing with her children, Clancy and Celia.Sharing Info: The song is free to share but Meg always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:03Start time of reprise: 00:12:16Links: Meg's Website: www.singwaldorf.comNuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor with a major V7 chord, 4-layersJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: The ChangeMusic by: Mary L. CohenNotes: “My dad played the copper fish mold.” — aren’t you curious now? Listen in as Mary Cohen and I explore family music, personal structures for improvisation, creating connections between incarcerated and not-incarcerated people, and more… We wander a bit through grief and disconnection and finding what is, in a conversation that’s real and messy and touches on fear and joy, building a caring community for ourselves, our neighbors, the global world… living with regret and streaming grace to the person we were when we made a mistake; restoring connection. It’s a glimpse of the rich variety of resources Mary draws on as she shapes her life… I hope to add some into mine.Songwriter Info: Mary L. Cohen, Professor of Music Education at the University of Iowa, is lead author of Music-Making in U.S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices (2022). She co-founded the International Music and Justice Network: IMAJIN Caring Communities, a group of researchers from 18 countries who study music-making in prisons, and you are welcome to join by contacting Mary to get on the group email list ([email protected]). From 2009 to 2020 she led the Oakdale Community Choir with incarcerated and non-incarcerated participants where participants have written over 150 songs, and the Oakdale Choir performed over 75 of these songs, available with the Creative Commons License. To continue working toward the choir’s goals of building communities of caring through singing and songwriting, she founded the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project where partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters create original songs, build relationships, and learn about transformative and generative justice. She has been a keynote for conferences in Germany, Canada, and Portugal, interviewed by the BBC3 Music Matters, and has over 40 publications in journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She leads weekly music groups inside the Juvenile Detention Center of Linn County.Sharing Info: The song is free to share, and Mary welcomes networking support and invites you to further your education and activism regarding environmental justice, restorative/transformative/generative justice, and simply acting with kindness to all you encounter.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:05:45Start time of reprise: 01:07:58Links:
Oakdale Community Choir website: https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/Dave Camlin's new book is Music-Making and Civic Imagination: A Holistic Philosophy. His website: https://www.davecamlin.com/civicThere is a new 30 minute documentary film by Daniel Kolen about the Oakdale Community Choir called "The Inside Singers." The 3 minute preview of the film is available at https://vimeo.com/169192145.Iowa PBS did a short 8'30" video story on the Oakdale Community Choir. Find it here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-oakdale-community-choir-coralville-iowa-bfe7bd/Andy Douglas, local Iowa City nonfiction & spiritual author wrote Redemption Songs: A Year in the Life of a Community Prison Choir about his experiences singing in the Oakdale Community ChoirForthcoming (fall 2024) book by mother of filmmaker Daniel Kolen who created "The Inside Singers", Amy Kolen wrote Inside Voices: A Prison Choir, My Mother, and MeFor people interested in abolition of the prison industrial complex, here are some good resources:Mariam Kaba's We Do This Til We Free UsUniversity of Santa Cruz's Visualizing Abolition resources (including the Music for Abolition collection)Critical Resistance online at https://criticalresistance.org/The book Mary wrote with Stuart Paul Duncan Music-Making in US Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated VoicesTo hear two versions of the Oakdale Community Choir performing "The Change" visit https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/original-works/Most recent one was December 14, 2016 concert themed "Look on the Bright Side" track 13The first version was Fall 2014 and is available under "Original works" link (scroll down a bit) along with the Fall 2016 version. The simple score of the song is available on that link too.Voice Science Works with lots of tools for voice habitation: https://www.voicescienceworks.org/"The Real Work" (song) by Gretchen Sleicher, words by Wendell Berry https://songsforthegreatturning.net/originals/therealwork/InterPlay: An active creative way to unlock the wisdom of the body founded by Phil Porter & Cynthia Winton-HenryMusic for People: A free improvisation program founded by David Darling (whose niece Emily Darling was Mary Cohen's first yoga teacher & owns Darling Yoga in Overland Park, Kansas)Sandy Kemp: Sending Healing streams of Grace. Sandy is an educator, healer, intuitive, mentor, and nurturer.Plantiful PantryNuts & Bolts: 6:8, minor, roundJoin 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. https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/shareExchange 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! https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html
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Song: May My Tears Water a SaplingMusic by: Mary L. CohenNotes: Mary Cohen's huge heart and willingness to do big work in the world shines through in this song, with lyrics sparked by the 2020 midwestern derecho with devastated so many trees. When we talk in next week's songwriter conversation, the depth of Mary's passion for how singing can support and feed change is evident. I hope you can join us as we explore the US prison-industrial complex and music, the role of mentorship, and how self-care can adapt. In this episode, I invite you to experiment a bit, finding musical touchstones as a way into harmonizing. In the links, you'll find several different arrangement/performances you can listen to for other harmonizing ideas, if that's up your alley.Songwriter Info: Mary L. Cohen, Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Iowa, is lead author of Music-Making in U.S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices (2022). She co-founded the International Music and Justice Network: IMAJIN Caring Communities, a group of researchers from 18 countries who study music-making in prisons, and you are welcome to join by contacting Mary to get on the group email list ([email protected]). From 2009 to 2020 she led the Oakdale Community Choir with incarcerated and non-incarcerated participants where participants have written over 150 songs, and the Oakdale Choir performed over 75 of these songs, available with the Creative Commons License. To continue working toward the choir’s goals of building communities of caring through singing and songwriting, she founded the Inside Outside Songwriting Collaboration Project where partnerships between incarcerated and non-incarcerated songwriters create original songs, build relationships, and learn about transformative and generative justice. She has been a keynote for conferences in Germany, Canada, and Portugal, interviewed by the BBC3 Music Matters, and has over 40 publications in journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She leads weekly music groups inside the Juvenile Detention Center of Linn County.Sharing Info: The song is free to share, and Mary welcomes networking support and invites you to further your education and activism regarding environmental justice, restorative/transformative/generative justice, and simply acting with kindness to all you encounter.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:48Start time of reprise: 00:18:20Links: Oakdale Community Choir website: https://oakdalechoir.lib.uiowa.edu/
"Not Our Trees" by Laura Weber: https://prairiewoods.org/not-our-trees/
Outside singers (non-incarcerated choir members) from the Oakdale Community Choir (now disbanded because the current warden will not allow it to restart) performed "May My Tears Water a Sapling" at the Anne Frank Tree Planting Ceremony from April 29, 2022, on the University of Iowa Pentacrest. You can see this performance that begins with a powerful spoken word piece by Jhe Russell at 1:14 on this YouTube video.
Nuts & Bolts: 3:4, Major, unison with optional harmoniesJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: Oh the RainMusic by: Patricia NortonNotes: Seems like being able to let things fall is my skill-du-jour. Rain, my feelings, other people's experiences... letting it come down and softening around it. I wrote this song during a week of incessant winter rain... and sang it here during a week of hard things to feel. Both times, it helped me be where I am. Songs that help navigate life. Yup. This is how we do it....Songwriter Info: This whole singing thing is just bringing me so much joy and growth and comfort... so grateful to all the people along the way who have helped me find my voice.Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact me for recording and/or performing permission.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:12Start time of reprise: 00:14:37Links: Juneberry Music website: https://www.juneberrymusic.comNuts & Bolts: 6:8, Mixolydian, 3-layerJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: Walk On ThroughMusic by: Samara JadeNotes: Samara's song sings powerfully inside me about how we accompany each other... and are accompanied by the natural world. It gives me words to say and feel when someone I care for is going through pain and there is nothing I can "do" to help... and that I am not the only source of companionship. This episode is a little unusual -- instead of just voice, I decided to play piano, including time for you to sing while I accompany you. Patty's artwork was in my mind's eye as I was singing -- I am so grateful for her accompanying vision as we create this library of songs.Songwriter Info: Samara Jade is a multi-instrumentalist folk troubadour - a writer, crafter, performer and producer of memorable soul-centered songs. Coming from a diverse musical background, Samara stitches together a unique tapestry of sounds with a sophisticated quality of musicianship distinctly her own. Born in the Hudson Valley of New York state, and shaped by the mountains and rivers of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state, Samara has been a grass-roots style touring folk musician for over a decade, spreading her songs all across this country and weaving and widening the webs of community. To Samara, music is a primarily a healing and spiritual practice - with many of her songs born out of and made for her own journeys of grief, underworld spelunking, connection with the natural world & transformation - and she derives great joy and fulfillment when her songs turn out to provide good medicine for others as well.Sharing Info: The song is free to share but Samara always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:04:30Start time of reprise: 00:13:57Links: Samara's Patreon: www.patreon.com/samarajadeNuts & Bolts: Mixed meter; major, verse & chorusJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: Begin AgainMusic by: Jean FarmerNotes: Jean Farmer's song was just right for me this week, as some old wounds were reopened. I was frustrated with myself -- I didn't want to have to heal again. This song helped me find the kindness and willingness to start over, connecting with this breath and the earth. Jean said I could harmonize at will -- so I give you four different ways -- a simple echo, a descant, and then a 3-part harmony with part above and below and some different sounds, and of course, the unadorned song so you can play or enjoy joining your voice with mine. I'm so glad we're singing together!Songwriter Info: Jean Farmer has experienced the joy of singing in community from her earliest days, often singing with her sisters as a child and later leading songs around the campfire. She was a registered nurse for 35 years. Since retiring from Nursing, songs have been coming through her, often in the middle of the night. This opening to welcome the songs is a spiritual practice: a path to centering, a form of self-expression, and a way to create and build community. She often sings at labyrinth walks and other contemplative gatherings in Northern California with her singing partner Robin O'Brien in a group called Notan.Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups. Please credit Jean Farmer as the author. Please contact Jean for recording and or performing permission. ([email protected])Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:45Start time of reprise: 00:18:57Links: Notan Bandcamp: https://notan.bandcamp.com/album/mother-treeNotan website: https://notan.org/Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, unison with optional harmoniesJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: Hold OnMusic by: Rev. Cleophus Robinson, Jr.Composed in: 1980Notes: Aaron shares his close personal connection with this song: after the horrible accidental death of his father, "“It was the first inkling, the first kind of hint that this kind of grief might be bearable.” We dove into how to bring anti-oppression work right into songcircles, or any other kind of work you might do. Aaron helped me consider how I, as a white person with financial stability, could practice persistence in anti-racism work... looking for ways to move beyond the crash-and-boom cycle of support that's triggered by a disaster. How do you hold grief and joy at the same time? Aaron invites us into an exploratory "jamming out" section into the song, and talks about touch and connection as self-care. Lots to celebrate, lots to grieve... and while I was sick at the time of recording, (I don't have Aaron's robust immune system!), I'm so grateful to have had the chance to listen.Songwriter Info: Aaron Johnson (he/him) is a facilitator, public speaker, and touch specialist working to identify and interrupt barriers between people. As co-founder of both Holistic Resistance and Grief to Action, Aaron takes the time to hold the stories of black people around homophobia, transphobia, internalized racism, and those that are Chronically UnderTouched. Because oppression is a part of historical and present American culture, the long-term impact of those trauma stories should be acknowledged and held as a map for our collective healing. Aaron Johnson practices and invites various methods of moving through these stories, such as the communal listening ear, sound healing, meditation, and closeness to the earth.Sharing Info: When sharing in a money-making venture, like a workshop, class, or performance, please contact Aaron for permission and rates.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:04:42Start time of reprise: 01:13:45Links: Bliss is Ordinary podcast episode with Yam and Jessi: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aaron-johnson-invites-you-to-risk-something/id1614727245?i=1000641691263Holistic Resistance podcast with Lisa Littlebird: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holistic-resistance/id1368705035Rev. Cleophus Robinson, Jr.’s recording of Hold On : https://youtu.be/awyHHZ44YDU?feature=sharedAaron's link tree: https://linktr.ee/HolisticResistanceHolistic Resistance website: https://www.holisticresistance.com/Holistic Resistance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holistic_resistanceGrief to Action fund: https://www.grieftoaction.com/Chronically Under Touched (CUT) project: https://www.cutproject.org/CUT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cut.project/Rescue (album by Acappella Company): https://store.acappella.org/acappella/rescue/Alillia Johnson's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alillia.sound/and Bandcamp: https://alillia.bandcamp.com/album/fragments-2Fivacious, Aaron’s family group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvh0HKHo5jENuts & Bolts: 2:2, Minor, unison with opportunities to harmonize, zipperJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: I HearMusic by: Aaron JohnsonNotes: What I love about Aaron's song is how it is quick to learn, and then can be taken in many directions -- it can stay simple, giving a chance to listen deeply to one's own voice or the voices of surrounding people. It can be explored in many ways -- growing, soft, harmonies, rhythmic intense or free -- and for this recording, I had the privilege of listening to five friends learn it for the first time, and then let themselves take risks and explore. When making a studio recording, anything that didn't ring perfectly would be taken out -- but I've left the exploration in, to encourage you to do some of your own. Your voice from your heart to your soul. Listening to what it's saying. What a beautiful practice.Songwriter Info: Aaron Johnson (he/him) is a facilitator, public speaker, and touch specialist working to identify and interrupt barriers between people. As co-founder of both Holistic Resistance and Grief to Action, Aaron takes the time to hold the stories of black people around homophobia, transphobia, internalized racism, and those that are Chronically UnderTouched. Because oppression is a part of historical and present American culture, the long-term impact of those trauma stories should be acknowledged and held as a map for our collective healing. Aaron Johnson practices and invites various methods of moving through these stories, such as the communal listening ear, sound healing, meditation, and closeness to the earth.Sharing Info: When sharing in a money-making venture, like a workshop, class, or performance, please contact Aaron for permission and rates.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:05:09Start time of reprise: 00:13:20Links: Link tree: https://linktr.ee/HolisticResistanceGrief to Action: https://www.grieftoaction.com/The Chronically UnderTouched Project:https://www.cutproject.org/https://bio.site/cut.projectTEDx on Youtube: https://youtu.be/zi_hm0-zrgk
Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, unison with option of adding harmoniesJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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Song: Love StaysMusic by: Laszlo SlomovitsNotes: When Lois Zimmerman, at age 96, moved to a care home, her friends threw her a life transition party (brilliant idea, no?!). They asked Gemini, Lois's favorite group, to come and share a transition song -- so Laszlo Slomovits wrote this song of the constancy of love through change. I'm singing through the end of a cold (I did edit out the coughing fit!) -- which reminds me that one of the unique things about this podcast is that it's not at all about me delivering album quality polish to you -- it's about you learning these songs, and taking them into your life -- YOU are the one who lets them into your life, singing them in ways that help navigate whatever you face, sharing them with others as you are moved. And all through the changes, chosen and imposed, welcome and difficult, love stays.Songwriter Info: Laszlo Slomovits is one of the twin brothers in the folk music duo Gemini. Besides his work with music for children, Laszlo has also set to music the poetry of the ancient Sufi mystics, Rumi and Hafiz (five recordings are available on the website) as well as classic and contemporary American poetry. He is also a published writer of both haiku and lyric poetry.Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Laszlo for recording and/or performing permission.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:44Start time of reprise: 00:12:20Links: Gemini Children's Music: http://geminichildrensmusic.com/Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, major, roundJoin 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. (https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) Exchange energy with A Breath of Song with dollars at the Gratitude Jar, or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters! (https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!)
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Song: RoadblockMusic by: Debbie Nargi-BrownNotes: Debbie Nargi-Brown has written a powerhouse of a song, beloved by anyone who has gotten to sing it with her... it builds the energy to get up again, and again, no matter what the fall. Sometimes I need to temper this with the reminder to myself to be attentive to what I need as I'm getting up -- it can be done slowly, and that's still a getting up worth celebrating. At the same time, the sheer tenacity of this song, combined with the acceptance that life is unpredictable, unknowable, and our job is to stay in the arena -- I love this for all of that! This song has a potent backstory, as Debbie caught it shortly after her life partner had received a very frightening diagnosis, and they began the unpredictable, unknowable path of treatment.Songwriter Info: Debbie Nargi-Brown is a gifted community song leader, an award-winning dance teacher, and a talented songwriter, who resides in the Santa Cruz Mountains in CA. 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!Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Debbie for recording and/or performing permission.Song Learning Time Stamps:Start time of teaching: 00:03:33Start time of reprise: 00:15:05Links: To listen or purchase her music: https://www.debbienargi-brown.com/albums/You can also sign up for her newsletter through her website to find out about upcoming retreats or follow her on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.nargibrownThere is a great live version of Roadblock on her soundcloud page: https://on.soundcloud.com/gSDc2Debbie's music is also available on all streaming platforms now.Debbie also offers a great opportunity: Private lessons online!She says: Schedule a session with me if you would like help with: writing a song (this could be your very first song), finishing a song you are working on, adding harmonies or parts to one of your songs, strengthening your song leading abilities, teaching harmonies or multiple parts, connecting to your voice and feeling good about your singing, using garageband as a songwriting tool and/or to record your song. You can schedule a single session or we can work together multiple times. Each session will be tailored to what you want to accomplish.Email me if you have any questions or to book a session: [email protected] & Bolts: 4:4, aeolian, 3-layerJoin the A Breath of Song Mailing list(https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share) 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(https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html) (whoo-hoo!!!!), or by making comments, leaving reviews, suggesting songs or songwriters (including yourself) ..... your participation matters!
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