Music | 1000 Fields of Roses

Following The Signposts

Time for another wander through YouTube!
I’ve been watching reaction videos lately – I enjoy seeing someone else falling in love with music I already know, and I also am introduced to music I’ve never come across before.
Watching random songs also means the recommendations can be…a bit different 🙂
Here’s an audition from The Voice South Africa – the song is the Click Song, sung in Xhosa, which I first heard sung by Miriam Makeba.

Next I had a look at a Kazakh singer called Dimash. I’ve seen a lot of reaction videos to him, and I know he’s known for having a very wide vocal range. I chose this song to share because of the added family sweetness 🙂

What next?
Maybe a bit of Georgian dancing?
(This is more of a mini documentary, and some dissent in the YouTube comments about the accuracy of some of the history)

Some Irish dancing to finish!
(also a bit of a mini documentary…)

Dance!
Sing!
…and wander down a different path sometimes – see what the signposts say.

Published in:

Music

on July 7, 2021 at 12:59 am Leave a Comment
Tags: Cairde, Dimash, Erisioni, Miriam Makeba, Siki Jo-An

Found, While Looking

We’re on the first day of another three day lockdown, with restrictions continuing for a few days after that.
Seems a good time to listen to good music 😀

Here’s a cover of one of my favourite U2 songs.
It’s a collaboration involving one of my favourite bands at the moment, and it shows a bit of what’s possible, via Zoom, when we can’t meet up in person.
Creativity and collaboration have had a few detours over the last year and more, but great (and fun!) things are still possible.
❤

Published in:

Music

on June 30, 2021 at 3:46 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Home Free, Peter Hollens, U2

Refresh (Again)

The last week has been a bit quiet – a period of adjusting, and reclaiming some routines.
Unfortunately, I’ve done something to my hip – not sure what, but it has involved creeping sideways occasionally and screeching when sitting down or standing up. It’s getting better, though – I walked a bit today, did some shopping and went out for a coffee… breathing out a prayer of thanks every time I could move painlessly!

Music always cheers me up, and sometimes reminds me of truth when I’m feeling unmoored.
Here’s some songs from an artist I like, reminding me where my hope comes from ❤

Now, the question is…
should I buy the album? 🤔

Published in:

on June 26, 2021 at 9:38 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Ellie Holcomb

Back On The Couch

…or bed, since that’s where I recorded my bit for this. 🙂
Can’t see me in the little vignettes, but my voice is in there somewhere…
lots of fun!
❤

Published in:

Music

on June 24, 2021 at 7:12 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Couch Choir, Hunters and Collectors

Getting The Lowdown

One of the threads I follow in my internet wanderings is “reaction” videos, where people watch YouTube clips and react to them. Often these are classic songs that they haven’t heard before, but can also be comedy or other genres of music.
I spent a bit of time watching reactions to Johnny Cash, which led to this song – a cover of “Ring Of Fire” by an a capella group called Home Free, featuring Avi Kaplan, who was the bass for Pentatonix (because why settle for one bass when you can have two?)
I don’t really have a particular reason for posting this.
It’s just – Such Fun!

Published in:

Music

on June 3, 2021 at 12:48 am Leave a Comment
Tags: Avi Kaplan, Home Free, Johnny Cash, pentatonix

Blob

Life has been a bit out of kilter lately. My routine has changed and I haven’t fully settled into a new one yet. Most days, when I get home, I don’t have the energy to do much but sit and…blob. Drop in a heap on the couch or bed. I get things done in dribs and drabs, but it’s all a bit random at the moment.

One thing that’s easy is to wander around the internet, which is what I was doing when I found –
Blob Opera!
It’s a “machine learning experiment” (whatever that means) where you make four multicoloured blobs sing. There’s a little tutorial at the start, but I haven’t really worked out how to do it properly. It’s very soothing, though!

I’m happy just to play with it, but some people have actually managed to get them to sing recognised songs, from
Baroque

to modern classics

to pop culture…

What would you have them sing?
🙂

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on June 2, 2021 at 11:32 pm Leave a Comment

Singing In The Weekend

This week feels like it’s lasted a few thousand years…
the normal schedules have been a bit disrupted lately, so everything feels a bit wonky. I’ve been out of the house more than usual, and I’m feeling a bit of weariness.
Part of that could be a habit of browsing the charity shops while I’m out – I’ll have to get used to taking my trolley bag with me rather than carrying everything home!

Having just uploaded various things from my phone, it looks like I’ve been taking photos most days this month. Part of that has been trying to figure out the camera on my phone (I’ve just worked out how to use the video function. I think.) Mostly, I just enjoy taking photos… from the way the light hits my pendant collection –

to the shape of leaves

or a tiny butterfly, catching the breeze in the grass as I pass by…

I’ve just sent in my “high harmony” for Couch Choir (it’s due tomorrow if you want to participate!). Wasn’t too great, but sometimes you have to make the choice between doing something imperfectly or not doing it at all. I don’t know when the song will be put together, but will share it here when it’s done.
In the meantime, here’s the latest from Pub Choir (same people, just in person). It was filmed in Brisbane, but I wasn’t able to be there.

Wish I could have gone – it looks like So Much Fun!!
Maybe next time 🙂

Published in:

Music

on May 15, 2021 at 4:38 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Couch Choir, Pub Choir

Emptying The Thought Patterns

I wrote here a few days ago about being in my favourite cafe without anyone else around – it was “empty” for a good period of time.
Here’s a view towards where I was sitting.

It occurs to me now that this is obviously not an empty room – it’s just empty of people.

I was talking to my Biggest Boy this morning about unconscious bias – he’s studying screen and media, and has been learning about storytelling and scriptwriting. We discussed the fact that we all have prejudices and blind spots. We come from our own unique backgrounds and experiences, so the way we see the world will not be the way the next person sees their world. To a large extent that just creates variety… but sometimes it allows cruelty and offensiveness towards others. We just don’t see where our blind spots are obscuring another’s reality.
The cafe dining room was full – cluttered, in fact. There were many obstacles to my chosen seat (the couch at the back) but I was able to navigate there safely because I could see the chairs/tables clearly, and I have been there often enough to know my way around – I don’t really “see” those other things anymore.
What else am I not seeing? What unconscious biases am I letting slide because I don’t realise they’re there?
As Maria and Captain von Trapp (and also the Bible!) say – “Nothing comes from nothing…”

What am I unconscious of?

As it’s the weekend, and you probably need to sit down and have a cuppa, I’ll just share a couple of songs that came to my notice today.
🙂
❤

Published in:

on May 8, 2021 at 5:03 pm Leave a Comment
Tags: Ellie Holcomb, NEEDTOBREATHE, rafter and rose

Cooling Down To Light The Fire

We’re definitely hurtling toward winter, but there are still days when I need the fan on.
It’s time to set some things in place, though, as the light dwindles… I’ve bought some bulbs (iris and jonquils) to plant. They’ll need to go in soon, or at least I think so! I have no real experience with these sorts of flowers, except for buying them, years ago, with part of my pay packet on a Friday afternoon – they were cheap and bright and cheerful, and shone through the gloom of an English winter.
I’ll harvest the sage, although it’s past it’s best. There’s quite a lot of it. I’ll freeze some in olive oil, but might also try preserving some in honey, for use in tea.

I’ve been watching seminars this week – some on a livestream from a conference associated with our church, some on a Facebook series on changing artistic mindset. I’ve already talked about the way the colder weather tends to ignite possibilities in my mind, and these various teachings have been inspiring, in different ways and for different disciplines.
Perhaps there will be wonderfully innovative creations flowing onto paper or canvas, as I sip honey sage tea!

I’ve been singing some different songs this week. The first one I’ve sung repeatedly, along with the online gathering, in the last few days. The second one I heard for the first time last night, and the last one I was introduced to this evening…