Rising Appalachia - Resilient (video)

my new 'anthem', that is, a song I turn to for inspiration - there is so much to like about this video and lyrics. I hope you enjoy!

"I am resilient
I trust the movement
I negate the chaos
Uplift the negative
I'll show up at the table
Again and again and again
I'll close my mouth and learn to listen"

https://youtu.be/tx17RvPMaQ8

orchestra pranks? yes, it can be done

Yes, music in good fun!



Thanks to Carl Weston for sharing this

Musical connections

I shared this on the Googe+ PodCamp WesternMass group this morning after finding the link via Facebook. The podcast will be one I'll likely add to my recurring drive time list.

Here is an interesting concept that would be worth exploring. Doesn't need to be done all at once. In fact, as folks do this over time would really help to keep the conversation going in so many ways. 

What is the concept? The Friday Five - started by +Tom Webster he interviews folks who tell of the five songs they have a story to tell about how it came to them or brings them special memories, etc.  

How would we do it here? We can skip the formal interview part and just share the songs (including the Spotify playlist) with the story behind the songs. The conversation around the songs we share would be interesting. we'll likely find some common songs, some common performers, and of course some new ones that while we may not have heard of them before want to explore. 

How does that sound? You can listen to Tom interview the wonderful +Tamsen Webster as she reveals her five. I have my five songs ready and should have the stories behind them later this weekend. 

Here is the link to The Friday Five with Tom Webster and Tamsen Webster
http://thefridayfive.com/blog/2013/4/4/episode-four-tamsen-webster

The power of music (video)

Yes, quite powerful... I think I posted this before but it is worth posting again

bag pipes for Friday (video)

The Providence Journal did a nice piece on the Providence Police Pipes and Drum




They played a military medley recently and that video is here

The boys choir that walked out

Please do stay to the end to see why!





Original link
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/11/the-boys-choir-that-walked-out-on-its-audience.html

Thanks to Patti Digh for sharing this!

4 chords

1, 2, 3, 4

Yes, just four chords

How many songs can you recognize that use the same four chords?




And yet such variety!

Enjoy


Note some NSFW language added to this updated version from the Axis of Awesome

Classical flash mob

Slickly produced classical 'flash mob' from Spain.



Enjoy!




Hat tip to Lisa for sharing this!

Speed up or slow down?

Are you a fan of The 59th St Bridge Song?

"Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy"




Realized the other day that I hadn't done any sherku in quite awhile. My prior sherku was written while I was in Chicago for SOBCon. I need to slow down to allow sherku to happen. It is in moments of quiet that sherku arrive unbidden. Keep busy and they stay away.

What happens to you when you have some quiet time?

Do you even give yourself some quiet time?

somebody that I used to know

After a busy weekend, seeing these two kids... reminds me of my "being a kid in car" days ... somebody that I used to know!



and then my daughter comes by and says, oh that... nice but you gotta see the Harvard Baseball Team... and memories of trips for cross country meets come to mind... somebody that I used to know



somebody that I used to know!



Thanks to the MondayMorningMemo for the first video!
http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/page/kidssing

SOBCon needs a song!

SOBCon is around the corner. Watching the hashtag, you can see that folks are talking up the event. All the good networking, learning, sharing, and of course singing that will occur over the weekend.

Now, I must disclose that I am not a singer. I have been told that I can't carry a note but there is a power to music that draws me in all the time.

But I do think that SOBCon needs a song!

Let's pick a song where the music is in the public domain. Where the tune is recognizable and rewrite the lyrics for SOBCon.

As samples of what I have been crazy enough to do, I offer up the following:

(To the tune of Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man")


“Twitterholic Man”

@linda was mine
‘Til the time
That I found her

Twitterholic
tweeting Jim
retweeting him

Then @Sue came along
DM’d with me
That’s what I sought
Me and @Sue
But that died too

Don’t know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who’ll stay
And won’t twitter behind me
I’ll be what I am
Twitterholic man
Twitterholic man

2009 Sherlock’s Foolish Music, Inc. (MADCAP Records)

One of a series of Music for a Hot August Night

And yes, this example is not a good one as the music is not yet in the public domain. There are plenty of good songs that are in the public domain. There must be one we can re-work to be the SOBCon song!

Quick recap

Dolores and I had a nice bike ride along the Blackstone River Bike Path on Saturday, went to watch the NE Revolution play (and lose) to DC United and then closed out the day with a singalong concert at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse with Peter Yarrow. The later was a special treat. How often can you get about 300 folks singing together in harmony?

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Peter Mulvey

A busy day on Saturday as we took in the soccer double header for the NE Revolution home opener and then followed it up with a concert at night.

The Brazilian and Canadian women's national teams played in the first game of the double header. Canada controlled the match to win 2-1.

In the second game, the Revs scored 28 second into the game and then made that score hold up to finish 1-0.

The concert at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse featured Peter Mulvey. He had been recommended to me for sometime as well worth seeing and he was. David Goodrich accompanied Peter switching among several guitars over the course of the concert. Peter did like wise and also had a bango for one piece. Both are very good and the concert overall impressed my wife. She can be a tough sell sometimes but she admitted they knew how to play.

A sample of what they performed Saturday night can be heard via this YouTube video



If you do get a chance to hear Peter perform, it would be worth your while!

For more about Peter you can do well by starting with his website
http://www.petermulvey.com/index.html

Angel Band

I got to see the Angel Band at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse last night. They are good! Their harmonies and music I could listen to any time.

Here is a sample from their new CD "Shoot the Moon"



Hearing this song live was a joy!


BTW - I did create at least one sherku from the evening

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Ellis Paul

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse presents Ellis Paul, singer, songwriter, poet and troubadour, with special guests Lori Diamond and Fred Abatelli on Saturday, Sept. 17, 8:00 PM 

Admission is $25.

The line up this season is a great one. Angel Band, Lori McKenna, Peter Yarrow, and Peter Mulvey are among those slated to appear. Check out the full schedule here http://www.circlefolk.org/sched.html

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is an acoustically great place for a concert. The dessert selection is awesome and decadent!

In September 2001 the coffeehouse moved to the First Universalist Society meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St, Franklin. Doors open at 7:30 PM and all concerts start at 8:00 PM unless otherwise noted. All concerts are non-smoking and alcohol free.

View Larger Map


This was cross posted to Franklin Matters

Ok Go: Muppet Theme Song

OK Go does the Muppets Theme song!





Enjoy!

Buddy Greene Classical Harmonica, Carnegie Hall

I do have a harmonica and some day I'll take some time to learn to play. Will I ever play like this? It would be a good goal to do so but this guy can play!





Enjoy!

First dip into Lowell

The Lowell Folk Festival has come and gone for its 25th year. I was able to spend Saturday afternoon in the sun enjoying glorious music. A bunch of sherku were crafted listening to the music and absorbing the environment. As long as my phone battery lasted, I was able to post them to Twitter. The battery did give way but the pen and paper did not.

Here is the first batch. There is more to come.

• sherku: Lowell 3
• sherku: Lowell 2
• sherku: Lowell 1

Lowell Folk Festival - great music this weekend!

The Saturday afternoon schedule for the Lowell Folk Festival. The festival runs on multiple sites within Lowell. I tend to stay at Boarding House Park and get six hours of good music without moving around.

SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	BIRMINGHAM SUNLIGHTS	12:00
SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	LEDWARD KA'APANA	1:00
SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	HECTOR DEL CURTO'S TANGO QUARTET	2:00
SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	DERVISH	3:00
SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	QUEBE SISTERS BAND	4:00
SATURDAY, JULY 30	BOARDING HOUSE PARK	SHEMEKIA COPELAND	5:00

The full schedule can be found on the website here:
http://www.lowellfolkfestival.org/schedule.html

The Moody Blues - Your Wildest Dreams

Wow, this takes me back.




Had almost forgotten The Moody Blues