Song Catcher Girl

2009-09-07T14:36:00.016-04:00

Do we really want people to cut their chins off?

I was at a meeting recently discussing the promotion and career of a talented, sincere and heart felt singer songwriter. The topic came up how the new management team wanted this person to appear much younger, thinner and hipper. I was disheartened when the description of the musician as a “friendly neighbor who plays the guitar” was dismissed and the new image was one where he was to be "tough, hip and cool". The manager, well intentioned, mentioned he spent a lot of time using photoshop on the musician’s photo and cut off his extra chin, making him look years younger, and hardly like himself.

This meeting followed me into this weekend, I was hanging out with a close friend in upstate NY at a little farmhouse with tractors bailing hay, discussing this scenario, wondering if I should talk with this musician about my insights, or leave it alone. While gazing up at the stars, my friend said, “flip it”.

OK, flip it...? What does that mean? He went on to describe the concept, and how flipping things makes you see conventional wisdom, trends in business, you name it, in a new way. I always like to have down to earth examples, so he handed me this one. For example: conventional wisdom is something many of us rely on, we build companies, create relationships, build our goals upon it, but we are only using the information we have gathered from the past. But what happens when we flip that? For example, conventional wisdom tells you in the music business “It is who you know, not what you know” “Be young, sexy, know the right people, name drop, cut your chin off…”

Well I decided to flip that, so “It is not who you know, but what you know…” What is it that I know these days about the music business?... well, the few people who are successful are doing things differently. For example the popularity of Susan Boyle. She has become a huge success just being herself. A middle aged, "unattractive" to societies standards, singer has people already signing up on Amazon.com to buy her new unreleased CD. Susan Boyle's debut album already a bestseller, in this article that came out today, her photo has all her chins included. :)) see photo above

In an article "Susan Boyle Knows something you don't" the author Scott Monty states this:

Assumptions can limit your creative output
It's okay to take risks
Know your audience and connect with them on an emotional level
Exceed expectations
When we're constantly hit over the head with polished, branded, uber-cool ads, campaigns and come-ons, it's refreshing to see a down-to-earth, humble approach. It gets more attention

I am not saying these older "polished, branded, uber-cool" tactics do not work to sell music, they have in the past, but at what cost? And more importantly do we still want to be selling "illusions" to our fans? Sales are beyond dire in the music business. The trend I am seeing, where musicians are actually selling their music, are definitely not selling out themselves or their image, but rather using the new tools we have gained in the past decade (Twitter, Facebook, Online Distribution, etc…) to connect with their fans and are providing the strong need for authenticity so many of us crave today.

If we were to compare the popularity of “reality TV” today in the TV world to the music world, why would this desire for "reality" not spill over into the music world? Music fans are craving “reality music” and "reality musicians" (especially after a good 20 year stint of force fed Lolli-Pop-songs most of which were not even tasty enough to suck on.)

Some excellent examples of “reality” music, is the very marketable and forward thinking approach of Imogen Heap. As of today she is one of the top-selling musicians online. Her whole business model was innovative and interactive with her fans. She twitted her whole way through the writing, recording, and process of finishing her album. She asked her fans to listen to her unfinished tunes and share their suggestions, and thoughts. She made an environment where both musician and fans were co-creating the music, therefore making the fans feel a part of the process, and product, because they were.

Great Article to read on Imogen Heap by one of my favorite music analyst Bob Lefsetz.

The music world has changed, and yet we are still using old tactics, old strategies which may have won the “war” in the past, but we are engaged in a new frontier. I see musicians coming from a forward thinking place of “this is me, come join me, let's connect, let’s relate, let’s create” as a possible "flip it" model. There is no need for a god-like status for musicians, it is not what people want, or connect with. Religion is going out of fashion, let's take that as a hint.

I believe there is a new effective model for the music business in a new connected online world. This model is "it is not who you know, but what you know" and how you take into account the use of this knowledge to connect and market an authentic product.

The big companies, the big labels, the big powers of music with the help of the Internets "Yellow Brick Road", have show us they are no more powerful than a small man hiding behind a curtain. Yet there still seems to be a hiatus of musicians skipping down the yellow brick road hightailing it straight to Oz, forgetting that the cornfields are full of listeners, the forest is alive and ready to connect, and ignoring that those ruby red slippers are just plain tacky.

I think hanging out in Munchkin Land, might be a better use of your time. But the majority of musicians still brainwashed believe they don’t have a way home, not to mention a heart, the brains or the courage to make it on their own. I know this, cause I was one of them. I skipped all the way to Emerald City, was let in to see the Great Oz. All I have to say is that Munchkin Land is way cooler, but ultimately Kansas is where it is at, cause there truly is no place like "home”.

"There is no place like home" say it three times and then twit your fans and ask them what they want to hear, forget about pleasing all the “Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs” of the world (too many names to drop anyways).

2009-06-26T21:05:00.003-04:00

I made this video and wrote this song recently and wanted to share it. I am in the process of connecting with the people at "Playing for Change" and hoping to begin to work with them in the near future. Please check out their wonderful and inspiring work here: http://playingforchange.com/

5th day without Internet

2009-06-26T12:28:00.007-04:00

A great exercise to do, is this, go outside or go into a large room and put your hand in front of your face about a foot away. Stare at your palm for 10 seconds, then pull it away and feel the shift. That is the best way I can describe physically and mentally what it has been like to unplug from technology this week. Unfortunately that also meant I had to write this whole thing by hand and later transcribe it. But that feeling when your hand pulls away and your eyes ease into the landscape around you, is profound and important to remember, since so many of us are plugged into technology, like our hand close range, all the time.

I would have been the first to admit I was a facebook addict, I really was. It got to the point where I was thinking in status updates, and taking pictures specifically for facebook. I was unable to appreciate anything without thinking, oh I should share this on facebook. Whether it was an article I had read, a youtube video, picture of my son... it all seemed to be framed with the need to share. It became so intense with daily connections, that when I deactivated my facebook profile for the first time a few weeks ago, I received text messages from several friends within less than ½ an hour, asking why I had defriended them, did they do something wrong, offend me? I reactivated my facebook less than two hours later. That was my first step in pulling away, and seeing that I was a little immersed, hell who am I kidding? I was in over my head in the online culture that I had originally wanted to objectively research for grad. School.

I found in the beginning a sense of exhilaration and connection being a part of this online social community, and it was quite a high. I was connecting with old elementary and high school friends, college friends, and even both close and distant relatives. I was blown away that I was able to know what my friends and family were doing on a daily basis. How cool it was to know my best friend from 4^th grade, Serena, was sledding with her son today, while my old boyfriend Josh from the 8^th grade was surfing in Costa Rica, while my little sister just branded her first cow out on a ranch in Montana. It was hyper-connection and I loved it.

I was connected on facebook, but I didn't stop there, I was on myspace, my yahoo email, twitter, indaba a music collaboration website and the acid planet music website several times a day, for hours at a time. I loved it so much I would ignore the people in the room sitting right next to me. I loved it so much I was unable to sleep many nights. I loved it so much I would sometimes forget to eat, I would use whole days bouncing from facebook, to myspace to checking my email to collaborating music with people around the world. My life was all in front of me inside a box in my house. That digital box became my world.

The part that was most alarming to me recently, and why I am “detoxing” from the internet, was when I found myself quickly unable to focus on my school work, my housework, and even my seven year old son. I was feeling tired and stressed out, and starting feeling more disconnected than connected. I know of a few studies that have been done on this type of online addiction and I believe this will eventually become another 12 step like program, like alcoholism and gambling, for our fix it culture. I have not honestly looked to far into scholarly research on online addiction, nor do I feel the need to at this time, plus I am trying to stay offline. But I think sites like facebook that create online additive traits are just a symptom of a larger social epidemic. I cannot say what that would be exactly, but in my humble opinion I would say it has to do with the disconnect of our society which has replaced authenticity with commercialism and unrealistic ideals.

You see, there was something comforting to me about being connecting daily with others without having to leave my house, being a single mom in a small town can be isolating at times. Being a parent can be isolating, but let's be real here, just being a human in this world can be isolating. It was comforting to know that Fred was having leaky pipes in his bathroom, Shari was stressed out about making her rent, and Lisa's toddler was sick again for the third time this month. It was reality, as real as it can get in the forum of mass media, since there were no cameras, or scripts, just each of us at home on our computer sharing our real world. To me, that was beautiful.

I am not sure what else I can write at this point and be objective, but I can say since Friday, (it being only Tuesday) that I have already gone through a range of emotions. The first day I unplugged I felt calm, but a little nervous that others would think I was being rude or ignoring them. I even disconnected from my cell phone for the weekend, so that I would not engage in even texting or “accidentally” checking my email. I felt on the second day, I was missing out on something, that my friends would forget about me, and that I would lose “fans” for my music, which I had been promoting online, this was both irrational and irrelevant, not to mention kind of pathetic in retrospect only 3 days later.

I then went through a bout of resistance and anger, and cursed all those around me who were plugged in, surfing online, talking on their cell phones, grooving out on their ipods, shutting out the real world passing by them. I noticed most of the people walking the streets were talking on their cell phones or texting, all with the same zoned out look on their face. I knew under my rebellious angst I was just feeling envious and missing my own personal technology zone. Like I said I love technology, I crave it. My hand is cramping without it.

I think one of the reasons being in the zoned out tech world is so appealing, is in that world, we each get to be King. I get to be King. I get to be my own star of the show, whether on facebook or myspace, they both are the perfect stage for a somewhat reclusive, introspective, somewhat antisocial person, as well as for a social butterfly. I get to say what I want, and I can say anything at all. In the tech zone I am in a world of words and with words comes a power, that in a social face to face setting are not always as easy to come up with. It's like having the chance to go back and say every funny, smart, witty, or sarcastic comeback you have ever wanted to say. There is even quick access to spell check, the thesaurus and dictionaries online, not to mention google searches, if you want to be really crafty, intelligent or just look literate. .

But the goal of my research was originally to see how online communities, particularly music communities have effected musicians and the world of music. I was also looking at online musical collaborations, and how this has changed the ways in which musicians connect and create together. I found that in the process of researching both these questions, I became a member of the culture, I became my research, I lost perspective, and was fully immersed.

I learned that researching myspace as a way to promote my music, while observing other musicians and how they used this site became a vast and unending territory to explore. See, the world online does not have boundaries. Not in the way that you need a passport and mode of transportation like you do to get from country to country. I could be listening to a musician in Mexico and at the click of my computer mouse I was listening to a musician in Ireland. I think at this point in time myspace has over a million musicians signed on ( I cannot google it for accuracy at this point), I know this forum had indeed changed music, musicians, the world of music, but exactly how, I can not tell you, cause I honestly do not know. I am too close to the scene, I am too close to my research, and this is why I have had to unplug. The movement online is so large, so encompassing, so overwhelming. I started to feel like my research was a cup of water spilled into the Sahara desert, ineffective.

This slippery slope into total immersion started to happen about half way through my 2^rd semester, when I decided to transition into a more personal research model. I was going to be my own test dummy. I was going to experiment with my own research ideas using myself. I knew it would be a somewhat unethical, potentially narcissistic venture, but I was unable to see any other way at the time. I was not particularly comfortable with asking a musician to put there career on the line (literally) for a grad. student's research project. I was pretty much burned out on the idea of ever “making it” as a musician and figured the worst thing that could happen was that I would experience a little public exploitation, potential humiliation but most of all get my thesis done.

I went ahead and dove full force into the experiment. I first put out to my online communities, facebook in particular that I could make a song up on the spot for any of my “friends” about anything topic they would like. I had a few people take me up on this, while the “rest”(although we never know exactly who watches and doesn't, which is a whole other topic to be further discussed.) watched, as I presented videos of myself singing at home in front of my webcam. It was a lot of fun, and I was able to actually pull off a few good tunes. I also made videos capturing my struggles working on a new song, sharing the process of the creation. I did emotionally let it all hang out, and at times would feel my cheeks burn in the middle of the night, wondering who just watched me, if anyone at all, make a spectacle of myself.

I decided to be completely open, and put everything about myself out there. I found the musicians I most connected with online so far in my other semesters seemed to be down to earth, approachable, emotionally raw and open about their daily life events. I went ahead and posted pictures of myself posed, candid, heavy makeup to nature girl. I experimented with my image, changing my profile picture often, leaving status updates ranging from deep poetic quotes to the mundane choirs I was doing like the dishes... It didn't matter what I said, but I tried to make it always interesting enough to make people notice. I felt sometimes manipulative, and even exaggerated my where abouts or what I was doing to sound over the top, but never lied. I tried to present an exciting larger than life lifestyle, while remaining true to the reality of my settings. A good example of this is later on in my research I was going down to NYC a lot. My status updates focused on the recording I was doing at Fire Escape Studios. I was staying at my friends, making music in his apartment, which happened to have a kick ass fire escape we would hang out on between recording on his computer. I didn't lie, but rather only presented the “success” of the situation “recording in a studio in NYC”, in the framework of “making it” for a musician.

Another interesting realization I had in regards to being so open online, is that you will never know exactly who is reading, watching, and observing your every action online. There are privacy settings for sites like facebook, although you still do not know which of your friends are reading your posts unless they comment, or give you a thumbs up. As far as I know myspace is open to all. I decided to first put my facebook profile with no privacy settings at all, and left it open to any facebook member. With no privacy settings on, if you had a facebook account, you could have known all about me. I have no regrets in doing this, although I would never suggest anyone to do this, ever. I believe that in the process of being open and exposed I lost a little of my integrity and some of the mystery I crave in others. I mean come on, when in history ever before could we know things like someone's religion, political affiliation, favorite music, favorite movie, even their birth date, before ever meeting them in person? I suppose in the form of gossip or a mutual friend this did and does still occur, but not at the mass scale today. I am not sure how I feel about this form of “tell-all” connecting just yet, but I do think it is something to take into consideration for further social research.

The general question these past days on this hyper information age that keeps running through my mind, is whether it is stopping us from real life connections, and connecting with others who are not like us? are we actually suffering because of the ability to pick and choose our “friends” as opposed to in the real world we have less ability to pick and choose who we come into contact with physically, at work, in a store, the supermarket, etc... and they do not have a profile for you to read. I have witnessed people defriend others for not having the same opinion as them online, like the old saying goes “never discuss politics or religion with your friends”... I just don't know if our tolerance has grown better or worse for others unlike us. This is something I personally am looking at, since the majority of my friends online are from the middle class white educated American stock, plus I do not even know most of my neighbors, nor am I involved with my community all that much since I was laid off from my job working for the local public library.

Like I mentioned before the online social world is a large territory to research, to large to conclude anything that could ever cover all the varying grounds of this new social virtual world. I am starting to believe that just like we have different countries around the world, we have different countries within the digital world. Although we cannot map it out, or make a globe of it yet to spin on our desks, I believe it is a completely separate living breathing world. I have been told by my professors and other grad students that this type of research is so new, that I should narrow it down. I would love to narrow it down, but to what I am not sure yet. One grad.student friend of mine suggested I write my thesis on the music of Sesame Street and how it affected our generation, great idea, but why bother when I have already landed in this new world. I want to fucking yell out, so what if I don't graduate, so what if it takes me years to get a conclusive grasp on this online world. This is where the energy is at, this is new ground to break, and this is where I want to be. I am a digital anthropologist, lost in a virtual world. Yes, it is going to be harder for me to write my papers, and make sense of this chaos, plus there are no longitude studies on the effects of online communities to draw from. I know it is going to be harder for me to write a thesis on a new development in our world. Believe me there are times I wish I had just decided to write my thesis on English Literature, or Classical Music, with my head stuck in books written over the past couple of hundred years, immersed in notating and quoting scholars who paved the path before me. Instead, I have had my head in the computer, searching for scholarly journal articles written in the past month or two on anything to do with online communities, musicians, and technology. Immersing myself like an anthropologist in a new strange world, my research khakis and safari hat replaced with a flat screen and mouse.

Like I said I am only 5 days out of the digital landscape. I am sure the observations I have made thus far are somewhat skewed and emotionally biased. Some of it may be pretty accurate, although no where near objective.

A general overview of my research with online communities and music collaboration is comething I am trying to formulate and make sense out of at this point. I experimented in music sharing, posting, promoting, and collaborating all online and feel overall using the internet, and more specifiically online communties highly effective. Using the internet as a tool as a musician who want to gain a wider fan base, connect with other musicians, and even collaborate works. I tried everything from recording a song a day for the week, and heavily promoting it, to fully covering every step of my travels to LA to sing for an independent film and play, with pictures, videos and status updates sharing my journey. I acted like a star, lived like a star, and in some ways fell like a star, luckily.

I have also had a lot of interesting personal contacts in a world much larger than my own small town. I connected with the founder of one of the largest online music distribution companies, we became good friends and he flew me to Hawaii and LA to hang out with him. I was flown out to LA, later in the semester to sing, which came about from a facebook connection. I also made a great friend and connection after he asked me to collaborate with him musically on facebook. He saw one of my music videos done on my webcam, that was posted on a mutual friends site. He has his own TV show in NYC, is an “independent wall street rebel” (that's what I call him). I have created and recorded over 20 songs with him on the weekends, most of which will be a major part of my final thesis on online collaborations using music and video to create social change.

I find value in the connections I have made, I am grateful for the way a single mom in a small town can connect with a film producer in LA, a successful online entrepreneur, and a TV anchorman and musician, all while sitting in my living room. That is cool, and a huge thumbs up for social networking sites in my opinion.

In regards to my own music, I have had over 30,000 views of myspace music site. I have grown and developed my craft of songwriting and improvisational songwriting this year. I have made connections outside just my own town, and local music scene. I have recently connected with a successful producer who wants to record some of those experimental “song a day” songs with me, although I did not meet him online, but rather while sitting at a local park with my guitar working on a new song. I work for a local recording studio now, in an old library building, and the owner works for the Rolling Stones, this was a chance meeting in real life as well. I was in Keith Richards house yesterday, getting a drum kit out of his basement for my job. I would have loved to have had that as a status update on facebook, that would have been so freaking cool. I know, I know... my ego can be hungry and a real show off.. But I feel calm about this today, I have a “peaceful, easy, feeling” about it all, since I know a status update won't change the fact I am doing what I am doing as I am doing it plus my experiences this year have taught me more than I can ever fully describe without writing another separate thesis on perception and attitude.

REMIX INSANITY

2009-02-11T13:32:00.016-05:00

So I have been working with a bunch of bedroom musicians all around the planet, late at night, (hence the big bags, large under eye concealer budget and occasional lack of sanity) on this very cool musical collaborative site Indaba music. This site is so exciting and interactive, that I spend many of my nights staying up way too late chatting with musicians around the world, about tracks, our remixes, collaborations, etc...!

Big reason why I recently went away to the beach with no online access...

I needed to get away from INDABA and get some SLEEP! :)

I believe this is probably the coolest and most innovative way to make music online with other musicians today! Many of you know I am researching online music communities with a focus on online music and online collaborative projects, so as you can imagine finding this site was a dream come true.

Dan Zaccagnino and Matthew Siegel

Indaba was founded by Dan Zaccagnino, and Matthew Siegel last Feb. 2008, the site is free and already has over a 100, 000 members and counting. Aren't they just too cute? :) Plus I know a lot of us Girl Scouts are happy to be able to gather with more than just our troop to make some music!

What is Indaba Music?

Indaba Music is a place to network with other musicians and work in online recording sessions, mixing tracks recorded anywhere in the world.

As an Indaba member, you can:

Create a personal profile, blog, share music and photos
Find musicians, get hired, or create virtual bands
Mix and edit audio in-browser with online music software
Compete in online remix and collaboration contests

The fact that you can use Indaba recording online software makes this site stand out, since this allows anyone to create and collaborate as long as they have a computer and online access. There is no need to have a recording studio, expensive recording software, or even (I mean this in the best way) any real musical ability.

I mean Life is a Game... and this Site is all about PLAYING!

There was just recently a contest on the site to remix the Colbert Report from Comedy Central. Some of the remixes are just so fun and so insane...

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Dan Zaccagnino

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Funny Political News

Christian Bale Parody
Joke of the Day

I would suggest you come join us at Indaba Music, if you are willing to have some late night fun remixing and collaborating, or just chatting with some of us music lovers! There are some of us who use the site during the day too.
;)

This sums up how I feel about this site ... whoo hoo!

A TUBE of YOU

2008-12-21T19:06:00.025-05:00

So I have been thinking a lot about collaboration and what it means, why it's important...

and why do we do it.

talking this over with a friend on the phone today,
he mentioned looking at the history of collaboration...
such as:

The Declaration of Independence:

The Bible:

and other great collaborative group works.

I thought wow, great idea...

and then later thought... Nah!!

Great idea, but No Thanks!

I think I better look at the now... leave the past behind baby!

So I am going to do a random blog on youtube searches tonight
for songs on youtube that start with 3 words.

I will have my son choose the words too...

word one:
Mama

Word two:
Kitty

word 3:
Can

I will post the first 3 songs/videos that appear.

alright... you ready???

OK... off to the youtube tab.

Here is something sweet to listen to while I go prowling the tubes:

WORD 1: MAMA

WORD 2: KITTY

WORD 3: CAN

okay that was fun.

If you cannot see the point of this blog then you will never understand what collaboration is...

we are living it, breathing it, it is what we do everyday, all the time...

youtube is just a visual of this process.

Digital London Bridges

2008-12-04T20:57:00.029-05:00

My first online Collaboration was in 2002 on acidplanet.com, I downloaded a friend's electronic track who lived in London and added some of my vocals to his track. I fell instantly in love with the process of both building a creatively intimate connection with someone I had never met, and more importantly the collaborative bridges that were now possible for musicians to build together despite their location.

During this time I was a mom of a one year old little boy, working at the recording studio, plus I was a part time student, going for my Bachelor's in Film production, Graphic arts design and Music. So I was busy. Luckily my boss and professor's let me bring my son along for the ride!

Anyways the point of all this life-history is that I had no real time to make music with others, no time for a band, or even jamming with others. I had little personal time to myself. But with online music collaboration I was able to record at 3am, or during the rare times my son napped. I was able to connect and create with musicians around the world, and record on my own time frame... and what would have mattered just 5 years earlier, living in a remote area with little music scene, didn't seem to matter anymore at all.

So what I find so beautiful about online collaboration is the potential...

Yes Potential in it's endless forms...

I see the vast potential for greater collaborative projects than just me (Loopsydaisy), DJ Fuk in London, his tracks, my voice and a computer at 3am.

What about getting children around the world to all write a song together?

What about making a song and video collaboratively with one person from each country in the world?

What kind of musical contrasts, collisions, and compositions would we hear?

What could this do to our sense of community? humanity?

As I ask these questions, I know that these things are already happening right now, my thoughts are not new... So today I went out into the digital playground, and found some of the leading edge examples of online/technology based music and art collaborative (humanitarian) projects.

I first came across this video:

I went ahead and checked out the website Playing For Change. "A multimedia movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music" If I could join this group of musicians, engineers, producers and filmmakers, I think I would be on my way to enlightenment!! On their blog they discuss their future projects, and the movie they are in the process of making.

"PLAYING FOR CHANGE is a musical exploration that glides across four continents, revealing a relentless insight of humanity that strives for global unification. It is a story of hope, struggle, perseverance, joy, and celebration. It is a story of human ambition to overcome prejudices, separation, natural hardships, and evil existing in our world today. It’s passion, it’s path, and at times, it’s weapon, is music."

Although this is not exactly online collaboration, it definitely fit the description of building bridges and connections with the use of technology!

Thomas Dolby interview on his new project involving the use of renewable energy to record his newest collaborative project on e-sessions. I had recently thought of how cool it would be to record a children's music CD using only solar power... call it "Super Sunshine-Girl" or "Super Green Playground" ;)
anyways... back to Dolby!

"Among the musicians involved with online collaboration is synth-pop and music-technology icon Thomas Dolby. This fall Dolby is touring the U.S. and U.K., after which he'll embark on a new album project, recorded totally off the grid — that is, using only renewable energy sources. On it, he plans to use eSession to record remotely with a host of musicians in various locales. Dolby spoke to EM in late August from England, where he'd just finished recording on an eSession project.

for the rest of the article click here!

Peter Gabriel, has been involved with collaborative projects involving both music and film making. Gabriel has made numerous collaborative albums with musicians around the world, and has worked as a humanitarian for years as well. There is nothing like mixing the creative world with the humanitarian world, there is such immense power in these two together!

Gabriel's Witness Project is a powerful example of placing the use of technology in everyday people's hands. The witness project provides free video cameras to people around the world to record their experiences, and then share them to inform and educate. The Mission statement makes this perfectly clear... "video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations."

I looked into Thomas Dolby's use of esessions, and Peter Gabriel suggests the use of Indaba music, and added a few more I have used to get you started if you are interested in collaborating tonight at 3am!!

Indaba Music
eJamming AUDiio
Acidplanet
esessions

This trend is definitely going in a fast creative direction, with new collaborative sites and groups popping up daily!! It will definitely be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of years, months and even days with these new projects. I know there are probably a million projects already out there, but I cannot go into all of them today... I really have to eat soon.
:)

random cute food site, just so drool friendly I had to share it, click on sleepy kitty to see more!!

I feel as long as we don't lose site of the bigger picture, and use these technological advances and creative options as a way to inspire, improve or contribute to the building of bridges and the making of new creative connections globally, we are headed in the most magnificent direction!!
;)

Ethical Net Songcatcher

2008-11-21T16:24:00.023-05:00

"I have to watch what I forgot to say...

there is only a little time to go for the catch...

with my net on the net, with music as the flying beauty...

her wings so easily broken and torn."

I am trying to understand, and more importantly make sure my research and my online songcatching is ethical. It's been somewhat hard to find a definitive outline, and the emphasis has been on ethical guidelines rather than recipes to this new ethnography.

I read the Association of Internet Researchers, Ethical decision-making and Internet research document. I read through this and felt somewhat lost, it is definitely something that needs to be read several times...

if you are bored already feel free to watch
Tom serenade his hot little kitty Cat!

So before I went to watch Tom & Jerry myself and can the whole blog idea for the night, I happened upon Georgia's Institute of Technology Ethics guideline for online research http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~asb/ethics/, and felt this seemed to at least make some logical sense, for a newbie like me to the field.

You may freely quote and analyze online information without consent if:
- It is officially, publicly archived.
- No password is required for archive access.
- No site policy prohibits it.
- The topic is not highly sensitive.
For everything else not covered by 1, you typically need consent.

Well that seems a little too easy... so from what I gather that means I can take almost anything from Myspace and research it without consent. weird. I am going to call my professor tomorrow about that. Please email me if you know anything about this... please!!

so on to the fun stuff...
bands and songs with ethics

Sharmaji
BROOKLYN, New York
Himachal Pradesh meets midwest USA::
song: Skank Ethics

"Short, sweet, and hopefully accurate: My name's Dave. When i produce, I call myself "Sharmaji" as it's both part of my last name and a good 'ol punk-rawk middle finger to the concept of caste; if a white-looking guy from NJ can call himself 'sharmaji,' everything's equal." - Sharmaji's Myspace bio

I dig the tunes, plus he is pretty cute. Is that ethical to say?

"we are from Serbia, we rock! we need visas ;)"

Deathrise
Belgrade,
Serbia
Song: Ethics of extermination

"The whole deal is basically mosh-metal with a shitload of melody and an immense influence of hardcore. In similarity to other bands, Deadrise have their principles and stick to them! Lyrics are mainly punk oriented with a heavy dosage of hatred to any sort of social and political injustice. Pollution, monopolism, any type of chauvinism, any religious fanaticism, along with any form of manipulating the human consciousness and prejudices are what the band opposes and fights against. Basically, without unnecessary ambition, the band exists for the sheer pleasure of its members." -excerpt of bands bio

These guys really won me over with there quote:
"we are from Serbia, we rock! we need visas ;)"

A Fetish for Ethics
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York

the Influences of this band are better than a bio:
outer space, ex-girlfriends, hospitals, sticky dance floors, our friends and joy division.

They are fun, their music is a dorm party at Umass.

The Ethics
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

"One would be hard-pressed to find music more melodic and lyrics more wistful than that of the Ethics. The Ottawa quartet's debut album, Even the Stars, was released late last year. It features six sophisticated , dreamy songs bursting with lush harmonies."- myspace bio

So if any of you haven't noticed already...
ethics and cute boy bands seem to go hand in hand.
I think I am starting to really like Ethics.

but before I check out...

I found this.

ELECTRIC ETHICS
their song digital madness is unethical...
very unethical.
I like it~

Father of electronix- Computer Robot!

2008-11-06T19:18:00.026-05:00

Bruce Haack

"Bruce Haack is one of the pioneers of electronic music during the 50’s and 60’s, who worked in numerous music genres from musique concrete to space-age-pop and whose works preceded the later synth pop and space rock music." - by Koldo Barroso

The Dermatron

Despite not having any formal knowledge in electronics, Haack built his own musical instruments, like "The Magic Wand," "The Dermatron" (a synthesizer that was played by leading an electrical current through physical contact with another person) and the "People-odion."

This was some really really trippy music for kids!! WOW!

I found a new remix version of Haack's kids music called "Dimension Mix" done in 2005 as a compilation with Beck, Eels, Stereolab, Fantastic Plastic Machine, etc... Really fun stuff!
It is available on Amazon! My favorite song is "Jelly Dancers" done by Eels, but "School for Robots" along with the rest of the tunes are plain electro-weirdo fun!!!

There was also a movie made which I plan on seeing...

Bruce Haack: The King of Techno (2004)

Ukulele Tunes

2008-11-03T20:08:00.015-05:00

I have decided to stay away from anything to do with Politics on the night before election day and focus on things that make me happy tonight, and one of those things is the sweet sound of a Ukulele!

So here we go.... on a Ukulele Myspace.com adventure!

The first little strum came from Ukulele Loki

"Indiepan alley chamber-pop circus music"

Loki's music consists of a full orchestral band from Colorado, and makes for definite fun quirky circus music! It makes me feel as if I were dancing on a small little stage during the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island with the bearded lady! My favorite song is "Deformed Balloon Animals"!! Go ahead, go dance with the bearded lady, or a mermaid on the boardwalk!

Oh then we have The Ukulele Gangstas

This duo from London will make you laugh with their silly song "I can't handle your love handle" and their British accents with Ukuleles is just enough to bring a mischievous smile to any one's face. Their song Skoda Pimpin' reminds me of the Stray Cats lost on a deserted island with only Ukuleles and a band of angry new wave monkeys!

Looks like The United Kingdom is taking over Ukulele Music!!

The Bohemia Ukulele Band a 6 player ukulele band, has a very homegrown feel, as if you just stepped back into a time when people still gathered and play together out on their porch swings! :) Love their Pollyanna version of "Keep on the Sunny side" and their Uke angst cover of "These boots r made 4 walking"! Come one over and take a seat on the sunny side of the porch swing!!

Ukulele Club de Paris
I think I am in love...
Two of my favorite sounds together, French accents and Ukulele strummin'!
just go and listen... I can't type cause I am melting. :)
oh, but I cannot resist a little french bio:

"L'Ukulélé ressemble de prime abord à une simple guitare miniature. Un jouet. Pour autant, prononcer son seul nom suffit à évoquer ces atolls madréporiques où guerriers cannibales et lascives vahinés rythment jour et nuit de sa musique, mêlée à celle des tambours, leurs danses et leurs incantations païennes."

"A Ukulele is a simple miniature guitar first of all. A toy. To pronounce its name is enough to evoke madreporic atolls where warlike cannibals and lascivious drummer's pound day and night of its music, their dances and their incantations pagan and wild." (my french from high school interpretation).

Of course I would not feel right with the Great Ukulele without some music from Hawaii!

dagan b. ukulele

This Hawaiian makes the Ukulele sound like a classical guitar!
Just Beautiful.
His humble music profile is endearing, as is his ukulele playing.
His cowboy ukulele songs are Just Lovely.

Kamakawiwo Ole Israel - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

(this is a photoshop creation I made of my perfect lil' life)

I used to live on the big island of Hawaii,

I was won over back then by

hula hoops

hula dancers

& Ukuleles

I hope to return to my islands as a hula hoopin' ukulele playing old lady livin in a treehouse!

Hula Hoop Me!

2008-10-15T15:19:00.014-04:00

Check out this site too: www.hooping.org,
They featured my blog on their site!!
thanks Hoopers.org!

Yeah, so as many of you may know I have been an obsessed Hula Hooper! I cannot imagine my life without those circular plastic rings swirling around my hips. Part of my online music communities research, is looking at the way in which people are able to find music online. With new search engines within sites, such as myspace, you can put in a keyword for example: Hula hoop and come up with a bunch of bands, songs, and even blog entries about Hula Hoops. I am going to attempt to find music about, for, and inspired by Hula Hoops!

MY first find is a band called Wet Dream from Western Springs, Illinois. These guys are pretty funny covering an Avril Lavigne song called "girlfriend", and I was impressed (sort of) by their song "Hula Hoop", but I loved their song "In the Shower". Check'em out if you want to enter into a teenage time warp. Their Bio is awesome:

"Our most distinctive attribute would be our lyrics. They are not your typical songs about love & hardship. Our songs our all based around childish toys and foods. We consider ourselves pretty immature, but this is what we feel sets us apart from the rest of the Chicago land area bands. We except who we are and we try to make the most of it. So with all of this we hope you enjoy our music and will spread the word around, that there is a band unlike any other. That band is Wet Dream."

OK back to Hula Hoops.

OH MY HULA HOOP!
OK, this woman Janne Lind from Norway wrote the history of the hula hoop in a song...I am a little shocked by this... I am not sure what to say. But it was fun to hear!

"In 1958 in California... a simple plastic thing forming a loop... called a hula hoop!"

TABARI/ TAB((1))

This is great, fantastic, makes me feel like hula hooping ghetto style, with my booty! :
Check out the Hula Hoop song he did with Abray Dewan,

"Girl do the hula hoop, break it down, down to the ground, round and round..."
Oh yeah baby!

Then there is the Caribbean boys, Better Band, who jam about Hula Hooping and man is it fun just to hear it! Makes me wanna Hula with a orchid in my hair and bare feet on the beach at sundown!

This is my favorite... Hula-Hoop Harlot Melissa-Anne.
The only catch is she only posted some great old Hula Hoop Songs she didn't write or perform them, but I have to get to work. These songs are by far the best Hula songs I have found on my online search experimental journey on myspace. I must find the real artists of these tunes, and I intend to, after I get back from Hula Hooping at the Library!

OH and we cannot forget about these two guys who started the MADNESS!

So my scientificahula findings are that there are indeed many songs about
Hula Hooping!

Pin Up Girls ROCK!

2008-10-15T13:53:00.014-04:00

I have always been drawn to these sexy images of women, I love the way this style of art portrays a woman as curvy, voluptuous and always a bit mischievous! I was thinking about getting a new bike today, well I was actually just trying to procrastinate doing any research for school. But I went ahead and searched online for a bike, when I came across this image... I thought, eureka! I should do a blog on music written by pin up girls or for pin up girls...
so here I goes, wheee!!!

The first band I came across is called the Pin Up, an all female band from Turkey. These not very pin up looking girls sure know how to rock out and despite having no idea what they were singing about, I totally dig them! I liked reading their bio too:

"Hirsli, hizli ve sert dört genç hanim olan Ayse Ertugrul, Aysegül Esen, Ezgi Özkan ve Özlem Gündogmus'tan kurulu Pin-up, Türk Rock sahnesinin en aranilan gruplarindan. Önceleri amatör bir üniversite grubu olma niteligindeki Pin-up, takip eden aylarda Taksim, Kadiköy gibi semtlerdeki publarda sahne almaya basladikça adini genis kitlelere duyurdu."

Then there is Sara Da Pin Up from Barcelona Spain, I remember having some fun nights in Barcelona's discotheques, and this music would fit right into a posh little pin up zone! "I like the girls" is a really fantastic bubble gum sex kitten tune!
The band also has a groovy website, go check it out! http://www.saradapinup.com/

Oh now this is my kind of music, The band Banana Juice makes this old timey surfer music with a Wurlitzer vibe that sound like the Adams family in Hawaii! Their song Intersideral Pin Up, is what brought me to this French based band. My Parents used to live in France, near where this band makes their banana shakin' tunes, in the 1970's!
French lesson #1:
Intersideral pin up = Interstellar pin up.

So to end this Blog

I can never resist a hammock and a good book...
and of course some new tunes on my ipod!

"Everybody got their something"

2008-09-18T00:58:00.005-04:00

I recently discovered Betty Davis, FUNK DIVA! She is incredibly sexy and fun! Her anti-love song is a great theme song for a lustful day! This 70's sex kitten Diva and wife of Miles Davis was too wild for Miles!! He divorced her in 1969, explaining later in his autobiography that she was "too young and wild" for him. (He also suspected her of an affair with Jimi Hendrix). CHECK HER OUT!

Nikka Costa, a modern sexy funky Music Maker, after reading her bio, I was hooked... her advice was in order to make an album, do it fast, do it for yourself and do it for all the right reasons. She left her record deal, and wrote this newest album in 15 days!
EVERYBODY GOT THEIR SOMETHING!

Imani Coppola, her song "I LOVE YOUR HAIR" and "WOKE UP HWITE" are my favorite to run to when I need a release high, or blast in my bedroom at 3am...
"A brash, biracial beauty with the voice of an angry angel and a truck-stop vocabulary, she’s more concerned with creating music that feels like having a line of coke blown up your ass."

I am not planning on writing FUNK (not yet), but I sure do loved to be FUNKED by these ladies!

Songs To Love To

2008-09-14T19:00:00.005-04:00

I was trying to think of the point of this blog and I came to a conclusion that music is a magical drug and if used with passion and openness you can get high! I am feeling a rush of passion coming into my own life, and I am looking to keep that feeling alive...

I found this sweet Australian dreamy songstress, Lenka:

Lenka has a very gentle voice, that makes me want to kiss like a teenager... I truly love to listen to her sexy bubblegum songs... check her out if your in the mood to feel your heart leap a little in a girly way...

Then there is Brett Dennen, he has a a very cool voice, very tempting and fun! He has some great tunes, I dig "Make you Crazy" and "She is mine", his music makes me feel like I am laying in a field of daisies on a breezy summer day waiting anxiously for my lover...!

I am sure there are plenty more to find...
I would rather go listen to my heart flutter tonight...

Cowgirls and Campfire songs

2008-08-28T18:56:00.013-04:00

I was out in the wild west last weekend, and found myself with guitar in hand next to a blazing campfire (no marshmallows) but good company and some very country styled and tasty tunes! My sister Emily and I jammed out all weekend and she taught me a bunch of her favorite country cover tunes. We did one called "Prairie Lullaby" by Don Edwards... and so this blog is a search for some good ole country tunes to learn around a campfire~

Don Edwards

I found he has a site on myspace with a song called "Coyote" which was recorded live along with "Cattle Call", I am definitely going to learn Coyote for next summer when Emily and I go stay at Patty's Cabin again.

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

"The freewheeling, well-traveled singer is one of the final archetypal representatives of America's underground folk tradition, a self-made wayfarer whose fifty-plus years of experience resonates through every tune captured here..." He is a definite Cowboy all the way, and his voice and songs are perfect for a smoky campfire!

The Get Up Johns

These two brothers are modern day cowboys from Saint Paul Minnesota, who call themselves an "Early Country Brother Duo." My favorite song so far by them is "Cluck Ol' Hen" it's fiddlin' start and yeehaw twang is perfect for a little sittin on a log!

Sarah Wood

Not only is this Flatwoods Kentucky native a fantastic Banjo player, she rocks out on the fiddle too, her voice is youthful and sweet, and she has gracefully offered free downloads of all her songs on her myspace page, here!! I can see my sister and I singing some of her tunes with our guitars napping quietly in the sage brush, and our voices yodeling off the mountain tops~

Well I am off to do a little Yo da lay he hoo before the campfire burns out~~

g'night my sweet lil' coyotes~

Songbirds- lovely ladies...

2008-08-09T21:56:00.008-04:00

I went on a walk today down to river and saw the most beautiful yellow bird fly right in front of me, I thought about the little yellow bird on my walk... and she followed me home in my mind. There are little birds, beautful songbirds singing everyday for all of us... The ones I am going to share with you are those little rare songstress songbirds I found on my walk through the online music forest....

Isobel Heyworth

This Kingdom Beauty has an incredible voice... A definite songbird!
Her song "best dress on" is heartbreaking yet perfect for a rainy day... and her remix of it is a fun one to cruise the city streets with.

EMILY WELLS

I found Emily Wells' music filled with her violin playing and orchestral arrangements, not to mention her amazing voice, and was won over immediately! Her music is fun, and perfect for a day of hula hooping or love making... tweet tweet!

Meaghan Smith

Canadian Songbird, sings with lovely lilting passion, reminiscent of old style 1930's vocals..
sweet!

Garden Party Songs- songs to thrive on...

2008-08-05T19:05:00.012-04:00

Artist Elsa Mora aka Elsita.
I love her artwork, it makes my heart ache and yearn... lovely.
her website is: http://elsita.typepad.com

on to the Music:

Liliana Herrero

Just the sound of Liliana Herrero's voice makes me feel I am smelling the sweet summer air and laying under a firefly lit night sipping ice tea and laughing with loving friends...

Lau Nau

Lau Nau straight from Kemiö island, Finland, is perfect for a trippy romantic tea party for two... The sitar psychedelic vibe along a sweet playing flute and luscious female vocals will definitely lead you to wish on a star under a full moons light... and possibly some play in the grass.

Rising Appalachia

If you are having an Eco-friendly organic fresh squeezed lemonade garden party, surround yourself with the ladies of R.I.S.E. (Rising Appalachia)... a perfect mix of Appalachian guitar picking, fiddle dancing poet roots music.

Carolina Chocolate Drops

You can't go wrong with a lil' Old Timey Music, and The Carolina Chocolate Drops is a trio that will play perfectly as you grab your partner and scoot a little closer on the garden bench to each other... making flirty eyes over crumpets and moonshine tea!

I'm off to be Swinging into the next day with love in my heart!!
enjoy your garden parties my lovelies!

Empire of dirt vs. fantasy island- Pirate girl style

2008-07-30T20:07:00.013-04:00

"I don't care about the weather, or my stupid past."

alright, i have had it with the human race. i am about to take off on a tiny boat to a small island... but instead of indulging in this infantile fantasy i decided to look for music that helps me thru this weird-isolating time of my life. Since I lost my band, my best friend , my band-friends, my general sense of self, my car, my ipod, and my cell phone and all in the span of 2 months I am feeling a little... well, like a Pirate Girl... ready to set sail!

here goes:
Pirate girl sailin' on a sea of MUSIC ...

SAD KERMIT

"It's excruciatingly painful being green..."

Kermit has his own myspace page where he covers nine inch songs, radiohead, elliot smith, etc... this is a perfect rescue for pathetic self loathing folks and provides a way to laugh at one's empire of dirt!!

"Soon after the death of Jim Henson, Sad Kermit spiraled downward into a life full of addiction, romance and pain. The songs and videos on this webpage shed light on Sad Kermit’s descent into his dark, hurting world." myspace page

how about a little.... DEPRESSION PARTY?
Depression party is a great rock band with depeche mode like vocals, and silly mocking lyrics... just perfect for the small town depression we all feel at times... since their song "new Beginning" is about wanting to make a new start, but "someone" lives in the same town and keeps appearing... oh the irony!

"Everyone knows that it's a cold world, we're certainly not the first one's to point that out. But with a little bit of laughter it ain't so bad. There's always a little bit of room for partying. That's our stance! We're the Depression Party. Un-poetic and blunt, that's the way we like it, but we'll charm your panties off." Reforming in the Spring of 2006 with friend, Shane Kelley, filling in on drums the Depression Party release their "If It's Alive" single. “It seems Depression Party was just an ideal in our heads that we held onto and named. Not until now has it truly materialized.” One tends to find warmth and optimism through the Depression Party’s themes and tones. Piercing melodies of over-indulgence, guilt, geo-politics and nihilism." myspace.com site.

Lost Myself Theory,
is right up there with taking off to a deserted island... great escape music, aarghh!

I totally dig this girl-boy band with their alt. weird electronic and depressingly silly music... perfect for a night of- i "lost myself" feelings along with some psychological theorizing.

To end this post on an even more sarcastic and silly note:

Pirates R Us

Yup, this is freaking funny, and a perfect cherry to top off a bad icecream sundae of a day!
enjoy!

"They have an accordion player though, so don't say I didn't warn you. ...Let's just hope Pirates R Us meant this as a joke." - Arizona Daily Wildcat
"Entertaining along the same lines as the mullet, Pirates R Us is a fun time for you and your friends." - What's Up! Magazine
We are Pirates R Us, and your booty is ours!!

Pirate girl is over and out, laughing, here's to calmer waters ahead mateys!

Folky Farm Punk Girls & Boys!

2008-07-22T23:43:00.010-04:00

Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers

Please go visit these happy dancing folks... Samantha's voice gives me shivers!!!

I am falling into an abyss of folky punky farm Girls and Boys!... What the hell am I talking about? well, I am starting to look into the strange world of making music for the sake of getting thru each day. Possibly music of the folks... the folks of today.

There seems to be this overwhelming need in our world to make things marketable these days within every aspect of art... well "f&*%^ that". Music has been taken out of the realm of community and made into an exclusive art form where kissing ass and selling out are the tickets to success...

Example....

See directly below!

YUCK

Luckily there has been a shift of power in the music world, with the new digital age, which has created a new way to record music easily and affordably at home, now with solar power you can even record in a pig stye.

I am a little loopy off of the perfume fumes from above... so here, go check out these funky farm girls and boys and their tunes!!!

Lail Arad

Alisha Westerman

Andrew Phillip Tipton

Auntie Folk- Kimya

2008-07-21T21:28:00.009-04:00

The whole idea that a group of quirky musicians are labeled Anti-Folk was at first puzzling to me. Then I did a little more research and found that anti-folk is really just a part of folk music but it is punk-folk, or alt. folk, or songs that are written to be written... not for fame, money, or any other reason than to create something homemade, unique and truly creative. The songs that come out of this genre are generally not fine tuned, are recorded at home, and have a low budget feel... I LOVE THAT! I think I may have found my own true musical genre for both my lil' girl and big girl music...

I had heard The Moldy Peaches song on a compilation from my friend Darian years ago, only to find that Kimya Dawson and Adam Green of the Moldy Peaches have just become instantly famous from that music recorded 10 years ago which was recently placed in the movie JUNO's soundtrack.

I find Kimya Dawson's music is fun, disturbing and fantastic!

My favorite song of Kimya's is "I like Giants" off of her newest CD "Remember I love you".

I was lucky enough to be sent 2 free tickets to go see Kimya and Ani Difranco another Anti-folk music, from my same friend Darian who creates the most amazing music compilations, and always surprises me with random gifts throughout the years since high school. The lamest part of the night was that me and my date got there late... (hey that rhymes) So we missed Kimya!! I could have cried, but the Indian food in Noho was slow and oh so delicious...

GOOD NEWS! I am going to NYC for the Antifolk festival this August, and will be catching Kimya, along with many other antifolkers!

I will share more on my path to visit auntie folk, and her friends soon!

Lead Belly Jams

2008-07-13T17:43:00.005-04:00

I have been researching traditional folk music for children, and came across this great cd for children. Both my son and I totally dig this CD! It is fun to sing along with songs like "Pick a bale of cotton" and the many other sing-a-long songs Lead Belly does with a down home feel!

"This unique collection features delightful songs for young children as well as the work songs, blues, and spirituals Lead Belly used to teach children about the experiences and emotions of adult life. Originally reocrded in children's concerts and studios for asch and Folkways records in the 1940s, the 28 songs and spoken introductions reveal the humor, humanity, and musical genius of one of the great artists of the twentieth century. The sound quality is somewhat archival in nature, but Lead Belly's voice comes through loud and clear. On some tracks, you can hear a teacher introduce the song. There's nothing better than hearing your four year old son singing "Red Bird" along with Lead Belly. These tracks are the material source for decades of children's music, from Pete Seeger to Raffi and Dan Zanes." Pea Pods Review

The Mama of Folk Music!

2008-07-06T22:35:00.011-04:00

I am writing a paper for school on Ruth Crawford Seeger, shown above with the school children who inspired her to write her 2 songbooks of traditional American folk songs for children. I have been exquisitely drawn into Ruth's world through reading her books and interviews from her children and husband. I am so inspired by her love for children, for her ground breaking work in teaching children these songs, allowing the children to make the songs their own through improvising words, movements and play!

Ruth's Songbooks:

American Folk Songs for Children (1948)

Animal Folk Songs for Children (1950)

Her children Pete, Peggy, Mike and Barbara Seeger .....recorded the songs from both of Ruth's children's folk songbooks, making these songs even more accessible to those who cannot read music.

Mike & Peggy Seeger: American Folk Songs for Children, Released 01/01/1977

"This acclaimed collection, a favorite for years, has been repackaged on two compact discs (or two cassettes), for a total of more than two hours of music. Mike and Peggy Seeger sing 94 songs from their mother Ruth Crawford Seeger's famous book, American Folk Songs for Children (Doubleday). The Seegers are featured on a wide variety of instruments including dulcimer, mandolin, guitar, banjo, pan pipes, Jew's harp, concertina and fiddle; they also sing some numbers without any accompaniment at all. This album has been the cornerstone of Rounder's Children's Series since its release.

Mike, Peggy, Barbara & Penny Seeger:Animal Folk Songs for Children -- and Other People!, Released 01/01/1992

Composer and educator Ruth Crawford Seeger raised her children on many of these songs, most of which she gathered and arranged for her book of the same name (Linnet Books, Shoe String Press). These recordings contain all 43 songs from the book plus another 15, sung and played by her four children and six of her grandchildren in tradition-based styles on banjo, guitar, piano, fiddle, tin whistle, ukulele, mandolin, Jew's harp, lap dulcimer, quills, and other acoustic instruments. (2 CD or 2 Cassette set.) 1993 Notable Children's Recording: American Library Association

Pete Seeger - Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes, little and big Folk songs. Year of Release - 1998 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Pete Seeger released 28 songs and stories about animals on two short LP records in 1955 to an enthusiastic audience. Ever since, they have been sung by generations of parents, grandparents, and children. The two original releases have been combined on this single CD creating an irresistible collection of songs to sing along with, to draw pictures about, to play hand games to, and to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Fairy Garden Dreams

2008-06-22T19:28:00.009-04:00

I have been gardening a lot lately and have been inspired to look for gardening and nature songs for children. I recently went on an edible wild plants walk in Leverett Mass, with friend Pamela hosted by John Root! It was so much fun getting acquainted with the various little leafy greens and tendrils that are all around us! I ate almost all the leaves I found, my favorite being the large clovers and something called an elephant ear. Since this experience I have been drawn to nature spirits and these fun muses for my own personal songwriting, as well as for my soon to be radio show! These are a few of my favorite musical ladies of "The Fairy Garden Dreams".

I was recently introduced to the sweet sounds of Vashti Bunyan by my friend Pamela Wyn Shannon, a wonderful musician as well. I found Vashti Bunyan's mellow folk music to be perfect for little ears, since her lyrics are filled with magic, nature and colorful images... I love her song Glow Worms, and adore the Swallow song off of her re-released album from the 60's called "Another Diamond Day".

Pamela Wyn Shannon is a wonderful delight of both acoustic folk and magical Celtic. Her song Pipkin won my heart the first time I heard it. Pamela is a talented songwriter, guitarist and singer, a rare jewel of fine talent. Her songs are loved by both big people and little ones! My six year old son loves her CD, it helps him "to feel magical"!

"Shannon's inventive and intricate guitar work has been described as "a tiny chamber orchestra working in unison at the end of her hands," and her vocal style has a delicate lilting sensitivity. Her unique compositions have an elliptical quality which creates its own time frame, rules, and kingdoms, and are reminiscent of the magic found in UK '60s artifacts."

Joanna Newsom's Appalachian-meets-avant-garde take on folk music is very unique, she is a classically trained harpist, and plays all her songs with just harp and a quirky fun voice! My favorite song of hers is called "Sprout and the Bean" on the album "The Milk Eyed Mender". This album is fun for a summer day in the garden with fairies and wee-ones!

KID RADIO SHOWS

2008-06-12T03:21:00.011-04:00

I have recently been asked to take over my friend Michael Pollitt's children's music radio show at WMUA (Umass Amherst). I start my training tomorrow!! yippee! I have decided to start a mini research into children's music radio shows to see what I can learn from them. I will post my top 4 favorite in no particular order since their are over 95 radio shows listed on KIDS MUSIC PLANET! The cool thing about radio these days is that the majority of radio shows are streamed online!

1. Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child: Indie music for indie kids on 93.9 The River and Valley Free Radio VFR-Saturdays 7-9 AM. I have actually been on Bill Childs show with my former band The Pop Rockets, he and his daughter Ella who host the show are really quite fun and quirky! They play a Great variety of indie rock for kids, and their blog is a great kid friendly resource for people in the Western Mass area!

2. RADIO CHILDREN- You have to check this radio show out, it is basically run by children, including video, music, interviews... I am totally digging this concept. according to the description on their site it is ---- "A mad, funny, contemporary, cultural and informative 40-50 minute programme beamed out of London to children all over the world. Children are the main presenters, interviewers and the stars of the shows.

3. RADIOJOJO Das Kinderradio: the first German non-commercial, non-profit radio station for children. It is a radio station for ages 3-13 where children make their own shows. They produce a variety of shows with educational and cultural content. HOW COOL!!

4. GLOBAL RADIO KIDS: This is AMAZING!! This is a radio show hosted by 5 children from 5 different countries and it is expanding as we speak!! I love technology and the digital age!

5. Michael Pollitts' Teddy Bear Picnic radio show: on WMUA Amherst Mass 91.1 FM every Thursday 4:30-5:30 p.m. Michael does a wonderful show for kids of all ages! He even reads from a book each week, plays great children's music both new and traditional. My son Devin and I recently sat in on the show and had a fun time picking out Puff the Magic Dragon on Vinyl from the wall of records... very cool! I am so grateful to continue this show for Michael once he leaves this Fall, Thanks Michael!

To Sing is to Heal - Music that Gives

2008-05-31T13:44:00.004-04:00

Music from the Heart!

So onto some positive change in the world of Music. I have been trying to gather some beautiful music for children and music performed by children. I found these 3 Cd's while searching through CD baby's top selling Kids/Family albums. I truly love all 3 collections because of the amazing music as well as the intent behind the music. Music for a good cause always win's me over! Take a look and a listen!

WE ARE TOGETHER CD

I came across this beautiful music site http://wearetogether.org/ The CD is "Traditional Zulu songs performed by children from the AGAPE orphanage in South Africa". All the profits of the CD and film go to help children in South Africa. These children are absolutely beautiful, singing straight from their hearts! You can also buy this Cd or buy mp3 downloads from http://cdbaby.com/cd/childrenofagape. I am completely enamoured by the children's voices, and after only hearing the first song 'Baba Wethu', I placed an order for the whole CD. I am so touched by the beauty in this world, and music seems to be the perfect medium to open hearts and create awareness.

There is also:
The Innocence Mission new CD
"Now the Day is Over".

http://cdbaby.com/cd/innmission3

I love this CD, it is a sweet melodic and simple lullaby CD worth having in the CD player at bedtime for any age.

"Gorgeous and dreamy, this new offering from the innocence mission collects standards and traditional songs that singer Karen Peris has sung to her children as lullabies since they were born. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to organizations working to aid impoverished children throughout Africa." CdBaby.com

"After hearing Bono speak this past May at my brother's college graduation about the plight of orphaned children in South Africa, our plans to make another benefit record were strengthened and propelled and we worked more quickly and spontaneously than usual. We recorded most of the songs over a three week period this summer, late at night, and it was really great fun. A lot of the singing was done live to Don's guitar playing. The spaciousness of the arrangements allowed for piano and pump organ and Mike's upright bass, " says Karen Peris.

AMANI -
Songs of Peace
for the Children of Kilimanjaro Cd

http://cdbaby.com/cd/amanichildren

"Irresistible rhythms and soul-searing melodies and harmonies revealing the link between the heart and soul of African traditional music and the roots and guts of American music from jazz to gospel, rock and blues; proceeds go to Amani Orphanage, Tanzania."

Songcatching Moonbeams!

2008-05-19T01:06:00.000-04:00

I am completely in love with Elizabeth Mitchell's music for children these days. I found her music on cdbaby.com as one of the top selling independent children's artists, and I can see why she has found success! Mitchell's last album, you are my little bird, is sold through the Smithsonian Folkways Recording site. Mitchell's gentle acoustic sound and simple renditions of traditional favorites are just what kids need to hear in these days of over digitized existence.

Elizabeth Mitchell: You are my little bird CD

"Once in a great while we encounter an artist who stands consciously and directly in the tradition of children’s music that Folkways has carried for nearly 60 years, and Elizabeth Mitchell is one such artist. Her lovely voice brings a fresh sound to cherished American folk songs and other melodies from around the world. In a peaceful yet powerful way, she reintroduces us to the songs we thought we knew so well." Smithsonian Folkways Recording

You are my sunshine CD

"A new kind of children's music- one where you can imagine the carter family and mississippi john hurt dancing to bo diddley and the b-52s, more of the quiet acoustic feeling of "you are my flower" with some early rock and roll, gospel and more."CDBABY.COM

You are my flower CD

"Beautiful old time acoustic folk songs for children, with soft female vocals and light instrumentation. Great for calming and warming the little ones in your family without grating on parents' nerves." CDBABY.COM

I also recently discovered Renee and Jeremy! it's a big world is a collection of songs for all ages.
The duo Renee and Jeremy gently harmonize with sweet acoustic guitar accompaniment...
This CD is well loved in my home!

"While we set out to make a record for our little ones, mostly written while renee was on bed rest with amelia, and recorded in the recording studio we set up in amelia's bedroom, we really ended up making a record for ourselves & other parents like us. We welcomed a range of mood and melody from bright to dark, silly to stark, and influence from all our heroes of song, from drake to joni to marley."
-Renee and Jeremy