From the US – My long term friend and musical collaborator Kevin. We’ve been working together now for nearly 20 years. Watch some videos. Read More
Just come back from a wonderful few days in Gothenburg, Sweden recording a new CD with Viola Grafstrom. The line up was drums and percussion, double bass, piano, electric and acoustic guitars and a small 8 piece choir all recorded live in the studio.
Under Dina Vingars Skugga
We have been working on the 9 hours of video footage that we brought back from Cambodia. Interviews, dances, music and much more. The DVD that will be included with the music CD will have video clips from some of the beautiful traditional Khmer dancing and also CCAM’s traditional orchestra. The process of putting together the video footage has been a steep learning curve and taken a lot longer than we expected but we have learned so much …. sometimes time is what it takes to get it right.
In the context of the last few days news of famine, Euro bail outs and gutter press – its good to remember the amazing planet that we are part of. Take a moment and smile at the diversity.
Here’s a reminder of a blog I wrote in 2009 when the word crisis was banded about a lot – “In this season where the media is bombarding us with the financial crisis that is crippling the world my question is what is our response? Interestingly like most Mandarin words, the word “crisis” (wēijī) consists of two syllables that are written with two separate characters, wēi and jī. These separate characters mean “danger” and “opportunity”. Maybe this paradox can point us towards a counter cultural view point. Do we choose to worry about the danger that may be lurking around the corner or do we look for opportunities to be generous?”
Wanted you to check out this wonderful new album from a good friend Cindy Ruakere in New Zealand – well worth a listen too.
You can buy the album here and listen to a track below
The Cry – Bones
Congratulations to Anita Haigh who completed her run in the Eastbourne Half Marathon on Sunday March 6th. She ran a circular route along the Eastbourne Promenade to the foot of the cliffs and up to Beachy Head and back.
Anita said “I am pleased to say that I survived! It was a bitterly cold day with an easterly wind which we all had to run into for 8 miles. Despite this I managed a respectable time of 2:05:48 and came 744 out of 1135. Not bad!
Please can I offer a huge ‘thank you!’ to all who have sponsored me & donated to VFTN, and an encouragement that there is still time for those who wish to.”
There is a story attributed to Cherokee wisdom:
One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces. “There are two wolves struggling inside each of us,” the old man said. “One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear…”The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love…” The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: “Which wolf wins, Grandfather?” His grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”
Thoughts – Read More
Here is a fascinating documentary on the power of arts to manipulate people within communist North Korea. Jason Carter a musician friend who has played in the country forwarded this to me. Read More
Thanks to Robin Green for finding this amazing video of how rhythm is an intrinsic part of daily life for the Malinke people. “The word for rhythm ( used by the Malinke tribes ) is FOLI. It is a word that encompasses so much more than drumming, dancing or sound. It’s found in every part of daily life.”
We have some exciting news …. the medical dispensary that is being built in the village of Mnase, Tanzania has now been completed. After finishing the water well renovation the village asked if we could help with the building of a dispensary. At the moment the only medical help is a visiting doctor, once a month, for pregnant women and children under 5. Men, children over 5 and all other women have to walk or cycle 10km to the nearest small dispensary. Inside the new unit will be a waiting room a doctor’s room, an inoculation room and dispensary hatch, a store room and 2 small bedrooms for men and women.
This new building will be a huge benefit to the village … we hope to go out this year to celebrate with the people.
