about the music - Sound Visions Media

 ABOUT THE MUSIC:
The songs on this compilation are
individual in their message, some using
lyrics others capturing the essence of
their mothers through pure musical
tones.
From the joyous instrumental
composition, “Ellie” to the intimate story
of ancient ancestors in dedication to the
earth with a poem “For My Chacoan
Ancestors” the CD begins and ends
with a deep understanding of the sprit
of each mother’s heart.
Intimate
ballads with tender lyrics as in “Song
For My Mother”, “With Every Kiss”, and
“You Know Me By Heart” intertwined with the
humor of a mother’s daughter “Dat Dere” amidst the orchestrated and
full arrangements of deep messages in “Children’s Playgrounds”, Bougainvillea”, I
Do Remember You, and another instrumental message in “Song For Mother (She Is
Made Of Love)”. We even included our distant friends with a journey to the shores
of Brazil and the beautiful Portuguese lyrics about the goddess of the sea.
The majority of these songs are original compositions written by the artists who
perform them and each one is dedicated to their own mother. With a roster of
artists that includes jazz icon Sheila Jordan along with Don Braden, Ellen Johnson,
Peggy Duquesnel, John Stowell, Judi Silvano, Barbara Sfraga, Mala Waldron, Brasil
Brazil (Ana Gazzola and Sonia Santos), Anne Belmont, Christopher Dean Sullivan,
Michael T.A. Thompson, Rick Helzer and the many musicians contributing on each
song. Each composer includes a heart felt message about why they wrote the
song for their mother or Mother Earth. The stories are personal and meaningful
and will resonate with each of our hearts.
All tracks are listed below with dedications, lyrics, musical personnel and general
CD information. We have provided a downloadable CD Cover and insert that you
can print out if you would like to give this as a gift to your mother or someone you
love.
Produced by Ellen Johnson
CD Cover Design and Web Design – Jeff Foster
From original art work by Barbara Sfraga (from “Subway Series”)
No-Sound Studios, March 2008
Nolan Shaheed, Engineer
©2008 Vocal Visions
www.vocalvisions.net
ABOUT THE SONGS
1) Ellie (For Mom) (6:39)
Dedicated to Elaine WaldronI
Music: Mala Waldron
Mala Waldron, piano & vocal; Miriam Sullivan, bass; Steve Salerno, guitar;
Michael T.A. Thompson, drums
© 2002 Mala Waldron/Kershani Music (BMI)
From the CD “Always There”, © 2006 Soulful Sound Music
I wrote "Ellie" for my Mom, Elaine Waldron (or "Ellie Brent" her stage name), who happens
to be an extraordinary musician and a great arranger. Originally, I wrote the tune as an
instrumental piece. After playing it for my mom, she suggested I try it with my vocal
doubling the melody. It worked like a charm and we recorded
it that way with the guitar playing the melody. Thanks Mom - I love you!
2) Song For My Mother (3:31)
Dedicated to Doris Sfraga
Music and Lyrics: Barbara Sfraga
Barbara Sfraga, voice; Mark Berman, keyboards
© 1998 Sfragasaga Music (BMI)
I was sitting in the dark
With a light off in the distance
Just a glimmer of a spark igniting someone else’s soul
When my Mother tried to speak
My soul, it would not listen
It was hesitant and weak, confused, encumbered by a veil
But the heart was very strong
And the Love was very real
But the soul was most assuredly and desperately concealed
“You are reticent and pale,
All alone in all your silence
You must brush aside the veil and take My hand to make you whole.”
Through the fire and the rain
Through a host of mortal angels
Through a Mother’s love so strong, He came, He opened up my soul
And His Love was very strong
And His Love was very real
And my my soul had felt the Love in Him that caused my heart to heal
He has come to lift the veil
Not alone, no longer silent
Through the beauty of a Mother’s Love whose light had led the way
My Mother was my first and most vital spiritual mentor. Although we’ve followed our
respective paths, She witnessed my journey with an open mind, thus encouraging me to
find my own truth. I’ve gone from practicing my Mom’s religion, to shutting down, to
searching for my personal connection, “auditioning” various religions and churches...to
finally finding Spirit in me. My path to Spirit may be different from my Mom’s, but we feel It
with the same heart. This song was written at a very pivotal point in my life when I was
spiritually numb. Conversations I had with my Mom during that crucial time – both physical
and virtual – triggered my catharsis. When the veil was lifted, I gained my sight. It was the
greatest gift I’ve ever gotten. Thank you, Mom – from my heart to yours.
3) Dat Dere (3:17)
Dedicated to Sheila Jordan’s daughter, Traci Jordan
Music: Bobby Timmons Lyrics: Oscar Brown Jr.
© Upam Music Co, (BMI)
Sheila Jordan, vocals & Christopher Dean Sullivan, bass
Recorded at Garden Productions, NY, February 26, 2008
Specifically for “From A Mother’s Heart”
© 2008 Vocal Visions
Hey mama, what dat dere? And what dat under dere?
Hey mama, oh hey Mama, hey look at over dere!
Hey what dey doing dere? And where're dey going dere?
And mama can I have that big elephant over dere?
Hey who's dat in my chair? And what's she doing dere?
And Mama, oh hey Mama can I go over dere?
Hey mama, what’s a square? And where do we get air?
And mama can I have that big elephant over dere?
My quizzical kid! She doesn’t want anything here
Just forever demanding to know who what why and where!
Inquisitive child but sometimes the questions get wild!
Like mama can I have that big elephant over dere?
Don't wanna comb my hair And where's my teddy bear?
And Mama oh, hey look at the cowboy comin’ dere!
And can I have a pair of boots like that to wear?
And mama can I have that big elephant over there?
The time will march the years will go
My little lady’s gonna grow
I gotta tell her what she needs to know
I'll help her along so she’ll know right from wrong gonna make her strong
As life's parade goes trudging by She’ll need to know some reasons why
I don't have all the answers but I'll try, best as I can gonna help her to plan
So she’ll make her stand
You give your kid your best And hope she’ll pass the test
When you finally send her out into the world somewhere
And though she's grown I’m bettin I never am forgetin’
Hey mama, can I have that big elephant over dere?
Hey why they do dat dere ?
And how you work dat dere? And mama, oh hey mama,
Hey what dat say up dere?
Hey mama, what is fair? How come I have to share?
And mama can I have that big elephant over there?
The original lyrics were written by Oscar Brown, Jr. as a father to his son and Sheila
decided to do it as a mother to her daughter and changed the Daddy to Mama. One of the
great icons of jazz jazz vocallists and the innovator of bass and voice jazz singin, Sheila
has recorded this on several CDs. Sheila is one of the great mothers to all of her jazz
singing students blessing us with her wisdom, creativity and love. Sheila would like to
dedicate this version to her remarkable daughter that she adores, Traci Jodan.
4) With Every Kiss (Song For Frances) (5:07)
Dedicated to Frances Pershina
Music and Lyrics: Ellen Johnson
Ellen Johnson, vocals and Rick Helzer, piano
Recorded at Spragueland Studios, March 2007
© 2004 Long Snows Moon Music, (BMI)
2008 Vocal Visions
With Every Kiss she inspires a song
With Every touch her heart lifts you along
On a ride deep inside her soul
You’re her child and as pure as gold
And when she laughs all the world will smile
To see her beauty light the sky
Stars twinkling in her eyes
She sends you love as she sings you to sleep
She wraps up hope in your pillow to keep
When she’s gone you are never
Never alone
For her heart is forever your home.
Originally I wrote this song to be an instrumental dedication to my mother but one day all of
these words poured out of me. As much as I fought to keep it as an instrumental piece I
knew there was some divine intervention at work and I should just get out of the way. My
mother inspired me in so many ways, she sang like a beautiful lark and played the piano
from her soul. I was fortunate to be able to hear her express the depths of her feelings
through her music and watch them heal her spirit. Through her example she taught me
how to sing the music from my heart. But the greatest music lesson she ever gave me was
to remember to always say “I love you”.
5) Bougainvillea (5:02)
Dedicated to Miriam Silverman
Music and Lyrics: Judi Silvano
Judi Silvano, vocals; Janice Friedman, piano; Jennifer Vincent, bass; Alison Miller, drums
© 1999 Silvano Music/BMI
From CD: Women’s Work (Live at Sweet Rhythm, NYC)
© 2007 JSL Records
This song also appears on: Joe Lovano's Flights of Fancy (Blue Note), Cleveland Jazz
Orchestra's The Surprise of Being (CJO Records) and Silvano's 2008 release CLEOME Live Takes (JSL 008)
Fragrant breezes call you from the sea
Climbing flowers framing doorways
Captivate me
Come we’ll go to the calm soothing light
Where senses are heightened
You feel soft as the sky
Bougainvillea sends you dreaming of a love
Melodies fulfill your soul!
I recorded a whole CD of my mother's favorite old Standard songs for her 80th
birthday (called Let Yourself Go) and we have always shared my process of working on old
or new songs. Mom loves all the arts and history and is well-read, so I respect her
knowledge of words and communication. She has always been a big supporter of my own
efforts as a songwriter & lyricist, and in fact she helped me with the lyrics to my song ,
“Make It A Classic”, which I recorded on Songs I Wrote or Wish I Did. She was also a great
gardener and I caught the bug from watching her digging in the dirt while I was young, and
to this day I love flowers and gardening too. My nickname when I was little was Judi-Daisy,
so that tells you something of the power of flowers in our family! I have named several of
my compositions the names of flowers, and this one is about a fabulously striking tropical
flowering vine that comes in a variety of eye-popping colors, from orange and yellow to red
and fuscia (my favorite). Mom is 85 now and I am grateful that she is still around to enjoy
the songs I write. So once again, this one is for her!!!
6) Song For Mother (She Is Made of Love) (6:47)
Dedicated to Alice Braden
By Don Braden
Artists & instruments on track: Don Braden, alto flute; Kyle Koehler, Hammond Organ;
Cecil Brooks III, drums
© 2005 Creative Perspective Music (SESAC)
I have written several pieces for my mother, and this is the most recent that I have
dedicated to her. My mom is super-wonderful, of course! I originally composed this song a
few years ago for a poem called "Mother" (thus the original title, "Song For Mother"),
written by a talented Connecticut middle school student. Earl Mosley's dance
company choreographed a dance piece to it as well. As I've been playing this piece on
gigs and developing it, it has evolved to that special place of being dedicated to my own
Mom.
7) You Know Me By Heart (3:21)
Dedicated to Nancy Dayhoff
Music and Lyrics: Ann Belmont
Ann Belmont, vocals and guitar
© 1997 Kimerica Music -BMI
It’s hard for me to stand here and tell you what I feel about you
Good thing you know me so well--With us, words hardly need to be said,
You know the thoughts in my head
You seem to know me by heart
I see that little girl who was me walking and holding your hand
In my first memory--And you, showing me colors and light,
Telling me stories at night
Until I knew them by heart
Time was, we didn’t see eye to eye, it was my time to break free
To take wing and fly--But you must have known I would return,
You must have known I would learn
That you know me by heart
Some days, living my life gets unreal, having to be self-assured
No matter how I may feel--And so, it comforts me so much to know
No matter where I may go
Somebody knows me by heart
And though I haven’t said what I planned
I know that you’ll understand
Because you know me by heart
I wrote this for my mother's seventy-fifth birthday. She lives 200 miles away, and I couldn't
be there for her birthday. I sent the song instead. I think she really likes it. It's all true, every
word. She has always been there for me, and for her other children, steady as a lighthouse
on the shore.
8) Children's Playgrounds (4:56)
Dedicated to Eleanor Duquesnel
Music and Lyrics: Peggy Duquesnel
Peggy Duquesnel, vocals and piano with orchestrations by Don French
© 2008 Duquesnel Music Publishing, ASCAP
Will you hold me and rock me, take my fingers in your hands
And speak to me so gently 'bout the wonders of the land
All your life you said you'd be the one who'd care for me
And I only wanted loving care and a little honesty
The picture that you had for me was very plain to see
A simple life a family in loving company
But the lamb has gone astray and found her special way
With a simple, loving, caring heart just like a child at play
Chorus
Love burns softly in my little heart
Tears drop gently finding missing parts
Snowflakes whisper something's in the air
Children's playgrounds are never really fair
Did I misunderstand you when you gave your love to me
Did I hear your quiet message when you opened up to me
There's a simple part of me that heard your honesty
But the truth was never talked about for fear that we would see
Chorus
Love burns softly in the winter air
Echoes sweetly knowing that you're there
Music's playing, voices everywhere
Children's playgrounds are never really fair
My mother played the piano and filled our home with music and laughter. One of my
fondest memories is when she would gather the family together to sing songs around the
piano. She had a strong faith and was very proud of her family. My mother and I had our
differences, yet the love, respect and admiration we had for each other is eternal.
“Children’s Playgrounds” captures the beauty and complexity of children’s relationships
with their mothers.
9) Menina Dandara (Dandara Lady) (4:38)
Dedicated to both Sandra Gazzola & Grecia dos Santos
Composer(s): (P.Debetio & P Resende) & Dorival Caymi
Containing song by "Dorival Caymi "Promessa de Pescador
Sonia Santos & Ana Gazzola, vocals; Rafael Lima, bass; Grecco Buratto, guitar:
Rogerio Jardim, drums; Tamir Hendelman, keyboards; Meia-Noite, percussion
PolyGram International Publishing/ASCAP
Intro is a greeting to Iemanjá, the mother of the Sea
(On the Candonblé mythology, the ocean came from the breast of Yemanjá)
Ê laiê laiá Ê laiê laiá
Ê iê iê iá Yemanjá sobá.
Yemanjá sobá.
I am the pyramid, I know who invented Time
That makes this warrior Indian inside of me.
The Oceans that cross the streets of my thoughts
Wake up in front of a mirror my sweet alfinin(3)
Comes from the Pelô (4)
This voice, this beautiful lady, Iara.(5)
Clearness, is the look of the Dandara girl
I have embroidery in the soul and the bonfire of the stars
The verses of Zumbi guide me at the morning light
The sun leaves a shine on top of my head
The board of the Ten Commandments was my sister.
In the eyes of the world I see the girls of the streets
The doors of destiny are many
I know of what is made the way of the naked star.
It is myrrh tree, incense, is gold, and is rock and dust.
Comes from the Pelô (4)
This voice, this beautiful lady, Iara.(5)
Clearness, is the look of the Dandara girl
(1)(Aldebaran is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus and one of the brightest stars in the
nighttime sky.)
(2)(Yansã is also an Orixa or a God. She is also a woman and is the God of thunder, the rain, the
winds, the storms)
(3)(alfinin is a kind of mix of raw brown sugar with cinamon and honey)
(4)(Pelô is a short name for Pelourinho, a little town in Bahia was a place of black slaves, today is all
remodeled and it is a vey turistic place)
(5)(Iara is a name and means mother of the water)
(6)(Dandara is another name for Yemanja)
Yemanjá, in Afro-religion is the Queen from the sea, the biggest power on earth. She is the eminent
mother who educates, who protects fishing, who reigns over family and brings abundance.
This song is dedicated to the goddess of the Ocean in the Brazilian culture, and speaks of
the great mother of the sea. The ocean and water has always been a symbol of feminine
qualities with it’s nurturing yet subtle power and the mystery of what lies below in the
depths. The human body is more than 60 percent water. Blood is 92 percent water, the brain
and muscles are 75 percent water, and bones are about 22 percent water. Water is what
sustains us and keeps us alive.
10) I Do Remember You –(6:00)
Music and Lyrics: Mala Waldron
Dedicated to her grandmother - Mae Murray or "Mardi" as she liked to be called by her
grandchildren
Mala Waldron, piano; Miriam Sullivan, bass; Steve Salerno, guitar: Michael T.A. Thompson,
drums
© 1996 Mala Waldron/Kershani Music (BMI)
From the CD “A;ways There” © 2002 Mala Waldron/Kershani Music (BMI)
In the stillness of the night
I listen to the sound of the wind
And it’s almost like you’re calling out my name
At times I feel you by my side
and all at once I feel unafraid
because I know nothing can
hurt me while you’re near
And when I see a rainbow I smile
and think about when I was a child
There’s no one that can tell me you’re gone
‘Cause in my mind your memory lives on
I do remember you ~ I do remember you
You used to sing these silly songs
You knew just how to make me laugh
The thought of you brings sunshine to a rainy day
How I loved to watch you dance
Like music was inside your soul
With a rhythm inside every move you made
I think about the things that you’d say
said I would understand them one day
You said to myself always be true
and that’s one thing I always will do
I do remember you ~ I do remember you
I can’t forget the times we had
Through all the good and through the bad
They will be with me forever
You made a difference in my life
With all your love and sacrifice
And I won’t forget you, never, no…
And when I see a rainbow I smile
and think about when I was a child
There’s no one that can tell me you’re gone
‘cause in my mind your memory lives on
I do remember you ~ I do remember you
Originally written as a ballad, this song was first released as a track on my "Lullaby" CD. It
was my mother's idea to try it at a faster tempo. Written for my grandmother "I Do
Remember You" is about the powerfully vivid memories I have of watching her as a 7 yr. old
child . She'd dance and sing little songs she'd make up while cleaning or cooking for us.
She was such a musical person. I remember her talking to me all the time. Some of the
things I didn't understand then, but she told me I'd understand when I got older. One thing
she said was to always be true to myself, and that's helped me to make many an important
decision in my life.
11) For My Chacoan Ancestors (3:08)
Dedicated to Mother Earth
Music: John Stowell, Scott Sorkin Lyrics; Anson Wright
Recorded at Open Path Music, San Jose, CA
© 2007 Open Path Music- BMI
Julia Set Music – ASCAP
From the CD “The Sky At Our Feet”, Open Path Music, © 2007
www.openpathmusic.com
For M y Chacoan Ancestors
There is a black metal folding chair
Sitting amidst the blackberries in my lush green woods,
It sits on the ground I will hollow out to be my kiva
My alter to Chaco canyon
Home of the Anasazi
Ancient Indians guided by spirit
It is a wise man who knows the sky begins at his feet
It is a wise man who feels the stars about his ankles
It is a wise man who finds a place to sit with spirit
And the Chacoans carried huge timbers from distant dark mountains
Fifty miles on foot just to sit
Built masonry walls 3 feet thick
Studied the sun
Learned the paths of the moon and stars
Carved straight roads through miles of wind swept desert
Just to sit
I can hear them chanting in their kivas
Worshiping father sun and mother earth
I can see them sleeping with their eyes open
Thousand of white coal fires signaling the stars where to shine their brilliance
On my black metal folding chair
Sitting amidst the blackberries
In my lush green woods
I want to reenter that sacred sandstone canyon
Where earths four directions cross in eternal balance
The mother of us all, mother earth, whose stories have been told by ancient ancestors and
can be heard in the silent sounds of nature. May we learn to honor and respect the land we
call home and the feminine aspect we all share within our beings. The Chaco Canyon in
North-Central New Mexico is a very special place. It was inhabited for many hundreds of
years and its culture peaked a millennium ago - before that of the more widely known Mesa
Verde site. It is located in San Juan County, New Mexico and is accessible via US Highway
550, County Road (CR) 7900 and finally CR7950. Chaco is a World Heritage site and to those
who have spent time there, it is a gem that is not duplicated anywhere else in the United
States. The Chaco Alliance is concerned with the future of this wonder of the world and is
currently working to prevent the paving of the road Into Chaco Canyon and the energy
exploration in that area which will pose an enormous threat to the preservation of this gift
of Mother Earth. For further information visit the website at:
www.dont-pave-chaco.com.