Music and seasons of change

It is the turn of seasons just now, on the Northern hemisphere winter to spring, which might bring clear days and brisk night -- or rain, or blizzards, or snow or scudding clouds, or all of these. A time for contemplating change, for marking Easter, Passover, and other holidays heralding renewal.

Musicians think about these things too.

Speaking of change: Emily Smith, from Scotland, explores that idea with Americana writer Darrell Scott’s song The Open Door. She has recorded it on her album called Echoes.

Further on the contemplative side, the four women of RANT Fiddles offer the tune East Church, which was composed by Lauren MacColl who is a member of the quartet. It is on their album RANT, which was recorded in East Church, Cromarty.

Carrie Newcomer considers change, growth, loss, connection, and faith in the space of a song called The Clean Edge of Change. Change and edges of time, place, learning, time... Newcomer has recorded the song on her album called The Geography of Light.

Music can be the best of companions in times of change. Take a listen, and explore.

Photographs by Kerry Dexter. Thank you for respecting copyright.

You may also wish to see
Music and Mystery: Conversation with Carrie Newcomer
Cathie Ryan: Through Wind and Rain
Folk with edge: Sarah McQuaid: Walking into White

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Music for Easter

Two albums which go especially well with the many facets of rejoicing at the Easter season (Passover and spring, as well) are Hanneke Cassel’s Some Melodious Sonnet, a collection of original and traditional fiddle tunes grounded in Scottish tradition, and Shannon Heaton’s The Blue Dress which comprises lively and thoughtful adventures in Irish flute. Both of these women are fine interpreters of traditional music, and gifted composers as well. Give a listen.

you may also wish to see
Music Road: voices: hanneke cassel
Music Road: Another Fine Winter's Night: Matt & Shannon Heaton
Music Road: artists of the decade

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trust and music

There’s a lot of trust involved in making music. Musicians launching their ideas out into the deep, as it were, and listeners following on to see and hear what happens next, what they take in and make own. Each side of the equation learning what may be learned.

Trust goes into creating music, as well. Songwriter Gretchen Peters commented on one aspect of that. “I’m a big believer that there’s an internal mechanism, a gut, a truth bone -- call it what you want -- and your job as a writer is listening to it when it tells you this song or this line or this melody needs to be this way, this is the way this goes. If it needs to be changed, you know what needs to be changed. That comes from within.”

Cathie Ryan has a vivid analogy on the idea of trust in one of her songs, which she talks about here.

Emotion, logic, or something else altogether, trust is perhaps a good aspect of creative work to consider this Good Friday and Easter Eve.

Music to go along with these ideas
Music Road: easter eve: rani arbo & daisy mayhem: house be blessed
Music Road: Gretchen Peters: Northern Lights
The comment above is from a story I did on Peters’ work for 2010 Songwriter's Market
Music Road: Songs for an Easter weekend