TONI CHILDS One Life - 9am with David & Kim
* * * * * "One Life" written by Richard Fammerée [lyrics & music]; performed by Toni Childs, live on national Australian television, 9/11/08 * * * * *
ONE LIFE * (The story) * I consider many of my songs and poems compositions of personal healing, not necessarily intended for recording or distribution. And there is a lesson in this, for these somehow reach the larger world and two, in particular, have outdistanced their composer: “Notre Dame” (popularly known as “Blue & Green”) and “One Life” (recently covered by Toni Childs: www.myspace.com/thetonichilds). * “One Life” was born in Chicago in a desire for recalibration. It had been a particularly urban winter: ice, insensitive, concrete, insensitive, February, insensitive (even if a red heart is pasted annually upon its breast). * Returning from a slim solace and chaleur of Belize in the final days of winter in March, I began performing in and around Wicker Park where I had been raised. One venue lead to another: Hot House, Chopin Theatre, Subterranean, Uncommon Ground, finally the Art Institute. A member of the Dave Matthews team began courting my band during our recording sessions at Alien Sound. Our female vocalist was invited to join DM on the road and there was talk of us opening for them in an outdoor summer venue. * Spirits were high and expectations grew higher. And, of course, the dramatics inherent in the soaring of the ego increased, as well. * One afternoon I found myself in very quiet room looking into the vast green skirt of a quiet oak filling the window. As if scoring an inner film of me again in green again, a song emerged which I continued to write and sing whenever the insanity of a fast urban life began to overwhelm its shiny tinsel benefits. * “One Life” would return me to the island of Kaua’i, to my favorite camping site between great trees along Anini Beach where the song had certainly been sown. * Predictions of hipster rhythm sections, however, can often be counter-intuitive and unsettling. John and Hamid had almost convinced me not to leave Chicago. * “Think about what you’re doing--and the consequences.” * “I’ll only be gone two or three weeks--” * “Still, . . . “ each nodded. * Helene cast Tarot. She concured wanly, warily. * I always try to choose faith not fear--and, soon, I was reclining on the lanai (wrap-around porch) of Eddy Free and Laura Love’s tree house. I felt safe enough to share my new song. Eddy tumbled from his hammock and returned with a twelve string. * “This is the song Dave Matthews should hear.”* “That won’t happen. Helene doesn’t sing it.”* Eddy nodded. He had been there. I was just happy to be singing my freshest lyrics to the hungry jungle and dream-distant sea. * That final summer month just prior to 9/11 was a relaxed and happy time for our circle in Kaua’i. Every weekend featured a vivid house party celebrating the miracle of life--and finding ourselves in paradise--with organic, orgasmic food, music and fire dancing. There are moments I replay as if from a film. In one, I am sitting at dusk on the lowered gate of a flat bed pickup up in the hill country of the island, an area called “little Ireland.” I am surrounded by fire dancers and cartoon-tattooed drummers, and we are surrounded by jungle. I am playing my guitar wildly.* In another, I am playing my guitar generously, then intimately, sipping wine, smiling languidly, laughing and listening, listening more closely to the woman sitting cross legged on the floor beside me. Her voice fills the room and gracefully diverts every conversation. We are surprised at our ability to create songs together effortlessly, and she encourages this. Her name is Toni. She is the woman I have seen riding a palomino down the valley when I study the sea at dawn from Heather’s lanai. In rainy moments, I have watched her from the window of the spare bedroom where my guitar and knapsack attend me.* Eddy joins us, resting his hand along the waste of his unvarnished Guild. “Are we in tune?’* We are, surprisingly, in that humidity. At least to each other.* “Play that new song--the tree song--everything is all one life--”* “Maybe later--”* Toni turns to me. Her eyes have changed. Her face has changed. “There is no later. Only now.”* I fold over my guitar, actually Heather’s guitar, and sing.* “You wrote that?” she asks as if surprised by a bouquet of local wine. “The words and music?”* Yes and yes.* One year later Toni Childs was awarded an Emmy for a song featured in a documentary by Eve Ensler, creator of the Vagina Monologues. The following spring I was writing yet another lyrical poem in a red barn in a forgotten, very purposely corner of the Midwest when an unlisted number appeared on the small window of my cell phone.* I knew it would not be a credit card company extending my credit line or Helene who no longer allowed herself to believe in me--or herself. Findley, my cat who was supposed to be busy decreasing the rodent population, glared at me until I finally answered.* “Hello, Richard? This is Toni.”* “Hey, Toni. How are you?”* “Very good actually. Listen, I’d like to cover that song you sang that night at the party--”* “ ‘One Life?’ ”* “That’s it. The tree song.”* Arrangements were made for me to return to Kaua’i. Toni introduced me to her producer David Tickle. We recorded the song and it appears on her new record Keep the Faith [www.myspace.com/thetonichilds].* Blessings to all and to all a good life. . . .
TONI CHILDS Interview 9am with David & Kim
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Poet, composer, singer-songwriter, international performing and recording artist Richard Fammerée is founder and director of Pont des Arts Ensemble [www.myspace.com/pontdesartsenemble] and UniVerse of Poetry [www.universeofpoetry.org].
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A widely published poet, he is a pioneer of the global renaissance of poetry & music, scoring poems into alternative/contemporary art songs. His album Fammerée & Eurydice, “pansophic and visceral in the same breath,” marries passion and spirituality echoing his book of poems Lessons of Water & Thirst, included in the Poetry Library of Royal Festival Hall, London. Manfred Gordon (Cambridge University) describes this volume as “sensual and psychological, lush in the tradition of French Symbolism.” Collaborations include recordings with poets Li-Young Lee, Rachel Webster and Francesco Levato; Emmy award-winning singer Toni Childs; Grammy winner Frank Myers; and singer-songwriters Anne West, Carrie Ingrisano, Meg Lauterbach and Alana Grier. Three projects have been produced by David Tickle.
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In the tradition of troubadours, Fammerée has played the varnish off numerous guitars in numerous countries. He is frequently featured in American and European publications and venues. Highlights include: Amnesty International, The Art Institute of Chicago, ARTÉ Television, National Public Radio, PBS, The Poetry Center of Chicago, Shakespeare & Co. (Paris) and The World Festival of Sacred Music initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. An artist-in-residence at Flatfile Galleries, Richard Fammerée appears in Who’s Who in the World 2000 and is featured on ReVerse with Mark Strand, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Li-Young Lee, Elise Paschen and Lou Reed. He produced and hosted Poetry & Its Music International for the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. * * * * * Recordings of the poetry and music of Richard Fammerée are available on Snocap, Apple iTunes and more than thirty other digital online outlets.
Poète, compositeur, chanteur auteur-compositeur-interprète, performante et internationale enregistrement artiste Richard Fammerée est le fondateur et directeur du Pont des Arts Ensemble [www.myspace.com / pontdesartsensemble] et UniVerse of Poetry [www.universeofpoetry.org]. Un poète largement publié, il est un pionnier de la renaissance globale de la poésie et la musique avec ses chansons art contemporain et “alternative.” Son album Fammerée et Eurydice, "pansophic et viscérale dans le même souffle," épouse la passion et la spiritualité faisant écho à son livre de poèmes Lessons of Water and Thirst, inclus dans la bibliothèque de poésie Royal Festival Hall, Londres. Manfred Gordon (université de Cambridge), ce volume décrit comme "sensuelle et psychologique, luxuriante dans la tradition du symbolisme français." Collaborations avec des enregistrements poètes Li-Young Lee, Rachel Webster and Francesco Levato; Emmy award-winning chanteuse Toni Childs; Grammy winner Frank Myers; et chanteuses-auteurs-compositeurs Anne West, Carrie Ingrisano, Meg Lauterbcah et Alana Grier. Trois projets ont été produit par David Tickle.
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* "Echo and Shadow" by Li-Young Lee [poetry] & Richard Fammerée [music] * * * * *
Dans la tradition des troubadours, Fammerée a joué le vernis de nombreuses guitares dans de nombreux pays. Il est souvent en vedette américaine et européenne de publications et de venues. En voici les points saillants: Amnesty International, The Art Institute of Chicago, Arté télévision, National Public Radio, PBS, The Poetry Center of Chicago, Shakespeare & Co. (Paris) et le Festival mondial de musique sacrée initié par Sa Sainteté le Dalaï Lama. Un artiste en résidence à Flatfile Galeries, Richard Fammerée apparaît dans le Who's Who dans le monde 2000 et figure au ReVerse avec Mark Strand, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Li-Young Lee, Elise Paschen et Lou Reed. Il produit et animé “La poésie et sa musique internationale” à l'Université de Chicago et de Northwestern University. * * * * * Les archives de la poésie et la musique de Richard Fammerée sont disponibles sur Snocap, Apple iTunes et plus d'une trentaine d'autres points de vente numérique en ligne.
Thanks for the invitation.I am happy to be here. The music is very interesting. Please look at our tibetan children project http://buddha-education. org/index. html and help spread the news. I am happy to announce that the construction is in progress. We now need funds to furnish the buildings, feed and cloth the children and get school materials !!! Hope to hear from you soon. Best greetings Kat
These animated Moving Mandalas are very large files. Please click on the pic, and wait for it to load. The Contemplation will be very enabling, carrying your Mind beyond the mundane world.
Thank you for becoming a friend of the Guardians of Water
'We are Guardians of Water for the whole world' say our Elder Spiritual Brother : the Kogi, Arhuaco, Wywa and Kankuama Mamos, the Sages from the slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, El Corazon del Mundo, Colombia.
it's been too long, but I've been hibernating making TWO cd's...please come listen to "Lost Song of the Dolphin" on my myspace, it's from "WILD LULLAYES" a tender erotic waking to the stirrings of the uniVerse
visiting the sanctuary of your page, I'm heartened...yes, the sacred is sensual, yes to intuitive moving, do I dare hope we would dreambreathecreate?!
What journeys you hav spiralled that pour through your voice...'tyour throat a well ...your chest a pool' Thankyou for quenching some of our ancient thirst...
Richard Fammerée (poet, singer-songwriter, composer, guitarist & multi-instrumentalist, US/France)
& Pont des Arts Ensemble [www,myspace.com/pontdesartsensemble] * * * * * I could not sleep while you slept. Any little animal might have sheltered in your body; and I kept leaves from your eyes and things from your hair until your lips revived, bending back my fingers to the lessons of water and thirst. Fires that night digested the wet, and when their long viridian became your arms and a delirium became our legs, threads relinquished us, and we were not puppeted by earth, and we were not puppeted by heaven. We became larger than form and texture and scent-- something like clouds-- and fear was driven from the manger of our bellies, and anger's thin lips could not diminish us. We ate everything that was red, and everything red was delicious. My sap was greening your milky body, then your legs slapped. They slapped into fins and you arced and my chin and ear separated, and silver and more silver and silver again, I quivered behind you. [Ephemerae © 2008 Richard Fammerée] * * * * * www.myspace.com/fammereepoet * * * * * www.myspace.com/fammereelive
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Poet, composer, singer-songwriter, international performing and recording artist Richard Fammerée is founder and director of Pont des Arts Ensemble [www.myspace.com/pontdesartsenemble] and UniVerse of Poetry [www.universeofpoetry.org].
* *
* * * * *
A widely published poet, he is a pioneer of the global renaissance of poetry & music, scoring poems into alternative/contemporary art songs. His album Fammerée & Eurydice, “pansophic and visceral in the same breath,” marries passion and spirituality echoing his book of poems Lessons of Water & Thirst, included in the Poetry Library of Royal Festival Hall, London. Manfred Gordon (Cambridge University) describes this volume as “sensual and psychological, lush in the tradition of French Symbolism.” Collaborations include recordings with poets Li-Young Lee, Rachel Webster and Francesco Levato; Emmy award-winning singer Toni Childs; Grammy winner Frank Myers; and singer-songwriters Anne West, Carrie Ingrisano, Meg Lauterbach and Alana Grier. Three projects have been produced by David Tickle.
* * * * *
* * * * *
In the tradition of troubadours, Fammerée has played the varnish off numerous guitars in numerous countries. He is frequently featured in American and European publications and venues. Highlights include: Amnesty International, The Art Institute of Chicago, ARTÉ Television, National Public Radio, PBS, The Poetry Center of Chicago, Shakespeare & Co. (Paris) and The World Festival of Sacred Music initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. An artist-in-residence at Flatfile Galleries, Richard Fammerée appears in Who’s Who in the World 2000 and is featured on ReVerse with Mark Strand, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Li-Young Lee, Elise Paschen and Lou Reed. He produced and hosted Poetry & Its Music International for the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. * * * * * Recordings of the poetry and music of Richard Fammerée are available on Snocap, Apple iTunes and more than thirty other digital online outlets.
Poète, compositeur, chanteur auteur-compositeur-interprète, performante et internationale enregistrement artiste Richard Fammerée est le fondateur et directeur du Pont des Arts Ensemble [www.myspace.com / pontdesartsensemble] et UniVerse of Poetry [www.universeofpoetry.org]. Un poète largement publié, il est un pionnier de la renaissance globale de la poésie et la musique avec ses chansons art contemporain et “alternative.” Son album Fammerée et Eurydice, "pansophic et viscérale dans le même souffle," épouse la passion et la spiritualité faisant écho à son livre de poèmes Lessons of Water and Thirst, inclus dans la bibliothèque de poésie Royal Festival Hall, Londres. Manfred Gordon (université de Cambridge), ce volume décrit comme "sensuelle et psychologique, luxuriante dans la tradition du symbolisme français." Collaborations avec des enregistrements poètes Li-Young Lee, Rachel Webster and Francesco Levato; Emmy award-winning chanteuse Toni Childs; Grammy winner Frank Myers; et chanteuses-auteurs-compositeurs Anne West, Carrie Ingrisano, Meg Lauterbcah et Alana Grier. Trois projets ont été produit par David Tickle.
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