Impromtu music making with guests from Finland

Aryeh and I are hosting guest musicians in the group "Parahulta" from Finland this week, and last night we played together some of their beautiful music. This song is called "Waltz for Kuisma" written for their son. Aryeh met them and learned it from them on a trip to Sweden. He loves the song so much we recorded it on our first "Two Worlds One" CD and this is the first time we have all played it together.

Musical Merriment at the Celtic Fair

Hi Friends, Last weekend Aryeh and I played music at the Grass Valley Celtic Fair.  We have done this for the past three years and its always so sweet. I made this video to feature Aryeh's Nyckelharpa and the song being played is from his album "Twisting of the Rope" which I played on too. This time I had a new little camera so I was able to run around and get images faster than with my bigger camera. Whip it out when a parade is going by. But I'm still learning this tiny device and I notice the sound quality is not so good but  I will work on that. But I hope you enjoy it, each video I make is my new favorite.

Vblog #32 - Serenading the folks in the South

George Tortorelli and I have been a music duo since 1997. That's 13 years of full time music making. We have been all over the country, to many states playing at festivals and concerts. Here is just a sample of what it is like when we play. The music you hear was recorded live for our album titled "Love & Peace". There are no overdubs, George works with a looping delay system that allow him to create flute harmonies live on the spot. The harp is also delayed so I can play one passage over another. We have always been so grateful that we have a sound that people of all ages and walks of life enjoy and use for their life.

So here are some images of what its like when we play at a street festival. Its not as mellow or fancy as a concert. But I love this the most because you can really see the people. At a concert, its all dark and you can't see the faces, the front row is set back so far and the lights take away your sight to them.
People have paid $25.00 or more to see you, you hope and worry they are happy but you can't see them so you can't know. You feel pretty alone on the stage.

At a street festival, which is where I started and still enjoy doing, people don't have to be there, but they stay because they want to. From way back when I started on Venice Beach, that's how it was, I loved that they were free to come or go, to listen or not, and they always stay and they always listen, and that means so much. I would trade a fancy concert for a big ol street fair any day.

This slide show took place the recent two weekends where we visited North Carolina, and Georgia. On  Labor day the Henderson Apple Festival has their hometown parade and every darn time it makes me cry. Its silly but it always happens and ...I can't help it. Thousands come out and smile and wave to the happy families riding by in their collector cars, dressed up dogs and clowns, high school bands and fire engines, war Veterans from each war, all the way back to WWII, people stand and cheer and the very old men in their uniforms walking and holding American flags if they can. Police officers and council members, little miss Apple fest, candy throwing cub scouts and miscellaneous farm animals on homemade floats. All those people are truly happy and proud to be in the parade, or smiling and waving from their lawn chairs lined up. One of them was me. There truly is such goodness in the world.

A visit to a Mosaic house...

When I'm not doing music, I'm doing mosiacs.. one of my favorite artists is Laurel Skye. She has a very unique home in Arcata, CA, where she teaches and shares. Its astounding what she has done. Here is a video of that special place..

A favorite old tune in concert...

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to share a tune that I grew up playing. We wanted a fun song to end a recent concert so we worked up "Country Road" by John Denver. It was fun to put down our harps and
strings and complex instruments and just bang out some guitar and mandolin for a bit.

I always loved this song and it reminds me so much of my father, we used to go on camping trips all through my growing up years, and at the campfire, my dad always wanted me to play this song. I played guitar when I was a kid, and he loved to hear me play and sing this. We didn't realize what a sing a long it would turn out to be!

My "Harps for Hearts" music program

As many of you know I have been involved with putting live music in hospitals for some time now. I have just passed my 10th year of being involved with City of Hope National Cancer Center with my "Hands-on-Harps" program. I often go to speaking engagements with my power point slide show to demonstrate the power of music and how having it in various healing environments benefits everybody. I have been procrastinating putting my slideshow into a movie, but a recent opportunity has presented itself for a keynote speaking gig, so I finally did it.
Here it is!

Vblog #29 - Golden Toad Music Camp..

omigosh.. this was so fun. A highlight of the year so far. It was a last minute decision to attend Golden Toad music camp.. It was so wonderful, and inspiring. I will write more soon but just wanted to get this posted.

Lisa Lynne Vblog #28 - Getting ready for a show in Vacaville..

Hi Blog friends, Here is the next episode of my video series. I am hoping to show the reality of how it all comes together.. rehearsals, sound checks.. back stage..its the real deal.

This was around a benefit concert for a Women's shelter in Vacaville, California.It was a rare show with vocalist Molly Pasutti singing lyrics to versions of our favorite tunes. We have a new album out featuring Molly and Barbara Higbie who I perform with more often. Barbara joined us onstage and also opened the show.

Its fun to goof around with such a cheerful bunch of great musicians.
Lisa

Vblog #27 New music!

Greetings.. I'll write more soon, but just wanted to post a new video blog of the music we are working on. Aryeh and I were in Pasadena last week, putting finishing touches on the first vocal music I have ever released! Molly Pasutti wrote beautiful lyrics to my instrumental compositions over the years, and finally its recorded. So it will be released soon, and I'm very excited. Here is the video... the making of..
Two Worlds One - Still the Moon

Vblog #26 - Photo shoot and impromtu Carole King

Hi Friends, I'm trying to get a bit more organized with my blogs and videos. I am now numbering them in a sequence, so it makes more sense to organize the time stream.

This one was just last week. I have been working for month on a new recording with my partner Aryeh and vocalist Molly. She has been my friend for over a decade and she writes the most beautiful lyrics for many of my instrumental songs and sings them with her most beautiful voice. This project has been in the making for a really long time.
Molly and I met and started performing together about 10 years ago. Everytime we did, it was magic. We never had a recording, because we both had such busy lives. We finally started a recording at Sony studios, but again life got in the way, I moved, Molly got married, these very special tracks laid dormant. Until, Aryeh discovered them and swiftly brought them back to life. We added more of our beautiful instruments, had a couple of our favorite guest musicians, and completed the new CD over the last several months. Right now the wonderful sound engineer Bernie Becker is putting the final moves on the mixes and it will be out and available in early Spring. So to say this work is long awaiting is quite the understatement.

Last week we had a photo shoot for the cover of the album. We went to a studio in Northern California not far from where I live, and went for it. Here, Aryeh captured an impromtu moment of us goofing around with songs and my bandura. It was a rather tedious session as photo shoots always are. I never played this song before (Carole King one of my very favorites) on my Bandura, but it worked rather well!
I hope you enjoy this glimpse of an ordinary day playing 70's love songs on Ukranian Bandura on an ancient antique Chinese bed.
Lisa