Palace of the Birds

This CD follows the acclaimed 2001 album, Red Ruby Palace, and is once again an eclectic journey through many musical worlds. It’s a journey from the past to the future, from the earth to the sky and back along a path which tunes our mind to the natural world around us. Musical styles intertwine as the trail winds through the Medieval and Renaissance times, through Tibetan highlands and Southwestern desert and mountains, through Latin and Celtic landscapes, to the ocean and back to the primeval forest.

It’s a transformation and a theater for awakening serenity and well being, weaving sadness and joy together like a ritual mantra. Enter The Palace of the Birds, walk the beauty, and emerge into a new world of grace.

Red Ruby Palace

The CD came about from a desire to explore something new. I spent most of my career singing complex, challenging, and highly esoteric music, trying to make it accessible to the audience: like a folk song. So my next musical dream was to explore the vocal geography of songs and styles that were already in the popular mind. I wondered how these songs would feel in my voice. Could I say something new with them because of my unique perspective?

The CD developed in an odd way. After receiving a grant from the Jack Straw foundation, I first considered making a demo, then a historical record for family and friends; then after a lot of soul searching I decided to make a CD of mostly folk music, with space in it for the listeners’ lives.

The core energy of the project is about friends and family—like a family album which features every members abilities. We wanted to make use of our known and our undeveloped gifts.

Hence, Rich, our cellist finds himself singing baritone or tenor in a choral piece, I played the tambourine, ocarina, Sid solos on a “drum kit” consisting of all the percussion instruments in the house, and Matthew mixes together a variety of different guitar styles.

In the family relationships of the performers, the musical choices mix professionalism with homespun musicmaking—a communal kind of expression. Family chemistry, good humour, and tight communication are woven into the tunes.