Al-hamdu lillah wa shukr lillah, it's that time again. The second Monday of the month is when, for two short hours at Zawiya Perspective, we reconnect to the incredibly rich tradition of communal music. Real music. Music that binds. Music that heals. Music that restores. And music that makes working on a ship a little easier.
I'm in the mood for sea shanties.
We're a family that believes in the importance of a proper musical education. Tonight, Miranda Rondeau will be coming over for a drum and voice lesson for our four daughters. Giving our children a creative outlet is an excellent thing to do on so many fronts. This is worth it's own post, so we'll get back to that later.
But as part of this idea of a proper musical education, my wife was researching communal music that she thought the kids might enjoy. She struck on a rich collection of sea shanties, or what the girls call "pirate songs."
Here are a couple of their favorites:
Now we are ready to sail for the Horn,
Weigh hey, roll and go!
Our boots and our clothes, boys, are all in the pawn,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!
(Chorus)
Heave a pawl, O heave away!
Weigh hey, roll and go!
The anchor's on board and the cable's all stored,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!
Soon we'll be warping her out through the locks,
Weigh hey, roll and go!
Where the pretty young girls all come down in their
frocks,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!
(Chorus)
Come breast the bars, bullies, heave her away,
Weigh hey, roll and go! .
Soon well be rolling her down through the Bay,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!
(Chorus)
I thought I heard the Old Man say:
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her."
Tomorrow ye will get your pay,
and its time for us to leave her.
(Chorus)
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's time for us to leave her.
Oh, the wind was foul and the sea ran high
Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
She shipped it green and none went by.
And it's time for us to leave her.
(Chorus)
I hate to sail on this rotten tub.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!"
No grog allowed and rotten grub.
And it's time for us to leave her.
(Chorus)
We swear by rote for want of more.
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her!"
But now were through so we'll go on shore.
And it's time for us to leave her.
(Chorus)
That is undeniably masculine stuff! And I would also call this proof that it is the very heart of a man that has been undermined by the current, dominant model of music performance and distribution. And the kids love it!
We're going to get our hearts back this coming Monday, May 12th, from 7-9 pm, insha Allah. We'll swap grog for tea, of course.
Zawiya Perspective
1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090
A quick reminder of the rules:
1) No lassies. Kids are fine.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no personal photography or video, please (Note: I have spoken with Brother Abdullah about a commisioned promotional video to help spread the word).
See you soon, insha Allah!
Was-salam,
Ahmed
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Friday, May 2, 2014
The New Yoga
Community choirs are huge in the UK. Turns out there's more going on than just singing.
We've talked about how singing together builds bonds and how music is a way of reintegrating ourselves.
In addition, some new research actually suggests that when people sing together, their heart rhythms sync up. Singing together requires that participants adopt similar breathing patterns and this is apparently what drives that cardiac synchrony. The authors suggest that the focused breathing brings benefits similar to those experienced in yoga.
Read the article here.
And while your reading, listen to this and see if you don't feel yourself lining right up!
We've talked about how singing together builds bonds and how music is a way of reintegrating ourselves.
In addition, some new research actually suggests that when people sing together, their heart rhythms sync up. Singing together requires that participants adopt similar breathing patterns and this is apparently what drives that cardiac synchrony. The authors suggest that the focused breathing brings benefits similar to those experienced in yoga.
Read the article here.
And while your reading, listen to this and see if you don't feel yourself lining right up!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Primal Music Monday 4/14
With God's help and permission, we'll gather for this month's Primal Music Monday next week from 7 pm to 9 pm at Zawiya Perspective:
1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090
Recently, a good friend and I were at a conference together. During a break between speakers, I mentioned something about a guy having some troubles and how sometimes we need to be careful in how we help others. We can create a codependent dynamic that does nothing for anybody, I say, and as I'm blathering on he begins to sing a few bars from Bill Wither's classic Lean on Me:
lean on me
when you're not strong
and I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
for it won't be long
'til I'm gonna need
somebody to lean on
I joined him for the last couple of lines and we had just that little primal moment. But it was enough to push back my cynicism and I saw things differently, wal-hamdu lillah.
So you can count on that song making it into Monday's rotation, insha Allah.
We'll drum, talk, and sing. We'll sip lovingly brewed herbal concoctions (hibiscus rose and chaga chai) and we'll burn something nice.
Don't come in looking to be impressed. Show up as you are and do what you can and then think about how few opportunities there are to do just that.
Again, a quick reminder of the rules:
1) This gathering is for men only.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no photography or video, please.
See you then, insha Allah!
1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090
Recently, a good friend and I were at a conference together. During a break between speakers, I mentioned something about a guy having some troubles and how sometimes we need to be careful in how we help others. We can create a codependent dynamic that does nothing for anybody, I say, and as I'm blathering on he begins to sing a few bars from Bill Wither's classic Lean on Me:
lean on me
when you're not strong
and I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
for it won't be long
'til I'm gonna need
somebody to lean on
I joined him for the last couple of lines and we had just that little primal moment. But it was enough to push back my cynicism and I saw things differently, wal-hamdu lillah.
So you can count on that song making it into Monday's rotation, insha Allah.
We'll drum, talk, and sing. We'll sip lovingly brewed herbal concoctions (hibiscus rose and chaga chai) and we'll burn something nice.
Don't come in looking to be impressed. Show up as you are and do what you can and then think about how few opportunities there are to do just that.
Again, a quick reminder of the rules:
1) This gathering is for men only.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no photography or video, please.
See you then, insha Allah!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Drum Circle with Rowan Storm 4/12
This is a great chance to learn from a real master. Women are very well represented at Rowan's drum circles and this is the perfect opportunity for a family to learn and jam with with best!
Get out there this Saturday and make some noise!
Details here.
Get out there this Saturday and make some noise!
Details here.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
". . . no Cuban Spring"
We've talked a lot about what happens when we lose our voice.
Once that vacuum is created, there are others who are more than happy to speak for us, to fill our hearts and minds with desires and ideas that wouldn't have been there otherwise. All the better if we believe that these notions are our own.
Read about how the United States is creating social networks to spark dissent in other parts of the world. And be sure to pass this on to the next person you run into who was ever excited or inspired by the Arab Spring.
Perhaps such findings can help us to reframe some of what we are hearing about Turkey.
They took our drums and gave us "tweets." Trading substance for illusion is nothing that we should be a part of.
Circle up, primes. Bang a drum and sing a song.
That's living in community.
That's the only "social networking" that matters.
Once that vacuum is created, there are others who are more than happy to speak for us, to fill our hearts and minds with desires and ideas that wouldn't have been there otherwise. All the better if we believe that these notions are our own.
Read about how the United States is creating social networks to spark dissent in other parts of the world. And be sure to pass this on to the next person you run into who was ever excited or inspired by the Arab Spring.
Perhaps such findings can help us to reframe some of what we are hearing about Turkey.
They took our drums and gave us "tweets." Trading substance for illusion is nothing that we should be a part of.
Circle up, primes. Bang a drum and sing a song.
That's living in community.
That's the only "social networking" that matters.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Importance of Vernacular
The words are Arabic. The intent and meanings are very traditionally Islamic.
But this recording out of Cambridge is something still more, masha Allah.
Pretty sure T. J. Winter's got something to do with this . . .
Download it while you can, and then send a few bucks over to Cambridge for their building project.
But this recording out of Cambridge is something still more, masha Allah.
Pretty sure T. J. Winter's got something to do with this . . .
Download it while you can, and then send a few bucks over to Cambridge for their building project.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Primal Music Monday 3/10
With God's help and permission, we'll gather for this month's Primal Music Monday next week from 7 pm to 9 pm at Zawiya Perspective:
1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090
The last two times we got together we talked a lot about the politics of communal singing. We sang classic protest songs by the likes of Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan. We might do some of that again.
But it doesn't always have to be about politics. Communal singing helps the work day go by, whether breaking rocks or pulling oars. Or it can just be a good old time, and there's nothing wrong with that!
We'll be looking at old material by Cat Stevens, and maybe a classic prayer-song that became a camp-fire favorite for generations. And as always, a bit of classical Arabic poetry for the mystically-minded. Should be fun, insha Allah.
And we'll drum. A lot. And drink tea and eat donut holes and burn incense. We really need to get some blacklight posters up in the Zawiya, for sure. Next month, maybe.
Again, a quick reminder of the rules:
1) This gathering is for men only.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no photography or video, please.
See you then, insha Allah!
Was-salam,
Ahmed
1800 East Garry Ave. Suite 101
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 394-6090
The last two times we got together we talked a lot about the politics of communal singing. We sang classic protest songs by the likes of Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan. We might do some of that again.
But it doesn't always have to be about politics. Communal singing helps the work day go by, whether breaking rocks or pulling oars. Or it can just be a good old time, and there's nothing wrong with that!
We'll be looking at old material by Cat Stevens, and maybe a classic prayer-song that became a camp-fire favorite for generations. And as always, a bit of classical Arabic poetry for the mystically-minded. Should be fun, insha Allah.
And we'll drum. A lot. And drink tea and eat donut holes and burn incense. We really need to get some blacklight posters up in the Zawiya, for sure. Next month, maybe.
Again, a quick reminder of the rules:
1) This gathering is for men only.
2) Show up groomed and smelling good.
3) Absolutely no tuned instruments allowed. Bringing your own drum is encouraged.
4) Sound recording devices are fine, but no photography or video, please.
See you then, insha Allah!
Was-salam,
Ahmed
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