Nature-y Titles

After my big papers are in (Tuesday) I can get back to blogging about new things! In the meantime, here's some rediscovered favorites that I recommend.


Above the Treetops (Pat Metheny)
This one will give you chills. I pretty much guarantee it. Metheny is an incredible genre-crossing jazz guitarist, and this Secret Story album is a great example.  He incorporates world music into his playing. This is the first track on the album, and it opens with Cambodian children singing a traditional song called "The Buong Song". Metheny arranges the chant simply, with a minimal string accompaniment. He only joins the singing children midway through on guitar. The song has such an ethereal, powerful effect.

This is such a treasure. I discovered it in my jazz history class with Paul Ferguson, and it really moved me. I hadn't listened to it in a while, but the other day my (sorority) little sis (who is now taking the same class) posted this video to Facebook. It's so striking.


By the Sea (Bobby McFerrin)
The second song I have to share is much less weighty. It will put an instant smile on your face. Again, I just about guarantee smiles. It's completely, infectiously happy.

I haven't really blogged about it, but I completely adore Bobby McFerrin. I can literally fall into youtube vortexes where I click on every video that pops up by him. I'll watch the same video again as soon as it ends. It's kind of sad. But seriously, McFerrin could sing friggin' Twinkle and I would be captivated. I just want to take a vacation in his brain and see what goes on in there.

And of course, I can't listen to one of his songs without immediately clicking on six more, so here's two more that make me practically giddy when I listen to them:

Drive
Air
My Favorite Things
I've Got a Feeling

Have a happy weekend (if those videos don't get your weekend off to an amazing start I don't know what will)!

My opera singer BFF Alana is coming and I am so excited for our shenanegans I can barely stand it! After next Tuesday, get ready for some CRAZY BLOG SESSIONS.