News items posted to this page are edited versons of Member Mailings.
Four Winds News: 21 March 1999
FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY PROJECT KICKS OFF!
Greetings all!
Well, the thing is launched. On Sunday March 14, 14 members of the Chrous came togehter and starting laying down the first tracks of our first recording. We're far from finished but the energy was electric and everybody sang well and was full of energy and enthusiasm!
There were 14 of us present and singing. We took our first shots at The Charge of The Winds, Let The Way Be Open, Medicine Bear & Bear Song, This Witch Is Not For Burning, Gaia and spoken word pieces from the two Richards. It's a learning experience, but a lot of fun. We hope that those of you who weren't able to make it might turn out for Session Two or Three.
We were pleased and honored to have Michelle join us on the back end of the day. She was a quick study and meshed neatly with the Chorus. Welcome! We were very appeciative of Blair's patience and professionalism and his ability to guide us through this new territory. We're looking forward to the next session!
Most of us ajourned to Round-the-clock to feast and celebrate, between mouthfuls of busily refueling ourselves. Regrettably, a few folk had to scatter to commitments and our sound team Blair and Michelle had to hit the road back to West Point to get out from under the storm that promised one last parting shot from old man Winter.
I've been listening to the monitor tapes ever since and while there's always room for imporvement, it ain't bad at all! Blair played back one of the better takes of Let The Way Be Open. And people's jaws were hangin'! I choose to interpret that as a good sign... Ahem.
So next up is planning the next session. The room we were in at MTW seems to be OK, and has the additional virtues of being moderately priced and fairly available if we plan ahead. So, all ya'll so-called Active Members, please take a look at the following dates and comments. We discussed this further at Thursday's (March 18th) rehearsal. See below.
Potential Dates for Recording Session Two:SUNDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 11
Available, but kind of short notice. Keeps energy momentum. Must hustle to publicize to General Membership. Week before Enchantment's Bardic, and may want to concentrate on that event.SUNDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 18
The DAY AFTER the Bardic. If we're feeling buzzed enough. Or we could be feeling a litle fried. Would take up whole weekend with 4W stuff.SUNDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 25
This seems just about right. Got a week to recharge, about a five week gap from Session One. However, we would have to go a little earlier, room is booked at 4:00. We would do set-up at 11:00 and start working at 12noon.SUNDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 9
This is the weekend AFTER Beltane. That's why I skipped over the 2nd. This is as far back as I would like to push this. The next weekend is Rob and Ali's Handfasting which we are booked for. Besides, maybe MAY 23 could end up as Session Three? Once festival season starts, they'll be lots of scheduling problems.Based on what we talked about briefly at Rehearsal last Thursday, it looks like Sunday, April 25 (11:00 setup, 12:00-4:00) seems to be emerging as the leading candidate for the next session, pretty much for the reasons mentioned above. If it's an OK day for Blair and Michelle, this will probably be the day.
How does that work for everybody? The other dates are doable, just less ideal. However, May 2 and 18 are blocked, May 2 is local celebration of Beltane and the Chorus is booked on the 18th for Ali and Robert's handfasting and we're singing!
So break out your appointment calendars, filofaxes, dayrunners, Palm Pilots, laptops and goat entrails. Vote for your favorite! Try to be flexible! Whatever day we pick is going to be inconveinent for someone! We'll try for the best fit. PLEASE email me your comments if you don't think you'll be at a rehearsal soon. -Kurt
In case you were wondering, this is part of Phase One of a four-part undertaking.
Phase One. Recording the base tracks.
Phase Two. Mixdown, cleaning up and mixing the materials for the best sound. Track order and playlist. CD master.
Phase Three. Production. Duplicating CD's and/or tapes. Preparing artwork and printing booklets and labels.
Phase Four. Promotions and Distribution. This includes working out a fair and sustainable scheme for financing and selling these things.
We don't have a set-in-stone timetable for all this , but Ideally, It would be great if this was put together by the end of the Summer. Of course, in the midst of all this we're singing and doing events, right? OF COURSE we are!
SOME ANNIVERSARY COMMENTS
We also have received a few comments from some folk, I've posted a few here. We DO have some pretty good friends out there.
Never doubt what a small group of committed people can do.
Congrads.
Orren Whiddon
Four Quarters Farm
Wahoo!!! Innnteeennnsssee!
Good going and good luck! Wish we could be there!
Richard F. Man
Imagecraft Creations
Server host and Griffith Clan hunka brother
Dear Kurt:
Just to let you know I received your e-mail and Stan, Bob and I wish you, Heather and the Four Winds the very best of wishes on your Anniversary. I have fond memories when we were together and shared the beauty and love all of you expressed in your singing and the support you have us and the community.
The very best of luck to all of you with the recording. We wish you every success.
Artie (Haber)
Operator of the Pagan Community Center
at 14th Street Viedeo Haven: 1994-1997
Congrats! Long may the Four Winds blow!
Best of luck, and if you do any of my pieces, I'd love to hear the results!
bright blessings,
Isaac (Bonewits)
Dear Kurt, Happy 5th Anniversary!!! Surely I will buy your tape/cd!!! Nevertheless, recording is a lot of work and money---I know because I was in a punk band for four years and have a couple of tapes, LP, EP, and CDs.......Good Luck,
Vinny Shining Moon
OUR CURRENT SPACE SITUATION
We currently have a fairly stable arrangement in place, but we hope to do better. (in other words... Cheaper!) We alternate rehearsals between Cooperative Arts Project's CAP 21 Studios, very nices facility and people, and the Home of Miz Elspeth. We're using Musical Theatre Works for the Recording Project. Still, we're ALWAYS interested in useful spaces for rehearsals, ritual and ceremony, workshops and performances. We pulled the Notice off of the site entry path. But here's the info if you want to check it out.
WANTED: REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE SPACES
Click Here to read Notice
STUFF ON THE HORIZON
We have other projects, gigs and events in the pipeline that weĠre working towards manifesting. A JesterĠs Concert, A Full Moon, African Unity Day, Workshops, Bardics. The core Membership in very aware that weĠre a lot healthier when we have goals to work towards.
Jesters, Fools and Coyote
What would have been Giveaway IV: Jesters, Fools and Coyote, would have been a performance for PGC scheduled near to April Fools Day, a date near and dear to my heart at least. This will probably be replanned as a Open Bardic Circle, which was the original idea as proposed by Assistant Choral Director Athena. It'll also probably have to move back in the season, probably after the April 17th Bardic.June Full Moon
The Full Moon for New Moon NY may yet come together. I have managed to track down the contact information for the Network For The Realization of The Goddess, who have been facilitating the Full Moon Circles for the on-haitus New Moon NY. Stay tuned.Alexandria and Robert
Two of our newest Members, Alexandria and Robert are planning to Handfast on Sunday, May 16 at Enchantment's, and have asked the Chorus to sing for the event. We've accepted with great joy and anticipation. We'll be dusting off the clean shirts for the event. Rob has also let his immune systems drop and got the drum bug, getting a hold of a new djimbe. Joy! We have a preliminary playlist and outline for the event.We invite many of you who were a part of our past who are able, to come forward and be a part of our never-a-dull-moment future!
Feel free to talk to us if you have any questions, ideas, problems or just want to gab. Rehearsals, bookings, gigs, songs, circles, teachings; you know weĠre interested!
Got News, Questions or problems? Send E-Mail to us at: khgriffith@worldnet.att.net
Mitaquye Oyasin * Blessed Be * Ashe * Shalom * A Salaam * Amen
Kurt Griffith/Talking Stone,
Choral Director
