News items posted to this page are usually edited versons of Member Mailings.
Four Winds News: 10 July 1999
Yes, another long gap between News Updates, but we've got a lot for you this time!
Kurt Talking Stone
Choral Director
Song Of The Summer
Hello and blessings to each and every one of you. We've been doing the postcard mailings for Members since February to save money, but enough has happened that it's worth it to catch everybody up and sent out a newsletter mailing.
Here's what's happening. For openers, since we DIDN'T go up to Blair's to record on July Third, we decided to skip the scheduled, July 2nd Rehearsal. Our very excellent sound man got tagged to work the weekend, ouch! So we had the weekend off. Some of us REALLY NEEDED it. With the quite frankly amazing heat, it was probably a good idea to chill out. Heh-heh. In fact, the heat burned out the Monday July 6th Rehearsal.
Some Busy Times For The Winds
Clearwater Revival sing-along
In recent weeks, we did not let any moss grow under our soles. On June 19th We sent a team to perform at The Great Clearwater Hudson River Revival in the Sing-Along tent! Hoot hoot! This effort was organized by Richard Courage who got the organizers attention by sharing some of our material with them. This resulted in an invitation to perform and free passes to the event.Our performance was very successful, but the road was a little rocky. Choral Director Kurt Talking Stone could not be there due to a precommitment at Free Spirit Gathering. The team preparing for the event went through a number of control, leadership and anxiety issues and as a result ended up ruffling each other's feathers far more than what was comfortable.
As a result, on June 22 we had a small but powerful Talking Stick Council after regular rehearsal to air group dynamics issues. Some changes and a rededication of spirit will be coming along as a result. With all that we've been doing we've let some issues go unexamined. In related news, Athena has chosen to step down as Assistant Choral Director and go on the Semi-Active list while very busy organizing her career. We have some things to talk about. (See Four Winds Council below)
PAGAN WAY PRIDE CIRCLE
Enchantment's Pagan Way Grove hosted a Pride Circle on June 26 in honor of Lesbian & Gay Pride Week, culminating in the Gay Pride March the following day. Choral ritual support provided by the Winds. Very Nice.FULL MOON CIRCLE
On June 28 we did indeed hold our Choral Full Moon. In Jackson Square Park under the sky after we discovered our contact never booked a space for us, despite repeated calls. However, the small group that gathered held our worship and it was very fine. (See Full Moon Below).
African Unity Day 1999
Finally got some info from Nouk Bassomb with some preliminary information about the Sunday, July 25th event. Jezibel will also be performing solo. I've also been asked to make a speech again. (Yikes!)
> AFRICAN UNITY DAY 1999 is set for July 25, 1999
> at Bryant Park, Manhattan (6th Ave. @ 42nd Street).
> I see "Four Winds" performing around 3 p.m. You
> may deliver a speech on unity immediately afterwards.
> There is a stage at Bryant Park. "Four Winds" can fit
> on it.So there we are, I expect the event will be somewhat informal, but I want to put up a good effort. I would like people to please start letting me know if they're planning to be on deck for this event.
With the loss of the July 2nd & 6th Rehearsals, we have a challenge to meet this event. We have the 15th and the 20th to decide whether we can get ready. I need to hear from people or we'll be forced to cancel. We've never pulled out of one yet, I don't want to start now.
To make things a little easier, We'll limit the playlist to some of our simpler stuff and NO NEW SONGS. That will make it less difficult for the folk with multiple commitments to participate. At the moment, most of the core membership can only attend about half-time. Here's what I was thinking of including. The play order is not set. Feedback is always appreciated.
Behold
Fanga
Thunder Brings
Goin' On Up/Break 'em Down
Four Nations Song
Farewell Song
We Are Alive
Turn the World Around
Gaia
We Are A Circle
African Unity Day 1999
SUNDAY, JULY 25, 1999 (Previously July 18)All day, Bryant park, 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue, NYC
A celebration and consciousness raising event for political and economic unity in Africa. Four Winds scheduled to perform.
Another Handfasting!
Apparently Inactive Member Black Bear was so impressed with our performance at Alexandria & Rob's joining that he's requested our services for him and his partner. Jezibel is organizing the event and so far we are looking at Saturday. August 8th. Contact us or attend Rehearsals for further information.
Anniversary Project Recording Session 3
I spoke to Sound Man Blair Ferrier last Thursday evening and we did the sacred holy "Calendar Dance". The next time the planets will be in alignment is: SATURDAY, AUGUST 14th, in the Late Afternoon and/or Evening. One difficulty of volunteer groups is the lead time required to get the word out about schedule changes. I'm told that herding cats is similar...
If we travel to West Point, we have the advantage of using Blair's studio. We'll know when we're done and can do more technically. But there's travel up and back. We have a new van and can haul fair number of bodies. Got some luck that there isn't Grove Class, that means leaving around midday, possibly back before Midnight.
Here in NY, we could work in a three hour session at MTW for just about any time during the day. Tougher on Blair who has to haul big gear, but easier for us. We would also be limited in whatever equipment is portable. Since we're doing a few "Clean up" tracks, I am leaning towards the Road Trip. Blair says that he'll be sending us a couple of CD-R discs with work to date for us to go over.
FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY RECORDING PROJECT
Third and Final Recording Session
Saturday, August 14, 1999, Midday and/or early evening.
West Point OR New York City.This is the next available gap in the busy festival season and Blair's work schedule. We will either be travelling up to Blair Ferrier's lair at West Point to use his studio or renting a studio space here in the city. Late Afternoon/Evening Session, details to come.
We are planning to assemble a crew of our more accomplished singers and drummers to put the finishing touches on the Project. Contact us or attend Rehearsals for further information.
This session is open to Active Members only.
THE HAZARDOUS BIG SUCK MONEY PIT
I've started to inquire about the costs of CD duplication. It looks like we're heading for the $1000-$2000+ range. One outfit, Oasis CD, that had a great info brochure, offers a full-fledged package, w printing, that costs $2285 for 1000 CDs and 500 tapes. A 500 CD/200 tape package runs for $1685. So now you know what we're up against. Not outrageous, but not trivial either. Bear in mind that the unit cost is about $1.50 per disc. Some other companies prices went over, some under... One outfit offered a 1000 CD deal for $1000, but it was kind of no-frills. At least we have a Graphic Designer....CD & TAPE PRE-ORDERS NOW AVAILABLE
With our limited funds, we are pre-selling the recording to help raise the money for production and duplication costs. Yep, we need to raise money up-front! By pre-ordering, (at a NICE discount!) people can help us make this project happen! I included a Preorder Form and some comp art with the Member mailing, but here's the scoop:
FOUR WINDS: WE EACH SEND A VOICE
Five Years of Celebration in Song, Chant and RhythmnPreorder Prices: CDs: $10.00 Reg.$15 Tapes: $6.00 Reg.$10 For preorders, take the Name, Mailing Address, and their Money, get their E-mail if they have one. Or pass along the contact address to order directly. Have folks make any checks payable to Kurt Griffith.
We hope to have an ORDER/PROMO PAGE on the site later this month...
In the meantime, you can E-Mail me with preorders.
Four Winds Council
After a bumpy road to a successful gig at the Great Clearwater Hudson River Revival we had a Talking Stick Council at the June 22nd Rehearsal where we aired a number of issues mostly centering on group dynamics and various other challenges for the Chorus. Among the things discussed, what has come to mind is that we have to consider being more strict about qualifications, attendance and adherence to guidelines.
Another area that needs work is empowering the entire Membership to learn starts, cues, lyrics and tunes. It has become obvious that many Members have been depending on a few key members to supply cues and key to the point of abuse. When those key members are unavailable, a lot of folk become non-functional. What we have to establish is an environment where we support each other without blowing off our responsibilities to the group, or abusing the folks who leared the material.
In addition, we need to review and tighten up how we conduct ourselves in public and on stage in particular. Hopefully we are going to be releasing an album this Fall and we'll be expected to measure up to the quality of the music on it.
The other area is a little more slippery. There has been some note that newer folk and some old timers have have felt excluded, their contributions, concerns and their voices not heard. I have to take that seriously. I wasn't aware of the problem, but on the other hand, both 1997 and '98 were VERY distracting years! What that means though, is that I have to pay more attention to all the Membership. On the other hand, any Member's voice in the group is directly related to their participation. The people who have been heard have been the one's who have spoken up. And they've been around when decisions were being made. Somehow we have to work out an a balance so that ALL our voices are heard.
One of the problems might be that we've been a little over-active and always training for the next upcoming event. So we've tended to stay a little hectic and frayed. What we'll be doing next is BACKING OFF a little (or a lot...) on events after African Unity Day and paying more attention to training, basics and raising everybody's comfort level. Another positive suggestion is to establish a sort of simple "Rite of Entry" to help welcome new Members into our family after they've been with us for a bit. We are also planning to hold a Rededication Circle sometime in the upcoming months (September?) to help us refocus on our Mission and the power and joy of this work. The only events on deck are possibly the "Coyote" Bardic and the 1999 Witches' Ball if the organizers get it together and the invitation still stands. The first is "whenever" and the next not till the end of October. We alre also planning to support Black Bear's Handfasting currently scheduled for Sunday, August 8th.
And to help keep us focused, we will try to "Pass the Talking Stick" on a more regular basis. While there were some uncomfortable moments for me, the ceremony of the council makes it very effective and powerful. The sense that one is being attentively listened to, make people speak truthfully from the heart. And the ratio of listening to speaking goes way up. By the end, everyone knows that everybody has been heard. No voting, no shouting, no "Robert's Rules", no Majority Rule, just everyone's Truth.
The Full Moon CIrcle
If you got our E-Mail from the 28th, you know that when we arrived at the Lesbian & Gay Community Center on June 28th there was no room reserved for us and we were not on the schedule. Our Contact had not reserved a space for the Circle. We ended up having our Choral Full Moon Circle in Jackson Square Park. What follows is an edited excerpt from a follow-up E-mail I sent to Jonathan. [New Moon NY Interim Liaison]
I was quite disappointed in Gloria [Waslin, our contact with Network for Realization of the Goddess], after a series of conversations and assurances, to find out she apparently never contacted Ector [Simpson at The Center]. At that moment I was pretty pissed. But then we walked over to Jackson Square Park and did the circle with the small clump of the faithful who arrived, all my anger was given away to Grandmother. Remarkable, and I've been doing this stuff for a while!
But I was willing to see what was up, so trudged back to the Center where her weekly group was meeting. (every Mon 8:00-10:30) Perhaps it was possible that she expected us at 8:00, who knows? We got there (me, Heather and the boyz) and found her (I think it was her) with four other women in what I can only describe as mid-lecture. I tried to get her attention from the door and she waved me off, not missing a word. I waited for about fifteen minutes or so to see if she was just looking for a place to break. NO such luck. On and on.
So we left. There was no way I was waiting around till 10:30 with two hungry kids. So we never had a face-to-face, handshake or even an introduction. I'm not sure what to think. But I don't extect to be working with Gloria on any project in the near future. I don't know where her head was at. Either she flaked, ran into problems and just didn't tell me, or blew us off. These comments may not be fair to Gloria, but that was my experience. No matter, the circle was good. We sang well.
I'm just as happy that we didn't stick a crowbar into our limited funds and do a big paper mailing after all. That would have been costly and embarrassing. But I still have to make the observation that the Circle, the singing was fabulous, and that indeed is the good part.
Meeting Challenges
We've done better than most groups at keeping things going without hammering people. The volunteer nature of our organization makes for special challenges. I hope that Members will come for the with the commitment to the Chorus and the music to meet them in a sacred manner. I keep relearning, this music heals. Partake.
If I have not heard you in the past, I am sorry. We are trying to do something never done before. Each and every one of us and our contributions are important, large or small. We must all hear each other as well as the Winds.
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 wepire interested!
Got News, Questions or problems? Send E-Mail to us at: khgriffith@worldnet.att.net
Blessing of the Sun and Summer to you all,
Kurt Griffith/Talking Stone,
Choral DirectorMitaquye Oyasin * Blessed Be * Ashe * Shalom * A Salaam * Amen
