A dream?

Coming home. That's what being here feels like.  We are met with healthy challenges and continue to grow each moment here.  Ross Bellenoit, our friend and one of our favorite musicians from Philly came up yesterday.   He is here to share his talents with the lap steel and his guitar wizardry.

Ross really surfaced at the most beautiful moment. He came as we were laying down our vocals for Knife Arms.  In the event you do not know the song..  its quite challenging.  Challenging to the point that I don't always love singing it.. not because I don't love the song.. but because it is hard to sing.  Physically, and sometimes emotionally.  Mike and I initially wanted to record it together.. but due to the rhythms and various other details of the song it became clear that singing it together for recording purposes may not be the best method.  Mike's voice is so strong.  So versatile..
I sing the way that I do.  No training..  just a whole lot of feels and a pretty good ear.
With Knife Arms, I tend to get pitchy.. (flat or sharp).  I was pretty nervous to do the vocals for this recording.  SO.. as it turned out, Mike sang it first.  Henry and Rachel set me up to sing on top of his vocal.  Henry broke each section down into little phrases which made it a lot less daunting.  Henry also spoke/speaks so clearly and calmly.  The sound of his voice through the headphones is nothing less than a guiding light for me.  In addition to Henry's thorough and calm demeanor, the man just melts my heart. 

Mike has produced the two albums we have done so far with the Spinning Leaves.  It's a gift, and at the same time it has presented challenges for the two of us.  I think that although at points it is a challenge for Mike to not be the one helping to guide my voice.. he realizes the incredible talent of both Henry and Rachel and is learning to surrender some of the producing responsibilities.  I can't really speak on behalf of Mike, but I think by him not having to be doing EVERYTHING he is opening up to learn more from two absolutely amazing producers.

 ANYWAY..  Knife Arms sounds out of this world.  This project is going to be a 3 song EP.  We will be bursting with pride to share these songs with you.  I cant wait for you to hear them!   


In the room that we have been staying in at the bottom of the church, there are no windows.  There seems to be no time here.  Hours and minutes surrender to the music. I spoke to my mom today and she is the first 'outside' person I have spoken to since we have been here.  It was a strange jerk to a different reality.  I want to savor being here.

It will be strange to leave without having our next time of when we will be back.  I will feel homesick.

My dreams have been so vivid since I've been here and I'm working on two new songs.  One on the piano, and the other on the guitar.  A lot of my time in the the past months  at home get spent on emails and phone calls and meetings.  I used to write all of the time.  On matchbooks and napkins, leaving trails of words.  I would pick up my guitar at least once a day.  Much of the life of a musician gets sucked away into being some sort of business person.  We don't get paid for the work we do and the work doesn't stop.  I remember a conversation that I had with my friend Tara.  She is a journalist for one of the city papers, and is a writer of all sorts.  We were talking about how nice it would be to have a mandatory month or so to go stay on an artist colony of sorts.  A place where we could go to focus on our craft, create.. and meet, hear, and share in  visions.  A place with no cell phones. No meetings.  Just the art.  ~~Tara, I'm pretty much here.  Amen.

And, it's not a dream.  ~~~~sigh~~~~~~~

Keep posted.. we will continue to share insights, pictures and videos!

LOVE to your moment.
 ~b.