Aaaah. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Bardic life - traveling, playing music, breaking bread with new friends and visiting forever friends. And I love being home at the end of it - my own bed, sleeping in late. April and May were full of amazing adventures. Tennessee waterfalls and a hike I thought I couldn't complete until I did. Wonderful folks, food and fun at Raven's Shire Beltane Festival in Pikeville, TN - mmmm - thanks for all the sausage. A time of deep meditation, retreat, and connection to the Earth in Red Rock, TX at Dragonz Wylde before and after Maiden Awakens Beltane Festival. An especially meaningful Druid ritual with a new and very personal connection to Bridget. A peaceful evening with one of the grooviest and most gentle souls I have ever met - ever. We reclaimed our roots and then some in Maud, TX. A most excellent couple of evenings with new friends in Jackson, TN and an intimate house concert in a very spiritual space. A visit with dear friends and my son's godparents in Charleston, SC. All capped off with some Beltane madness and mayhem at Summerland in Bonita Springs, FL - Sylvari Clan rocks!
Three songs found their way home to me in the last six weeks. That's pretty amazing. You'll be hearing those down the road: Old Ways, Blood Moon, and The Ship-Wrecked Pirates of Summerland and the Round-Eared Elves of Camp Rivendell.
Also, some partial ideas that may yet see the light of day, i.e., The Auto-Flush Faerie of Asheville, NC, and The Asparagus Song ... or perhaps not! Hah!
Home, resting, restringing guitar, cleaning off six weeks' worth of camp dust from EVERYTHING including inside my nose, ears and throat. Ready for a Songwriter's Forum in Eustis, FL this week - then a bit of downtime to play with polymer clay and my digital recorder.
Got this little fortune in my cookie - Whatever your life's work is, do it well.
Going to do my very best! Have a great week ahead.
I'll be back on the road in June! Look out Ohio, Michigan, New York and New Jersey!
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Mama Gina/Nine Toes the Bard / Blog
Tidbits From the Road
I am traveling and playing through Ohio, Michigan, and New York this fine, early June. The weather has been perfect! Sunny days and cool evenings.
Spent a few days with Loxsanna Moon, who hosted an absolutely amazing back yard concert in Clyde, Ohio. I lived in high style in her Goddess Retreat - a lovely camper under silver maples that whispered in the breeze. Then it was off to my friend Diane's for a couple of days in Michigan. Her home was is so peaceful and inviting ... I sat on her back patio and wrote a new song!
And then we eased on down the road to Michigan Pagan Fest for three incredible days of deep workshops and lots of great music. Dixon's Violin is just WOW! I can't even begin to describe what he does - but his music and expression moved my soul. Aria Flame and their lead singer Aziza seriously rocked the house. She's got some pipes! And I felt such a connection to each and every soul who came to my Saturday night concert. Dad showed up in the middle of "The Undertaker's Daughter" and I got so choked up, I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish the song ... but we all hung in there and cried together, and that just made it better. Happy Father's Day, Daddy.
Wednesday, I'm back on the road - Pinckney, Michigan; Sandusky, Ohio; Corfu, New York, then New Jersey, South Carolina, and finally home at the end of June. Wowsa! I am having the time of my life. So grateful for all the folks who make this joyful me possible - from the folks who host house concerts, to the shop owners who let me play in their stores, to the festival organizers who are inviting me to the best festivals ever, to all the folks who feed me and give me a corner to sleep in - THANK YOU!
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Mama Gina's Six Week Bugs and Beltaine Tour Wrap Up
Aaaah. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Bardic life - traveling, playing music, breaking bread with new friends and visiting forever friends. And I love being home at the end of it - my own bed, sleeping in late. April and May were full of amazing adventures. Tennessee waterfalls and a hike I thought I couldn't complete until I did. Wonderful folks, food and fun at Raven's Shire Beltane Festival in Pikeville, TN - mmmm - thanks for all the sausage. A time of deep meditation, retreat, and connection to the Earth in Red Rock, TX at Dragonz Wylde before and after Maiden Awakens Beltane Festival. An especially meaningful Druid ritual with a new and very personal connection to Bridget. A peaceful evening with one of the grooviest and most gentle souls I have ever met - ever. We reclaimed our roots and then some in Maud, TX. A most excellent couple of evenings with new friends in Jackson, TN and an intimate house concert in a very spiritual space. A visit with dear friends and my son's godparents in Charleston, SC. All capped off with some Beltane madness and mayhem at Summerland in Bonita Springs, FL - Sylvari Clan rocks!
Three songs found their way home to me in the last six weeks. That's pretty amazing. You'll be hearing those down the road: Old Ways, Blood Moon, and The Ship-Wrecked Pirates of Summerland and the Round-Eared Elves of Camp Rivendell.
Also, some partial ideas that may yet see the light of day, i.e., The Auto-Flush Faerie of Asheville, NC, and The Asparagus Song ... or perhaps not! Hah!
Home, resting, restringing guitar, cleaning off six weeks' worth of camp dust from EVERYTHING including inside my nose, ears and throat. Ready for a Songwriter's Forum in Eustis, FL this week - then a bit of downtime to play with polymer clay and my digital recorder.
Got this little fortune in my cookie - Whatever your life's work is, do it well.
Going to do my very best! Have a great week ahead.
I'll be back on the road in June! Look out Ohio, Michigan, New York and New Jersey!
Reply
"The Undertaker's Daughter" gets a sweet review!
Lookie here: http://witchesandpagans.com/Pagan-Culture-Blogs/the-long-rising-star.html If I could do a handstand without having to call an ambulance, well, I'd be dancing upside down right now! Here is a very sweet review of my new CD "The Undertaker's Daughter" from David Banach in his new capacity at witchesandpagans.com! You can listen on Spotify right now ... I will have plenty of CDs on hand on tour ... and the CD will be available on CDBaby, iTunes, amazon, etc very soon! Excited and grateful that this labor of love is getting love.
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Great Tuesday in the Studio!
Another lovely day in the studio. I know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men, but I'm feeling like we are really on track to see this through to a finished CD by the end of February.
I sat down with my guitar today and called in Freya while recording Freya's Lullaby. I called in Cerridwen whilst recording the vocals for Cerridwen's Cauldron. Even brought in a bit of Oshun as I played and sang Mojo. I most definitely did NOT call on Coyote while performing Coyote's Tattoo ...
I'll be back at it Thursday - playing percussion and adding bits here and there! Really looking forward to sharing some pre-mix music in the next couple of weeks.
Love my life! Have a great week.
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Another Monday in the Studio
Wow! We got so much accomplished in the studio today - working on the new CD "Undertaker's Daughter." No music to share just yet, but in a couple weeks I might have one or two pre-mixes for everyone to hear. This is one of those days when I am over-the-top grateful to be playing music! Love my life! Have an awesome week.
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First Day in the Studio
No sleep for me last night, as my mind raced and ran through all the things I wanted to do in the studio today. I tend to do this before any grand adventure ... and had a great afternoon recording some of "Undertaker's Daughter" and "Waking Panther." Things are already beginning to fall in place. Nothing complete yet, but I'll post snippets and some photos as I gather them.
That moment when the creation you have imagined and re-imagined and re-re-imagined finally begins to manifest ... truly do love my life.
Have a great week, and do something that makes you smile!
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Happy New Year!
I am so incredibly grateful for this amazing 2013. Awesome inspiration throughout the year. Wonderful inspiration. New music, and spectacular friends new and old who listened, hosted, and sang along. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I am looking forward to sharing this amazing, bardic journey as we step into 2014! A new CD is in the works ... somehow, it has turned into a bit of a tribute to my Dad. I'll keep you posted as "Undertaker's Daughter" is crafted over the next month.
Brightest Blessings for the New Year!
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Turning the Tide 2013
What a beautiful weekend in Miami, FL! Deeply spiritual, crazy fun, meaningful workshops, sweet connections with friends new and old. And I almost don't have words for how grateful I am for all who attended my afternoon concert and the stealth midnight concert! You gave me so much lovely energy - I just got out of the Divine One's way and let it all flow. The wonderful Justin Robles got some of the unplugged (i.e, Mama Gina up way past her bedtime) frame drum stories (The Brownie Song, Old Snake Woman, and Waking Panther) on video and you can watch and listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOVxuS8YDqQ. Thank you, Justin! And thanks to everyone at Turning the Tide in Miami for providing such a beautiful space for us to connect, reflect and grow this weekend.
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Grateful for New Friends
I played a couple of new places this weekend: RockMyGypsySoul in Hudson, FL and Dandelion Communitea Cafe in Orlando, FL. Both Friday and Saturday evening concerts were intimate, yet mighty full of emotion and energy. Thank you so much to all the new faces and friends who joined me this weekend. So happy to be on this journey with your support. Road tested a new song that will eventually find space on my little digital recorder - Goddess Walking in This World. Thanks for singing along and sharing the moment!
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Milestone, or should I say Millestone!
While I was out playing the last couple weeks, and not looking at my reverbnation page, I crossed the 1,000 fan number. You are 1,003 strong and counting, and I am so very grateful! Thank you for listening, thank you for sharing, and thank you for purchasing the CD. I could not do this without each and every one of you. Have an awesome week! I know I will.
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