Strawberry Moon Songs
Mostly full moon parting clouds
Sacred firefly dance above the land
The light of mindfulness shines
through the fog of misery, heartbreak, and confusion
“Sing!” the night beckons, laughing
“Sing our communion with all species, Saints, Bodhisattvas, and Spirit Helpers!”
So I sang
and was sung through
and let it be
Just what it was
It was the week leading up to the Summer Solstice and the Strawberry Moon. We gathered on the Frog Holler Farm in Brooklyn, Michigan on Anishinaabe Aki in the 90+ degree heat and humidity to record my first non-children’s album in over a decade.
Billy King (guitars and piano), John Driscoll (drums and Irish flute), Chris Good (electric bass), Ian Gorman (recording engineer), and I spent the first day figuring out the setup in the beautiful converted barn studio. We eventually settled on the drums being in the basement kitchen, Ian in the basement control room, and Chris, Billy, and I in the spacious main room upstairs, where we also built an altar together to honor our ancestors, teachers, parents, and spiritual roots.
We were led in meditation each day by fellow Dharma teacher, friend, and mentor Barbara Newell (formerly Sr. Pine of Plum Village), and enjoyed home cooked meals together, which had been lovingly prepared by John’s partner Ellen Driscoll. As we focused our energies on each song being recorded, we felt held in the love of the Spirit, community, the ancestors, and the land.
What a gift to be able to take a break from recording and walk out on the beautiful farm, to be embraced by the trees and the vegetables, to shoo the deer flies and admire the magical constellation of fireflies, and to jump in the pond under the nearly full moonlight.
Caillou joined us as well. I wasn’t sure how he would do in his first recording session, but he did great. His presence was a calming gift to us all, as he relaxed and listened patiently. We tracked 10 songs with drums, guitars, vocals, and bass before John and Chris left on the third night. I was sad to see them go, feeling deeply appreciative of the energy and talents that they shared so skillfully and generously. After their departure I opened up to the opportunity of having some solo time with the mic in front of the altar.
I lit a candle, burned some sage, and let the Spirit sing through. I was gifted with a couple of improvised songs to which Billy added beautiful piano layers from the 1869 Steinway that lives on the farm, and additional guitar from his 1919 acoustic. Wow!
I am blown away not only by the results of our efforts, but by the beauty, peace, and intention of our collective process. I am so excited for you to hear these songs in their more fully evolved forms, as well as the brand new Spirit tunes. We still have a ways to go on the album, and because I did not receive the Kresge grant, I’m asking for additional support to help see it to completion.
In the next few months we will be adding keys, trumpet, upright bass, and vocal harmonies to the mix. If you would like to make a donation of any amount towards the process, I would appreciate it greatly, and will make sure you are among the first to receive the final album. You can donate via PayPal, Venmo (@JoeReillyMusic), or CashApp ($JoeReillyMusic).
The Community Gardeners will convene next for Camp Holler, a paired down version of Hollerfest on the Frog Holler Farm August 24th. This will be a private event with limited capacity. Email the King Family for more info. Until then I have some fun children and family concerts. I hope to see you this summer and celebrate my favorite season with you.
In gratitude,
Joe
