This project was born of so many things. Exemplary friends, books, life, road trips, other people's music, summers in Texas, a need to DIY, singalongs with Sam, samsara, sankharas, the seen and the unseen, and the way things are.
In 2009, wanting to play music, confused by copyright law, and inspired by RedSara's daily-practice art, I decided to write a song a day for one month. Many of these tunes were midwifed by Samantha Sinanan and Donna Rae Skrypichayko in our time together as Good Heavens to Betsy. The three of us had started a recording project in 2010, and when I left the band in 2011, I thought it would be nice to document these songs by learning how to use some of the recording software out there.
Three years and countless computer meltdowns later, "nice" is not exactly the word I would use to describe the recording process. I'm ready to accept that these songs, imperfect as they are, are as ready as they're ever going to be without a) someone else taking over the mixing/mastering/producing reins and b) a voice transplant. I'm really excited to let go and let it end.
I'm more or less confused about what, if anything, this project means to me. For all that it isn't, it still IS. It exists in work, not in a pejorative sense, but really, in energy x time. It exists in bits and bytes, somehow, to make little waves in our ears. It exists in the sweet memory of the trip I took to Montreal to record Marie-Soleil, and the time we spent in a yurt with wonderful friends at Lac Castor, Quebec. The best thing I got out of this project was the opportunity to connect, re-connect, play, record and receive from so many generous, beautiful, and incredibly talented! people in my life. This project gave me the (bit scary) chance to reach out in asking for help, and now, with this website, the chance to take up a little space, virtual though it may be. So, the real purpose of this website is to share my very deep gratitude with you for your love and kindness. (And it's also to avoid sending out cds that are just going to end up in the landfill).
What else...oh right, the music. What to say about it. If I had to choose a genre, it would probably be "Raffi for adults." I hope you like it.
Who What Where When How & Why
© 2013 by Mina Chung. All rights reserved.