RIVER!! My time on The River. The people I met. The kids I taught, their parents, our “West County Tribe.” My own children. The River and the sacred forest following it. My friends. Musicians, writers, painters, teachers, poets, thinkers, do-gooders, & redeemers…
1. River – an original composition by John Simon talks about “a river of love.” That has certainly been my experience. “Just let the river run…”
2. Hunter Gets Captured by the Game – Bari-sax player, Claire Daily, did a cover of this. It just hit me right. “…and I was captured!”
3. I Cover the Waterfront – I love Sailors! My son was in the Navy. 5000 guys on the Indy. Our hometown of Guerneville has fewer than 5,000 people total, so the ship was like a small town.”Will the one I love be coming back to me?” This one’s for you, Boys… #GoNavy!
4. Miles Away – I love Basia! I enjoy being able to use my whole voice on these tunes! It’s all about Guerneville, the Russian River, West County! “Where we got some big trees to breathe!”
5. Pure Imagination – John Simon & I began working on this amazing arrangement before the passing of Gene Wilder, “Willy Wonka”. Bless his soul. I like to think of this song as my anthem for teaching Middle School. “Want to change the world? There’s nothing to it!”
6. Pretty Women – Well, life is a “Pretty Woman”, isn’t it? Our mothers, our grandmothers, our daughters…all pretty women. “Fascinating!” Sondheim, Baby!
7. Stolen Moments is a long story about three jazz singers from the Bay Area…Well, Never mind. I was inspired to do this by Mark Murphy. Yes, I had a “Stolen Moment” with him back in the day. Hey, it was the 70’s! Then I heard Betty Carter and Carmen MacRae do it with Ann Fischer’s lyrics…. See what I mean?
8. Soothe Me – I’m in love with the lack of time on this song. Keep it open and let’s have some fun! Soothe Me, Baby!
9. Poinciana your flowers speak to me of love… If there was a song about Crepe Myrtle or Rhododendrons, it would be more accurate, but…The River, Hawaii…Respite. This song is fun!
10. Yearning – To me it’s about being a Mother in the greater sense…
Missing my Grandmother. Loving my Husband, the Earth, my kids, all my kids… “It’s not a country, a town, not a house…” Basia!
11. Sugar Mama by Gwen Avery Gwen was a regular on the river. She sat in on open mic, went to community dinners, performed regularly at Main Street Bistro and the piano bar at R3. I’m doing this song for Gwen & all the “Sugar Mamas” on The River. “I wanna be your Sugar Mama…”
12. You’ll Find Your Way – We simply need more Samba! John Simon wrote this one, “I remember dancing in the street!” A good bookend to the story of River!!
13. Trees – Yes, well…It’s not really about The River, is it? It’s all about the trees. The Giant Redwoods lining the banks of the Russian River! Have you met Colonel Armstrong? That tree is older than Jesus! #Trees
