Aquarium Funk is an innovative compendium of cool with wings, hip with the hap of old school meets break out contemporary jazz fusions of capriccio tuneful funky charm.
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There is a certain evanescence found in Jazz that is conversational, melodically composed in a nuance of notes that is a kind of sound braille to touch upon, and translate through a whole body experience. Maybe it’s because it is rooted in my childhood when my father, and I would listen to his albums together on a Sunday morning; that was our church, our communion, our sanctuary of lyrical repose.
I absorbed Louis Armstrong, Dizzy, Chet, Oscar Peterson, Miles and more with rapturous meditation listening to the grooves, of syncopation, forks in the melody line, overlays of instruments speaking to each other, and pauses filled with anticipation of what would be wondrous next.
There is a musical happening on soundcloud that is more than the songs themselves, it is a community of like minded creative souls sharing their passion, igniting the fire of what I have named, avanticity; a place where music is reborn.
Loving Jazz as I do, especially innovative Jazz, I created a group on sound cloud so here for your listening pleasure, is our friends on soundcloud.com.
To believe that you echo me is to hear the bell chimes from long ago.
There is star dust in my flesh.
There are deserts in my eyes, and my feet are lit with a fresh wind where my soul and heart shall mesh
I see you now… it is you that I feel
Still I ask, “Will you stay? Are you real?”
Somewhere a leaf has fallen
It lands on sapphire water
I hear you calling.
I see your footprints in the sand.
The flame is burning the wood
There is no time to be false
For the camel nears the eye
And my days are beautiful in the heart of God
This wave of salvation carries me
From out of the foundation of collective memory, I deepen
In wide expansive spirals, I coast across the sea
These winks from the stars guide my way, as God wants me to know Her endless light.
And in the rocking lull, I wistfully sail above the troubled fright
Faithfully pray for her angel’s embrace
Here along the sand, in poems that lovers write
How sweet it is to find friends in the piano rooms of web spaces interwoven with fresh originality and wondrous expressions of completely new sounds! Such is the joy of collaborations and the muse for a musician’s soul path. Recently I had the distinct honor and joy of collaborating with Simon Reich on sound cloud. These moments of coalescing the collective vapors are truly exhilarating, in a world of musical isolation for some, such as myself I welcome the opportunity for creating with others. I have always favored harmonies over lead vocals. I marvel at how truly ascetic the experience is to blend voices and attain the one voice a chord and resonates the heart in its expression.
The art work here is a collage I made with the brilliant modern artistry of Nathan Brutsky and elements by graphic artist itKuPiLLi
Laura Botsford is a singer/songwriter originating from Toby’s Coffee House in Albuquerque in 1976. She writes in a variety of styles, from Country, Indie and Jazz Fusion with ambient and retro mix of instrumentals. The retro riffs and world beats are interestingly infused with a quirky “avanticity,” as she likes to call it. Her love of cinema and story telling is evident in the ethers of her soundscapes that are, “the stuff dreams are made of.”
“Life is a musical, and I’m one note in the song, coalescing the vapors and rhyming their stories .” – Laura Botsford
New release – Aquarium Funk
Aquarium Funk is an innovative compendium of cool with wings, hip with the hap of old school meets break out contemporary jazz fusions of capriccio tuneful funky charm. Subscription Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Aquarium Funk
Wishing Wall is an Ambient Jazz Fusion with horns and eclectic percussion, harmonized with world culture voices and rocking retro riffs. It’s pleasing for easy listening, and meditative soul exploration.
Prince of Peace, is an epic story in orchestral grandeur illustrating the events of the birth of Christ. The sublime classical ambience of ethereal Middle Eastern vocals and eclectic percussions transports us to ancient sands under the Eastern Star.” – Laura Botsford
More Music on Bandcamp.com and Soundcloud
This lovely arrangement of Unicorn Giraffe was done by KMG Music of the Heart Strings Quartet- The Sheet music is for two violins, cello and viola. It is for sale for all classical enthusiasts looking for a children’s piece to add to their repertoire. Can you imagine a world where the most different of sorts find friendship? Are you one that might be so unusual that you think it impossible to find a place belong? The Unicorn Giraffe thought so until he realized that he had to like himself first before others would like him. He had to believe that what set him apart from the others , is what made him so unique. The love he sought was there in him, and only until he realized this would his life be fulfilled. There is a light within you may if ever be near.
More Music from the potential collaborative play
Verse1
Once upon a time in a distant land, there lived a Unicorn Giraffe
He was the only one of his kind that he knew of, he was the only one of his kind that he could see, He was a lonely he.
He would graze in meadows date palm leaves he would eat, then in the afternoon when it was hot, he’d go down to the stream, He’d go down to the stream, Child of the river.
Verse 2
Yet at night, when the stars burned bright, he would sit, he would sit beneath the moon and he sang a sad little song that went like this, He’s sing, send a friend to join me send a friend to know me, send a friend along, send a friend along.
Verse 3
And All the birds they echoed in his wish as did the frogs, the mice and the silver fish, they sang, glubb, glubb, ribbit, Iiee, la tweet.
Well the days seem to spin by although he was lonesome he ceased to cry, rather he sang a different tune, beneath the hopeful gentle moon.
And it came to pass, but not too soon, beneath this hopeful, gentle moon there came another giraffe, he didn’t have a unicorn, that was alright, for it’s what you are inside, it’s what you are inside not what you look like and together they sang.
Chorus*
There’s a light that shines within me, may it always be quite near, it’s my best and truest friend then there’s you my dear.
Four Piece Orchestral Sheet Music can be bought on Bandcamp.com
Autographed books of the story are on the Etsy Store
Unicorn Giraffe is also on Blurb with a full preview.
The Original Song – written in 1972 and recorded on a little radio recorder in Inglewood California so my audio isn’t that great. I added the strings last year.
Why do I love this song? is it because it reminds me of my childhood? Or perhaps speaks of dreams coming true? Yes, all the best of life fulfilled eventually, after the longing, in the sweet sadness of life’s woes and disappointments.
There in the heart of everyone is this universal truth, somewhere we can escape to, someplace where we can live our dreams. It is a common calling that comes with being born. No matter your fortune, good or lack of, there is always something we want to make right, to have or be delivered from. In a world of such diverse contrasts, it is an ignitable presence in all of our lives that resonates at our core and surely seeks a hopeful distraction.
When I was young, the elders spoke of believing in oneself, and if you did that your dreams would come true. I’ve come to believe that as I got older my beliefs were shaken most by those that didn’t embrace this truth; and when my dreams coming true depended on them believing as well, then that was where all my troubles began.
Yes, it is challenging to continue from a center of well being in the midst of chaos, heartache when people let you down. When I finally accepted that people have their own perspectives, their own paths, and the right to them, that I started feeling better. We can not control the behavior of others, we can only be as it is said, “The change we want to see in the world.” There is great peace in knowing this.
Maybe the rainbow is really just our hearts, and minds choosing to be happy just for the fun of it.
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There’s a land that I’ve heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That’s where you’ll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can’t I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can’t I?
The world moved in a blank sheet of mist over the torn sands and forgotten lands. No one remembered the days of open sky and campfires burning with adventure underneath a desert moon. Except for this one man who had left the cold and sterile domes to find his desert rose.
The world is designated into isolation domes somewhere in the year 3009. Rugged people were increasingly restless in the homogenized civilizations grouped like castrated stallions in domes of crystal and steel. The once adventurous individualists were out of step with the modern world. Only a handful of secret souls, wild and free remained.
Evolution had rounded up the Johnny Cash’s, Belle Starr’s, Sam Houston’s and Mabel Strickland’s. Some say they left the planet for new universe frontiers. For the most part, that was true. But a few decided to stick around earth or come back to rekindle the campfire chats and bust open the deserts and forest once more.
The old museum had been salvaged after the meteor, books and what hadn’t burned, was taken out west of the city and now lay buried in an underground cavern at the far end of the west gate of the dome. There wasn’t much left and little interest over the years in what was. People gathered in pod domes and became self-sufficient. They designed their own atmospheres and shielded themselves from the elements around and above them from then on. Stars were vaguely viewed through glass and exterior landscapes were considered no mans land. The sun was filtered into a dim glaze and there weren’t any gardens as people only ate synthetic foods made in food labs. Water was scarce and rationed though there were many streams and rivers left in the unventured wilderness.
Laura Botsford © all rights reserved (Kitchen Tapes PAu000727463 1985)
Talk intro (Imagine with me a time, centuries from now when all of people live in huge domes, cold and sterile. Outside in the wilderness once was is a barren desert. The mountains still stand but no one ever visits them anymore. Except for this one man, cos you see one day when he was in the old part of the town he came across this old book when the west was wild open and free and cowboys sang underneath a desert moon. So he went out in search of this great wonderland in search of his own desert rose.
Verse 1 (Male)
Am I just one man alone and left behind? Where is the sight of my own common mind?
Am I a lost hero or something like that? I don’t really know I just got to get back
Somewhere there’s a desert with a single cactus rose
It alone knows why I suppose, Oh maybe it’s calling me, maybe she’s hurting too
Maybe she’ll be waiting after this day is through.
Chorus ( male sings)
Take me down to the river; take me down to the stream,
Lead me on out of this lonesome dream
My heart is field of woe and pain
Dusty sand storms and hot falling rain
Verse 2 (female) talk lead intro to song verse
Well coming from another direction there was a woman looking for the very same thing. She headed out on her horse to the desert.
Verse 2- (female sings)
Why does one give up comfort, why does one give up a home? Why does one get the feeling they just have to roam? Bridle in hand, the moon in my face, cold biscuits wrapped up in pieces of lace.
Talk in short instrumental towards the end (Now as they went traveling down the road somewhere their souls came together and their hearts found each other beneath a desert full moon.)
Verse 3 (Male and female sing together)
I’ve got no business back in steel town. I’ve got no business traveling no man’s ground
But there’s a light in the stars that I‘ve never seen
Like something I should remember, like something I dreamed.
Final Chorus (Male and female sing together)
Take me down to the river; take me down to the stream,
Lead me on out of this lonesome dream
My heart is field of wilds and pain
Dusty sand storms and hot falling rain
(Tag) Dusty sand storms and hot, falling, rain.
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