Amanda Powell - Beyond Boundaries

Throughout my life I've connected with people all over the world through the simple experience of sharing songs. I have been deeply moved by singing with farmers around a campfire in Mongolia, sharing a meal and music with friends in China and singing spirituals in a rural Italian village. I've also shared music form the opera stage and in the intimate jazz club. For many years, my musical life has been segmented into these different areas and I have traveled between extreme musical worlds, savoring the authentic connection and joy of learning about people and the world through folk songs, as well as aspiring to reach my highest potential as an artist on the concert stage. As I pondered ways to integrate my musical worlds, a friend introduced me to bassist Dave Morgan and encouraged us to explore our mutual interests. Beyond Boundaries is born from our bi-weekly forays into diverse corners of the musical universe. A steaming cup of tea always at arms' length, and lots of breaks for conversation about the connective nature of art, Dave and I found our way into the essence of these songs. Rather than feel limited by the stark instrumentation of bass and voice, we found new freedom to explore any music that reached out and grabbed us, regardless of genre or style. The thread that runs through the album is simply that these are songs that Dave and I love. They are songs that get to the very heart of the human experience, "the joy held with the pain" and the universal need to create from both the light and darkness of our lives. As Dave and I set out to make this recording, we decided to invite some friends to join us and bring their unique voice and flavor to some of the pieces. I invited you to go with us beyond the boundaries of genre, style, language, region and expectation, into the connective heart of music. 1. Every Night When the Sun Goes In (True Love, Don't Weep) Traditional: Appalachia This appalachian song, collected in Kentucky paved the way to what would become 'the blues'. I have fond memories of singing this with my grandma out of the Fireside Book of Folk Songs. 2. Left Alone Mal Waldron and Billie Holiday I discovered this piece in a book of Billie's music. I haven't found a recording of her singing it and I believe that she wrote it but never recorded it. I think her words are poignant for many of us and achingly beautiful. 3. Sedesedenkya Traditional Bulgarian song from the Shop region I learned this fabulous piece at a community singing retreat-a woman from Bulgaria taught this song. When I asked her about the traditional nasal and forward singing of Bulgarian women, she said, 'in my country, women's voices are not often heard so when we sing, you better believe you are going to hear us!' 4. Beyond Boundaries (Yarabba Ssalami/Lo Yisa Goy) Traditional Palestinian/traditional Israeli God of peace, in your wisdom, give us the will to seek peace. God of peace and of healing, fill every heart with your peace. Nation will not take up sword against nation, and they will study war no more. I imagine groups of Palestinian and Israeli people on either side of the wall in the West Bank, singing prayers for peace in Hebrew on one side and prayers for peace in Arabic on the other. The voices from both sides weave together at the top of the wall, creating ONE prayer for peace. We are all singing for peace. 5. Consolation Dave Morgan and Amanda Powell Dave originally wrote this piece for saxophone and orchestra. He sent it to me and I wrote words to it. It feels like modern chamber music to us and we love to play it. 6. Tonada la Luna Llena Simón Diaz Tune of the Full Moon I saw a black heron struggling against the river, like the way your heart fell in love with mine. Full moon, full moon waning Go home, boy, and bring me the rifle, To kill that hawk that won't leave me a single hen. The moon is looking at me, I don't know what she thinks, I have clean clothes, Last night, I washed them. Full moon, full moon waning. This beautiful tune by the late Venezuelan songwriter, Simon Diaz feels like a stream-of-consciousness flow of words and thoughts. Diaz was from the plains of Venezuela and wrote songs about his daily life. 7. Wade in the Water Traditional African-American I've been singing this spiritual for my whole life. What an amazing gift of music rose out of out such unspeakable horrors for our African-American brothers and sisters. 8. Mimema Amanda Powell Mimema; a unit or element of ideas, symbols or practices that gets transmitted from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. Mimema popped into my head as I drove one day and so I recorded it into my phone and Dave and I have been playing around with it every since. 9. Detour Ahead Herb Ellis, John Frigo and Lou Carter One of my favorite standards, the lyrics to Detour are quite sad in fact. She is falling in love, but decides not to so she won't get hurt. Without an open heart, what do we have? 10. Two Irish Songs Traditional Irish (My Lagan Love adapt. A Powell and Gartan Mother's Lullaby) These beautiful folk songs have come in and out of my life. I noted the striking harmonic resemblance and wanted to put them side by side in a stark musical offering. 11. Lullaby Jennifer Kimball Singer-Songwriter Jennifer Kimball has been among my favorite artists since I was in college. I have been singing this lovely piece of hers to my children as a nighttime lullaby for many years. This track is for Sofia and Luisa. 12. Blessing Traditional: China I spent three months in South East Asia, singing music with people in different communities. This was one of the songs I learned and it has become a beautiful part of my journey since then. I hope you are blessed by it as well.