The Practice--Treasure Hunt from the book Whole Music

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Excerpt from Whole Music

The Practice: Musical Treasure Hunt

Similar to treasure hunts from our childhood, I’m going to send you on a music treasure hunt in which the pleasures are many.  Pretend that you are a song catcher visiting other cultures where you collect new sounds.

While I mentioned sound healers earlier, another important player with music preservation are ethnomusicologists who combine cultural anthropology with music preservation.  Two famous song catchers are the late Alan Lomax, and the world beat drummer Mickey Hart.  I recommend learning more about these song catchers through books, and documentaries.

1) Step One--Head over to YouTube, and look up the following music traditions:
·         Aboriginal Didgeridoo
·         Finnish Runo-Songs (Traditional singer)
·         Gregorian chants
·         Griot Music of Mali (Acoustic, not pop music)
·         Sanskrit Chants Sung by Hindu Indians in Context (aka Kirtans)

Step Two--After you have watched or sampled videos for each of the genres mentioned above, head to a public library and check out Rough Guide to World Music and Rough Guide music compilations.  You can also check out field recordings on Rounder Records, Smithsonian Folkways, and other labels that specialize in field recordings.

Step Three--Start a music journal so you can track your physical, mental, and emotional reactions to the various genres.

Do this process for several weeks or continue for years.  You will find that your passion for music grows as does your interest in other cultures.  Welcome to the new frontier.

Whole Music (Soul Food for the Mind Body Spirit) published by Synclectic Media
copyright Patricia Herlevi 2013 

Buy the book at http://www.createspace.com/4357401  

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