Biography
Jewelsong was born on the beautiful NC Outer Banks at a Dances of Universal Peace retreat in 2002. We emerged like Venus from the cosmic ocean of "the beauty we love," a phrase from a poem by Sufi mystic Jelaluddin Rumi that is also the title of our first CD.
The first Jewel Song was "100s of Ways" by Tom Tracy and the Dead Poets (see "Audio"), inspired by the same Rumi poem. Sofianna had heard the Dead Poets perform and recruited Marilyn and Farrunnissa to sing "100s of Ways" with her for Sacred Pageant night. Our first rehearsals and performance were effortless and creatively fulfilling, and the audience responded with gasps of awe and delight. This experience became the standard for all the songs we sing and all the joy and inspiration we endeavor to share.
Betsy joined Jewelsong about a year later, initially to play with 4-part harmony on her powerful song "Stand for Peace" (see "Audio"). Our voices and styles clicked in a big way, and we have been singing together ever since. We've all been musicians most of our lives, and the richness of our backgrounds is a never-ending source of shared creativity and innovation. New songs are constantly emerging from that cosmic ocean, and we debut new pieces all the time.
We only sing music that inspires and moves us, and we find ourselves inspired and moved by nature, sacred texts, other songwriters, life, and our own imaginations and experiences. We have found that our audiences are also moved and inspired by the rich resonance of our harmonies, the uplifting messages of unity and peace we bring, and the great Dance of Life celebrated in our music.
Instrumentation
Betsy Bickel - 6- & 12-string guitars, keyboard, tar (Middle Eastern frame drum), dumbek (Middle Eastern hand drum), ney (Middle Eastern flute), percussion
Marilyn Grubbs - Celtic harp, tar (Middle Eastern frame drum), percussion
Farrunnissa Lila Rosa - tar (Middle Eastern frame drum), dumbek (Middle Eastern hand drum), percussion, keyboard
Sofianna Sue-Anne Solem - recorder, tar (Middle Eastern frame drum), percussion
Discography
The Beauty We Love (CD), released September 2006. Click "Audio" above for a sample. All 13 tracks can be heard at www.reverbnation.com/jewelsong.
From the dedication: We dedicate this CD to the Beauty that uplifts the human heart. May these songs be inspiring in some small way to all who hear them. We express our gratitude to all the spiritual traditions of the world that for centuries have guided followers toward the Light. This CD honors these many paths to the same mountaintop.
Links
| http://www.jewelsong.net |