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About the Songs

The inspiration for these songs came as a direct Divine transmission when Chéri prayed to Guidance for songs to grow her child in a way that would nourish his soul. During a year and a half period of time 48 songs came through.

The story is told that when the first song was presented she thought she was hearing the neighbor’s radio playing, but when she opened the window and leaned out all was quiet except for the sound of birds. So she checked downstairs to see if the stereo was on but all was silent.

Returning to the nursery Chéri sat with her infant son and once again began to hear someone singing. As she tuned in it then became clear that what she was hearing were angelic voices in the etheric realm. Faint and far away at first, they were barely perceptible. Yet the more she relaxed the more this subtle terrain opened, ‘till word for word, note for note, entire songs came through.

Having had no musical training herself she sang all that she heard into her child’s toy recorder and microphone that had been given as a baby gift so that she could remember them.

And so here are some of the divinely inspired songs of the Angels celebrating that which is the very essence of life itself. Now this special gift can be shared with all!

 

A Homegrown Project

If you read “About the Songs” you now know how they came to be. And most all of them came through while I was nursing or rocking Tarik in my arms… hummm… could there be additional benefits to nursing!

Now as all of this was going on I was still teaching a few movement classes a week. I brought Tarik along and he would be bundled against my body in a snuggly tot carrier gleefully enjoying the rhythm of my movement and the wonderful community of our group. Soon he graduated to a backpack, then outgrew that too and moved on to a playpen next to me until he began climbing out of it and carousing amongst the students. It was when he started throwing their tennis shoes during mat stretches that I decided it was time for him to join playmates his own age at the preschool next door.

One day after teaching my class I walked over as usual to pick Tarik up from nursery school. All of us moms gathered around the door and along with the children floated in a fantasy of enchanted dreams as a singer/guitarist poignantly sang about a French harlequin. Class finished and as moms and wee ones filed out of the classroom I went up to the musician and shared with her how much I enjoyed her music and appreciated her entertaining our children. She introduced herself as Hélène and it turned out that her daughter was in the class too.

Before long we struck up a friendship and began to take regular walks together. Soon after that I told her about the songs that were coming through, giggling about the fact that I knew nothing about music or what to do with it all. At that point there were ten songs.

She got excited about it and told me that she could play by ear and that she would love to hear them. So I transcribed the lyrics from the recorder and began teaching her the songs one by one.

No sooner than she began learning the first few songs more poured out. It was an ecstatic experience to be swept in the flow of these spontaneous arisings! We decided at that point that we would like to actually record the songs so they could be shared with others. So for months we met at Hélène’s while the children played together and painstakingly plucked our way through the notes. Why do I say that? Well, I could hardly carry a tune! And poor Hélène on occasion couldn’t figure out what I was trying to get across. Finally I would resort to waving my hand up or down until she hit the note I heard!

Once we agreed to tape the songs everything fell into place organically. It progressed from solely featuring Hélène to her inviting Jack to join us, then Owen. And then I asked Kit who graciously took time out of his busy schedule to play. I met Bobbie at the playground and someone at Fantasy Records referred David to us and David introduced Mike. The rest is history!

We scraped together money to pay the musicians and studio fee from grocery change, my paychecks, a benefit concert and loans. We were even gifted money from supportive family and friends who encouraged us not to give up when we encountered financial duress. It was at those moments when everyone’s schedules worked with the available studio time but we didn’t know how we would pay for it that it miraculously worked out.

Each musician arranged their own music while the original pieces stayed intact just as they came though. Hélène’s guitar offered a sweet body of sound while Jack’s solos danced among the notes. When Kit played the baby grand all time was momentarily suspended and we were transported to another dimension.

Hélène’s daughter Sophia, who at the time was 3 years old was quite the little performer herself, and often would sing and dance along as we rehearsed. So when it came time to record “Starlight” Hélène brought Sophia into the sound stage with her to sing the first verse. She was a real pro! But of course all the equipment was adult sized so we improvised with all sorts of props to set her up so that she could reach the microphone and keep the headset on her head. What a good sport.

Tarik sat with me in the recording booth with all its fascinating controls. It looked like the cockpit in a jetliner. He was also 3 years old and was beaming with curiosity and unending questions about this button and that lever. David was so patient with us and just fabulous, he even let Tarik touch the panel and turn a knob. Wow, what fun!

For the recording of “Alive” we gathered our children, their friends and my niece and nephew for the chorus. What a joy it was to bring the kids in. A couple sang “Skipping Home” beautifully and we all went for a pizza party afterwards. Of course I brought along healthy snacks, like nuts, fruits, and raw veggies! You’ll know what I mean when you hear the song.

Songs were still coming through me. They were streaming in so fast at one point that I could hardly keep up. Along the way we let go of some and added others. Our project was constantly changing and growing. The momentum seemed to have a life of its own and all I knew was to bow to the process.

It was during our recording of “Dear Mili” that my mother passed on. It was so fitting as this song speaks about the spirit…

“Dear Mili are you captured in bird song,
or floating like a flower on a brook?
Dear Mili are you dancing on wind song,
Everywhere for you I look.”

Owen added a hauntingly beautiful touch with his conga drums, like a shaman calling the spirit home. My mom would love it…

We’re now nearing completion and ready to lay down the tracks for the last song. We were scheduled to meet at 8:00 a.m. to begin recording. A raging storm blew in the night before and many of us were without power for 9 hours or so. Tension was high. The power returned at 7:00 a.m. and we were all on the phone trying to decide whether to continue as scheduled or not as the wind was still turbulent and fierce. Thunder and lightning cracked in the sky. If we didn’t go on with it today there would be a long delay because of people’s various time conflicts, so we decided to continue.

It was quite a scene. We all arrived haggard and exhausted. Hélène had a sore throat, and the poor fiddler was nearly in tears as it had been a horrific drive for her. I was willing to postpone, but everyone’s heart was in it to go ahead. We were all surrendered to the moment.

All the recording is now complete. A bittersweet moment. Now begins the mixing. Many of the songs had eight tracks and there was a lot of beautiful music. I want to use it all! But Jack got things under control. Us girls were all over the place with joy. Jack and David held the ground for us and step by step created the balance in each song and the congruent thread to unite them.

I can hardly believe that just weeks ago we had that storm and now we’re all lounging on patio chairs in David’s gorgeous garden bathed in shafts of radiant sunlight filtering through the trees. We’re listening to the final mix of the “The Gift” and the doors of the studio are open. The sonorous music is pouring through, mingling with nature song, infused with light and out into the open air. This is the elixir of our compilation. What a journey. It has been exactly 9 months since we began.

“A Garden of Songs” is born!

 

Friends & Family

A terrific hug and bouquet of appreciation to each and every one of you for meeting me on this garden path.

Dear Tarik, it is you who first inspired me to dream this dream. Thank you for being in my life, May the gift of these songs support your journey in life.

Thank you Faisal Muqaddam, Tarik’s dad, for teaching me to recognize and trust the song of ‘Being’ and facilitating a way to grow this essential connection, and for supporting this project.

To my dad, Bob Lincoln, thank you for supporting my dream and really being there when I needed assistance. I appreciate that you really heard me and responded. By the way, it was the baby gift from you and Sharon, the toy recorder with the microphone and speaker that I first recorded these songs on!

A bundle of thanks to all of you: Faisal Muqaddam, Bob and Sharon Lincoln, Hélène’s parents Renée and Maurice Attia and her husband Gerard Dahan, and friends Don Carlson and Simone Biasé. Your individual encouragements and support came at times that made a difference.

My deep affection to my dear near friends: Terri-Lynn Cousley, Diane Bloom, Geri Baldwin, and the divinely mischievous genius of Alan Gutman for inspiring me to remember my greater purpose and for fanning the flame of my fire; encouraging me to ‘get out there.’ All of your love rekindled my spirit!

And Alan, Id like to mention that you have been personally pivotal mentoring me in the many way to ‘go public’ with this CD. Thank you for your love, support and test of patience!

And to all of you bright shining points of light Sophia and Laurent Dahan, Tarik and Neda Muqaddam, Adrian and Emily Williams, Amy Huffaker, Leila Behman, and Nadia and Camellia Qabazard, great job! The beauty of each one of you is a jewel in the chandelier of life!

We appreciate the generosity of L’Ecole Bilingue (the French-American School) for sponsoring our concert and inviting me and Hélène into your classroom, as well as the Berkeley Hills Nursery School, The Jewish Community Center Preschool, El Cerrito Community Toddler Program, and Children’s Garden Montessori School for giving us the opportunity to play and act out these joyful tunes with your darling ‘little ones,’ and rooting us on. We had great fun!

So many of you have carried me in a myriad of ways, my dear sisters Cindy Williams, Heather Flourney and Kelly Foley and all of you miraculous souls, my students, clients, family ancestors, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, those seen and unseen. I thank you for your value of and love of truth. Serena Hunter and Mary Margarite Golden for your precious guidance and prayers and Beth Stinson for your wonderful assistance and graphic computer skills; you’re all angels!

Thank you Kit for believing in me. Your contribution and presence affected me more than you can imagine. How can it be? You actually played intrinsically the precise layers of symphonic orchestration I had heard when once the angel and celestial choir sang into my ear. Were you there?! You embodied the essence so pure and clear. It was yours, no mine, it was neither of ours, it was everyone’s… Divine…

And to the precious community of resonant souls in California, Hawaii, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland with whom we shared countless hours steeping in the true nature of Being. Thank you for your dedication to Spirit and for your uplifting response to these songs… Amanda and Walter, Bill, Jan, Emily, Jo, Jeani, Bill, Vasu, Kalekeli, Turia, Ankur, Raheem, Pratiba, Doris, Avita, Bakta, Martin, Ariel, Dahmo, Paulden, Dawa, Uma, Bettina, Fatima de Santa Maria, Barbara, Carol, Dominie, Jim, Deborah and too many more to all say here, but know each one of you is in my heart so dear…

Thank you Hélène for taking the leap of faith required to grow this ‘garden of songs,’ your tenacity, humor and for opening your home. Jack and Owen for generously giving your time, talent and hearts to our fundraising event. And David Owen for your wonderful patience with us, professional ethic, fine abilities and pleasing environment. What more perfect a setting than your recording studio nestled in the woods with a beautiful outdoor sitting area filled with an abundance of horticultural treasures. A true gardener’s delight!

And last but not least to my family in the mountains, Grandma Donna, this title is in honor of you. Were it not for you I would not be here. Your love of gardens and nature run in my veins. And that goes for you too Marjory Murphy, Aunt Tudi, and Aunt Tiny! Much love and appreciation for your nurturing care. I still remember hearing Gampy’s fiddle a playing as I bounced on Dale’s knee those hot summer nights long ago.

Gratitude

Channeling this music was like looking at a beautiful woman that you cannot take your eyes off of; yet don’t want to rudely stare. One is drawn and enticed yet maintains a respectful distance.

A subtle balance -- to allow and not interfere while at the same time to hold without grasping.

I bow with humility to the teaching this sublime Way has shown me, in process like a diamond emerging from the immense force and friction of stone.

At some point each one of us must ultimately surrender to the alchemical transformation of ‘Being’, and the divine transmission Presence has to offer. And once swept into the current of the stream can become one with the movement and thrive. For these are the tidal waves of inspiration (in-spirit-I-am-one) and to not join this life force is to fall into the despair of frustration and depression.

This Source does not need to be found. It is profusely and abundantly available to all here and now. It does not discriminate or judge, nor does it have favorites. It is free to everyone.

All that is necessary is to allow that which is not to fall away so we may stand naked in this permeable translucency and re-member our Greater Self, pure Grace, from which we are born.

 

Dedication

This children’s music CD is dedicated to the magical child everywhere. May your light always shine!