So much poetry in your music David! Great talent and sensitivity! A real pleasure to listen

Great collaboration, David!! It's an Aisling of stringed instruments!!

Such an enchanting piece. A nice blend of the two instruments David and Pat.

Wonderful collab & Music! So chillaxing 👍

Words are hard to come by in describing what this man meant to me.  The photo is worth a thousand words capturing his charm and personality. We began our musical pilgrimage together as bandmates at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Amarillo, TX.  He was a bit shy, entirely unsure of himself as a mandolin player, but with encouragement and practice his playing began to bloom.  We started to do brief offertories and then expanded that music into some of the tracks presented here which have been updated as noted. 
He noticed a lump on the side of his neck two years ago which became uncomfortable to the touch and started to interfere with swallowing.  He was not a smoker, but a biopsy revealed a squamous cell carcinoma.  He valiantly fought the disease with the best treatments available but succumbed to it July 17, 2023. He leaves behind a loving family, a legacy of faith and faithfulness to his Lord, and his love of music celebrated with these collaborations I was honored to create with him.  Rest in peace dear friend until we meet again at His appearing.

Pat Howell--mandolinist, and good friend--A Memorial Retrospective

March is a month of contrasts, especially on the High plains, and really anywhere in the Midwest and Southern states.  Sometimes after lamb-like weather, a lion of a storm system can form bringing a blizzard to the Front Range from Denver to Cheyenne and tornados to within a few miles of Amarillo.  Pat and I try to put a little of March's moodiness into music first inspired by his mandolin musings that also inspired an earlier track "The Return".

The Lamb And The Lion (Pat Howell; Mandolin, David Dunham; Guitars

Music, Electric Piano, Drum Programming: Jan Schonander
Spanish Guitar: Dan van den Berg https://soundcloud.com/danarchx 
Electric piano is the Logic Pro X Classic Suitcase MkI. 

Sometimes a lost suitcase has a more interesting journey than the traveler. I remember flying domestically in Spain and my suitcase going on an extended  journey. It was only found because I remembered my flight from Madrid to Barcelona actually continued to Cairo. After a few missteps I convinced the airline to search at Cairo International and it all ended well, but only one day before I had to leave for home. This track could easily be modified if anybody wants to divert the suitcase to a different pair of countries. Just let me know and I'll send the stems.

Suitcase

Suitcase | Lost & Found | Dan van den Berg 🎸

An unconscious exploration of the conflict and growth at the birth of a season, also the conflict within myself as I explore this art form further. I had no idea what was going to be explored within the music until it happened.
Helen x

Our process started off with a simple repeating chord progression on the piano for Helen to improvise over. We gradually added more elements once the vocal parts were complete and the final element is a field recording of the dawn chorus, recorded at 5am in our back garden.
Andy

Words and Music: Helen
Music and production: Andy

Impatient awakenings

"Aisling", besides being a popular girl's name in Ireland, also means a Celtic dream or vision.  It was Pat's hope I would catch the vision from a recording he made of his Octave mandolin which I finally did adding a guitar part and a middle section with the Requinto guitar that sounds remarkably like a Celtic harp.  It's a vision we want to share with you:)

An Aisling (A Dream or Vision) with Pat Howell; Mandolin

℗ © Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded and mixed using Logic. Mastered in Soundcloud
Guitar played: Taylor 714CE tuned DADGAD
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.

Having just completed my third solo album, I thought I would do another acoustic guitar instrumental and it now being the month of May.................

The Month Of May

Amazing

..FABULA: doublesided | darkbleed..
50:17,12.06.22,Electronic
tracklist:
1. песнь первая ; истинная история - свет
2. kusabimaru					
3. ai-tsuki
4. laptopstorytell
5. bbllaadde
6. non-organic oile
7. falling tear reflecting as a mirror
8. seaside5ix
9. lost toy
10. волк воющий на солнце	
11. u; can[ not ]
12. urheart ain't
13. rise to fall n rise again
14. segment'[_]zen
15. песнь вторая ; истинная история - тьма
___________________________________________________________
[ что я хотел бы сказать себе тогда ]
Чувствуя глубину мириад планет фибрами,сам себя ограничил и опустошил. То наполнялось,что в конце оставила кратер на своем,некогда,теплом месте.
Все более погружаясь в эскапизм,отсекая мир реальный,отторгал все то,что будет ценно после. Слепо чувствуя истинное и искреннее в том, что подобным поделиться не могло.
Присущее  свойство оказалось радикальным присвоением,что было высечено путем самообмана и нелепого оправдания.
БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,БЕГИ,но не убегай; 
Говори то,что хочешь сказать,то,что искренне желаешь;
Бойся отсутствия возможности,не результата;
Чувствуй,что чувствуешь,это нормально; 
Помни о целостности, о крови и ответственности;
Не усложняй и не отдаляйся, не сублимируй и не  забывайся.
Проснись.
Забирай свое и что принадлежит тебе, не бойся принять правду к себе и своему,ты таков,каким являешься.
Обрастай связями и доверием,формируй путь и освещение. Цени друзей и не позволь угаснуть любви к [...]. Старайся и не падай ниц пред крайностью и неудачей.
Прими боль,выжги.
Ты виноват в своей опустошенности сам.
Старайся не терять себя и свое,помни дорогу домой.
Обретай силу и спокойствие.
Формируй историю сам,пока это возможность у тебя не отобрали
.................................................................................................................................

[ what i wanted to say then ]
Feeling depth of myriad planets by fibers, me restricted myself and devastated. filling up, what left behind a crater in ,once, warm place.
More and more diving in escapism, cutting off real life, rejected all that, what will be valuable after . Blindly feeling true and sincere in that, what couldn't share the same.
Inherent feature turned out radical appropriation, what was carved by self-deception and ridiculous excuse way.
RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, but don't run away;
Say what you want to say, that, what you sincerely wish;
Fear the lack of opportunities, not result;
Feel what you feel, its normal;
Remember about integrality, about blood and responsibility;
Dont complicate and dont move away, dont sublimate and dont forget oneself.
Wake up.
Take what's yours and what belongs to you, dont fear to accept truth to yourself and yours, your are  what you are.
Overgrow with ties and confidence, form a way and  illumination. Appreciate friends and dont let the love to [...] fade away. Try and dont kneel if front of  extremity and failure.
Take the pain, ignite it.
You are to blame for your emptiness yourself.
Try to not lose yourself and yours, remember a way to home.
Form history yourself, before this opportunity took away.

FABULA: doublesided|darkbleed

kusabimaru

Granular too ... big thanks to WÜST @wust

Angular Retransmissions - WÜST | muterial

Une petite valse composée il y a quelques temps... A propos des dilemmes et plus généralement de la difficulté de faire des choix...

--
A little waltz composed some time ago... About dilemmas and more generally about the difficulty of making choices...

Indecision

Quietude in the midst of chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and restlessness; Seagull captures an Eden-like vision of tranquility and reflection.  It also came with a surprise he kept securely under his hat; I would be joined in the collaboration with him by two of my favorite SC artists, Ed Cunningham and Dan-t, masters of their genre. I didn't know until he unveiled the finished product.  My approach turned out to be "less is more" so I show up to the party fashionably late at just past the 2:00 mark, but what a lovely party...and vision.  I hope you think so too. Seagull also gave sight to the sound which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxFYED8OEeQ Hear more fine music from these maestros:
Seagull @farout-music-studio
Ed @westtracksmusic
Dan-t @dan-t-3
Photo credit; Dan-t

The Quietude (Seagull, Ed Cunningham, Dan-t, David Dunham)

WOMAN IN A BASKET

Resonance of Light by Jermaine Germaine is an exclusive collection of solo classical guitar works — no accompaniment, no distraction, just the intimate voice of nylon strings. Across ten original compositions, the album explores the contrasts of brilliance and shadow: delicate tremolo studies (Moonlit Courtyard), counterpoint fugues (Fugue in Six Strings), Andalusian sketches (Granada Sketches), and meditative nocturnes (Nocturne for the Last String).

Every piece is written to let the guitar’s natural resonance linger, with sudden silences, flowing arpeggios, and luminous harmonics. The result is both timeless and personal: an album where light glimmers through wood and string, evoking reflection, solitude, and quiet beauty.

✨ For fans of: Andrés Segovia, John Williams, Heitor Villa-Lobos
🎸 Signature sound: nylon-string exclusivity, pure solo resonance

Fugue in Six Strings

Collaborated with my good friend and band mate Pat Howell on mandolin to compose this uplifting tune. We first played it as an offertory at church but wanted to do more with it in a studio setting. We like the results and hope you do too. Named in honor of Pat's new puppy, now a very energetic dog:)

Willow Skye (with Pat Howell, mandolin) Updated Mix 3/14/23

Both Pat and I are blessed to have daughters. So when he came to me with this musical idea in honor of his daughter, I was quick to get on board. We originally released the tune (an Irish reel of sorts) as a church offertory, but decided to make a more formal recording, and now with an added second guitar part that Pat loved when we reprised it as offertory in honor of his daughter's homecoming from college for Thanksgiving.

Of Fathers and Daughters-- with Pat Howell, Mandolin (Revised and Updated 11/22/21)

Some clear sky and fresh air for those who have to shelter in place. I floated this tune (pun intended) by my band mate Pat on mandolin and he was quick to compose a part that added a real sense of open sky to my pickings. Hope you enjoy this seafaring shanty.  
With Pat's passing I wanted to post this song with a modified intro--a little ditty he loved to play "The Irish Washer Woman".  
I came across the poem "Sea Fever" by John Masefield. The feel of the song fits the poem, but composer John Ireland does it much greater justice.

Sea Fever
By John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
 I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
 I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Hoist The Main Sails (updated with new intro and outro 7/23/23)

My good friend and bandmate Pat Howell shared some of his mandolin musings and ramblings to see what I could make of them. My excitement grew as the production evolved with each "return" to the three note sequence on the mandolin.  As you journey, may all your returns be safe and joyful.

The Return (Pat Howell-mandolin, David Dunham-guitar)

I am a finger-style guitarist living on the Texas high plains.  At the core of my music is melody that is inspired and informed by my Christian faith, family, friends, and countless influences through the years from the great composers, to jazz, folk, rock, Latin, Celtic, and the many fine musicians I have come to love on the Cloud, some I have been privileged to collaborate with.  Thanks for stopping by to have a listen. Comments are always welcome. Feel free to click on the picture of any track to learn more about it.

An Aisling (A Dream or Vision) with Pat Howell; Mandolin

David Dunham

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