Authentic, awesome-sounding guitar and vocals - such a cool collab - really enjoyed this.

the feelings are great... can feel the happiness

I can enjoy bluesy aspect of your guitar! Nice vocal too!

Oh this is a fun one.  That ending is indeed sweetly picked.

I love the groove of this song and how well the guitars complement each other. Great job.

where did this come from.... i love it. now that's blues

I confess I don't play my nylon enough... can't beat that warmth and humanity!

This ending could be JJ Cale!! Great song by the way...

Swirling in the sun
Did you dream the starling again?
The many and the one
Soaring like a starling again
You hear the haunting sound, look around
Will you be the starling again?

Join the chorus, sing along
That murmuration song

You hear the cries
And you are a starling again
Ride the rhythm of the skies
Will you dance the starling again?

In a chorus, a symphony
A canticle

Oh I don't know why
You are so shy today
You don't know when
It will come again your way

The isolation fades
And you are a starling again
Down the desolation days
Fly like a starling again
The madness, the rage, turn the page
Oh you are a starling again

Join the chorus, sing along
That murmuration song

I don't know why
You try to hide away
Who can say when
It may come again your way?
Look to the skies
Starlings will rise today

Starlings

Morning Coffee

The Trial
A Pico-Operetta for our Times

International Cast

Lady Humanity - Oddrun Eikli - Norway, vocals and lyric on the last song; https://soundcloud.com/oddrun-eikli
Lord Mammon - Peter - England, All poetic lyrics in the operetta, except the last song; https://soundcloud.com/user-264930040/tracks
The Judge - David Dunham - USA, and acoustic guitar in the third song; https://soundcloud.com/david-dunhamuser589535203
Music & Production - Seagull - Sweden, compilation, mixing, sound effects etc; https://soundcloud.com/farout-music-studio

Here you can download all poetic lyrics: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/37k203an5c6azz0ekltvn/The-Trial-Libretto.pdf?rlkey=mope1vjiyqhaeo17b5u74dp2i&dl=0

Synopsis

Following unprecedented worldwide growth in human conflict, an emergency plenary session of the United Nations was convened late in 2023, tasked with finding new approaches to defuse global tension and ease conciliation.  Recognising the abject failure of extant UN jurisdictions and powers, and in a radical restructuring of the international legal and security framework, that session established a new UN institution to sit alongside the International Court of Criminal Justice.  The International Court of Moral Justice was formally incorporated into the UN Constitution on 1 January 2024.

The foundations of this infant organisation and those of the UN itself were shaken when it was revealed that the inaugural case to be heard by the ICMJ was to be a private prosecution brought by greed itself against the defendant, mankind’s innate sense of humanity.

In papers lodged with the court, the protagonist, Lord Mammon has asserted that the fundamental basis for human misery, the creation of discontent, thence envy and hence conflict, is to be found exclusively in false moral goodness and self-righteousness borne of a misplaced sense of benevolence.  The human race survived and thrived, he states, not by moving at the pace of the slowest, or sharing resources with the weakest, but by taking and keeping, for the self alone, much more than is needed for basic subsistence, this being the singular route to strength, individual contentment and thus tolerance of others. 
 
In reply, a broken and demoralised Lady Humanity has been compelled to present her own defence after failing to secure funding for a legal team to counter the advocates ranged in front of Lord Mammon. The case for the defence rests solely on the premise that good comes from within and cannot be created from nothing.  So whilst she may try to bolster the moral cause in her work, she increasingly finds that the human souls she sees have no humanity in them whatsoever for her to strengthen, nothing to work with and as such, concedes that she has failed, but denounces the notion that it was for want of trying.  Devoid of resources, supporters and allies of any kind she single handedly has held the fort against the self-perpetuating, self-reinforcing massed ranks of Mammon.
  
The Lord Chief Justice of the ICMJ along with his bench of associate judiciary adjourn proceedings to consider their findings and in the final act, return to deliver their verdict.

The Trial - A Pico Operetta for our times

Mysterious Ways

Mysterious Ways (Graham Williams)

The Trial
A Pico-Operetta for our Times

International Cast

Lady Humanity - Oddrun Eikli - Norway, vocals and lyric on the last song; @oddrun-eikli
Lord Mammon - Peter - England, All poetic lyrics in the operetta, except the last song; soundcloud.com/user-264930040/tracks
The Judge - David Dunham - USA, and acoustic guitar in the third song; @david-dunhamuser589535203
Music & Production - Seagull - Sweden, compilation, mixing, sound effects etc; @farout-music-studio

Here you can download all poetic lyrics: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/37k203an5c6azz0ekltvn/The-Trial-Libretto.pdf?rlkey=mope1vjiyqhaeo17b5u74dp2i&e=1&dl=0

Synopsis

Following unprecedented worldwide growth in human conflict, an emergency plenary session of the United Nations was convened late in 2023, tasked with finding new approaches to defuse global tension and ease conciliation. Recognising the abject failure of extant UN jurisdictions and powers, and in a radical restructuring of the international legal and security framework, that session established a new UN institution to sit alongside the International Court of Criminal Justice. The International Court of Moral Justice was formally incorporated into the UN Constitution on 1 January 2024.

The foundations of this infant organisation and those of the UN itself were shaken when it was revealed that the inaugural case to be heard by the ICMJ was to be a private prosecution brought by greed itself against the defendant, mankind’s innate sense of humanity.

In papers lodged with the court, the protagonist, Lord Mammon has asserted that the fundamental basis for human misery, the creation of discontent, thence envy and hence conflict, is to be found exclusively in false moral goodness and self-righteousness borne of a misplaced sense of benevolence. The human race survived and thrived, he states, not by moving at the pace of the slowest, or sharing resources with the weakest, but by taking and keeping, for the self alone, much more than is needed for basic subsistence, this being the singular route to strength, individual contentment and thus tolerance of others.

In reply, a broken and demoralised Lady Humanity has been compelled to present her own defence after failing to secure funding for a legal team to counter the advocates ranged in front of Lord Mammon. The case for the defence rests solely on the premise that good comes from within and cannot be created from nothing. So whilst she may try to bolster the moral cause in her work, she increasingly finds that the human souls she sees have no humanity in them whatsoever for her to strengthen, nothing to work with and as such, concedes that she has failed, but denounces the notion that it was for want of trying. Devoid of resources, supporters and allies of any kind she single handedly has held the fort against the self-perpetuating, self-reinforcing massed ranks of Mammon.

The Lord Chief Justice of the ICMJ along with his bench of associate judiciary adjourn proceedings to consider their findings and in the final act, return to deliver their verdict.

The Trial. A Pico-Operetta for our Times.

This is the title track off the album "There to here". It continues the story of a young man travelling across the atlantic ocean from Ireland in the 1800's and trying to find a place to settle in the new world of America. 
Music and lyrics: Phil Bowen
Mixing and production: Phil Bowen
Vocals/ backing vocals: Phil Bowen
Guitars: Phil Bowen
Keyboards: Phil Bowen
Lyrics: 
Verse 1
I look across Long Island in the setting sun
Shadows seem to dance around everyone
I look back at the ocean there’s nothing but sea
And wonder if this is reality

Verse 2
I walk to the station catch the Stonington line
Lay back my head. It’s like a mountain I climbed
One more day and I’ll soon be there
Providence calls to my evening prayer

Chorus
That’s the way I got from there to here
It seems to roll into another year
A little laughter, a few more tears
That’s the way I got from there to here. 

Verse 3
So the train moves on and time moves on
I’m sitting here thinking that I belong
To this new world of hope, opportunity
No more locks on doors, no master key

Verse 4
The moon shines down across a canopy of trees
On a warm summer night well I feel so at ease
One more day and I’ll soon be there
Providence calls to my evening prayer.

There To Here

Il y a quelques années, mon Ami Ed m'avait soumis une bande son guitare solo, pour une collaboration. L'ayant redécouvert il y a quelques temps, j'ai réadapté ces éléments aujourd'hui pour ce nouveau concept que je présente ici ....

N'hésitez pas à visiter sa page: https://soundcloud.com/westtracksmusic

**************************************************************************************************

A few years ago, my friend Ed submitted a solo guitar soundtrack to me for a collaboration. Having rediscovered him some time ago, I've adapted these elements today for this new concept, which I present here ....

Feel free to visit his page: https://soundcloud.com/westtracksmusic

Sway .... With Ed Cunningham

Closing instrumental track from an upcoming new release (most of which was recorded during Covid).

Postlude

“I enjoy the slowed down versions of songs so I decided to have some fun with the speed of this one. 

This song is inspired by McCartney III and The Beatles - mainly their Sgt. Pepper era - and is about trends, life long love and friendship. I personified the cassette to develop the narrative of music being a companion, how it is always there for us and how much joy it brings.”  

CASSETTE TAPE

I’m a cassette tape 
Do you remember me?
Once your solace, your friend
Now I’m out of trend
I am covered in dust, vintage technology 
I will wait for you
Will you wait for me? 

When you were younger
You would turn to me
Those times you were lost
You would read through the sleeve notes and find yourself
Find a place where you can be 
Look in the mirror and see what you want to see

In a dusty room I am found and people shake and see
If I sound like I did
If I make your ears believe 
I shine again like a new penny in the street
Come alive again
Press play and hit repeat 

There you go away from me
I taught you all I know and made you 
all you can be
I know seasons go and tides will change 
Say “you’ll listen to me”
Say “you’ll listen again” 

© Heart House Records 2024

Written, performed, recorded, produced and mixed by Heart House Records
Mastered by DOLBY

CASSETTE TAPE (SLOW + REVERB VERSION)

18 ABRIL

Clint Culwell wrote this little romp a couple of years ago that we recorded in rehearsal a while back.  This is about taking a trip to Mexico of days gone by, now a dangerous prospect.  Clint runs through the lyrics pretty fast in places so here they are to follow along. Hang around for the sweet little instrumental end:) Check out @clint-culwell for more cool songs.
Well I left from Texas about an hour ago
I waited at the station, but you never did show
I'd have waited a little longer, but for a month I been ready to go.
I got fifteen dollars and an eight-track player
My friend just gave me a bottle of strawberry wine
I'm takin' a little blanket because I've been told those Guadalupes can turn off cold.
Down in Mexico we're going to be alright,
Down in Mexico we're going to leave it all behind,
Yea, if you hustle up you can catch up with me,
I'll be down in Mexico.
Down in Mexico they've got a beach with a band
We can drink Mojitos and dance in the sand.
Down in Mexico it's going to be alright.
Flying down the back of this broken down old road,
I can hear my old pickup wheels starting to whine,
Caliche dust floats like a halo, coats my teeth and blows in my eyes.
Down in Mexico we're going to be alright,
Down in Mexico we're going to leave it all behind,
Down in Mexico it's going to be alright.
I got fifteen dollars and an eight-track player
I got a big ol' bottle of strawberry wine,
I'm takin' a little blanket 'cause them Guadalupes can turn off cold.

Down In Mexico(Clint Culwell: vocal, nylon guitar; David: guitar, bass)

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.

Down In Mexico(Clint Culwell: vocal, nylon guitar; David: guitar, bass)

David Dunham

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