We conclude our Summer Series on a hopeful note and a glimpse into the future.  Mankind has finally found that it can accept the differences that divide us, share the bounty between us, and become a vast community governed by faith, hope, and love. How did such a thing come about?  We collectively took a step back from the brink of self-annihilation by realizing "we solve most things if we talk".  
Ironically, this was the most complex song of the five to put together,  We all had an idea of how we wanted it to turn out, and thanks to Seagull and a lot of talking between us behind the scenes, we came to consensus and a final version.  Our little band is proof "we can solve most things if we talk":)  It has been an honor to work with each of you: 
Music composition, 1st guitar (center), bass, synths, mix and production; Seagull, @farout-music-studio
Right & Left Guitar; Our wonderful guitarist; David, @david-dunhamuser589535203
Lyrics & Vocals; Our dear poet Peter, soundcloud.com/user-264930040/tracks
Vocals and harmonies; Soundcloud's most wonderful voice; Oddrun, @oddrun-eikli
And the key phrase at the end; The lovely little Finley, 7 years old.

We Solve Most Things If We Talk

Summer rain finds my face, splashing through my smile
Thunder rumbles fall away, storm is phasing through
Peace of mind is on the case, misery is in denial,
Yesterday’s squally day, tomorrow’s skies are azure blue.

Dreams of history’s tension gladly start to ease
Gripping claws of lunacy finally shun the past
Seems things turned out badly for hunger and disease
Slipping towards unity, laying down the guns at last.

Call my neighbour as my friend, our meanings line as one
Colour, gods and politics accepted as they are
Mutualities to defend no conflict clouds our shining sun
Consideration and respect, a communal repertoire

Mother Mary called today
Handed me a flower stalk
Kissed my worries clean away
We solve most things if we talk.

Need as might we understand equality’s a bed of lies
Celebrate uniqueness as a cast of human thread
Day and night, hand in hand, no polity compromise
Learning from our weakness past, focused on the light ahead.

Mother Mary spoke today
Led me on a learning walk
Eased my troubles on the way
We solve most things if we talk.

Mother Mary sang today
Left me with a simple thought
The wisest heads will simply say
We solve most things if we talk.
"We Solve Most Things If We Talk"

Contented Man (Seagull, Oddrun, Peter, David)

Lady of Fire Poetry original poem by yours truly, Tanisha Jackland aka Lady of Fire Poetry

"You are comprised of 84 minerals, 23 Elements, and 8 gallons of water spread across 38 trillion cells.
You have been built up from nothing but the spare parts of the Earth you have consumed according to a set of instructions hidden in a double helix, and small enough to be carried by a sperm.
You are recycled butterflies, plants, rocks, streams, firewood, wolf fur, and shark teeth, broken down to their smallest parts and rebuilt into our planet’s most complex living thing.
You are not living on Earth. You are Earth."

~ Words by Aubrey Marcus

vocals, 808, kaoscillator- Tanisha

All That Is

Words and music By Roger Whittlesey. Saxophone arrangement by Georg Boehme. Boehme plays soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes. He also plays the bass clarinet. Noel Barrett plays the bass guitar. All other sounds by Whittlesey. © 2024.

Dear Reader, 

In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," Ophelia drowns herself in what is a terrible and tragic scene late in the play. 

The idea for this song came when I recognized that the grief of loss, missed opportunities, and mistakes compound as we age, and they don't leave us. Instead, these emotions seem to haunt us—often surprising us when we least expect it. And so, these feelings are akin to the tragic drowning of Ophelia, except that they seem to happen again and again—hence the title of the song. 

Georg Boehme, a brilliant arranger, composer, and horns player from Cologne, Germany, joined me on this piece. I sent Georg the basic tracks and gave him no instructions. He knows what to do, and he always exceeds my expectations. His playing on this piece is amazing. As you get to know Georg's music, you will begin to see that he has a unique style, and it shines through in all that he plays. Thank you, Georg, for lending me your immense creative talents. 

Last week, I sent what I believed was the finished version of this song to Noel Barrett, an outstanding bass player from Cork City, Ireland. I knew he would dig the work that Georg did on the track. And he did. Without any prompting, he replaced the bass part that I laid down—and improved the tune tenfold in the process. Noel has rock-solid time and brings a melodic sensibility to everything he plays on the bass. It is a great pleasure and honor to have him guesting on this song. 

Finally, I thank you, my devoted listeners, for your comments and for your repeated returns to my channel. 

I have much more music to write. This is only the beginning of the journey. 

Highest Regards, 

Roger Whittlesey
July 9, 2024

Ophelia Drowns Again

Produced By Danke Noetic @dankenoetic
Raps By U.Poet & Dynamo-P
@u-poet-official

U.Poet x Dynamo-P “Real Life” (Danke Noetic on the beat)

2024

Y-Le Pollen

Orchestral stealth w/ tense pauses & worrying moments
Flowing and dismal, featuring floating oboe and strings that create a mysterious, elusive mood.

Night Creatures

Another wonderful collab with Bleep, always a real pleasure for me !
- bass and sax dialog - check out: https://soundcloud.com/bleep64

Summer Session

Little Flower

I need a lil’ mo’ blessing in my life,
Clocking in, I’ve been putting in them late night,
Struggling, I’ve been conscience of my dreams in sight,
Hope that I take off, I have a safe flight. x2

I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reunite,
Blessed with knowledge, wisdom shining bright,
I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reignite,
Those blessings gon' take me to great heights.

Yo, I need that grind, late nights on repeat,
Chasing dreams hard, can’t accept defeat,
Blessings in the shadows, yeah, they creeping,
Power up my mind, ain't no time for weeping.

Anticipating fortune, I'm aiming for the sky,
Blood diamonds glistening, ain't no lie,
Success I desire, yeah, I’m on that track,
Triple doubles on my sheet, no looking back.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessing in my life,
Clocking in, I’ve been putting in them late night,
Struggling, I’ve been conscience of my dreams in sight,
Hope that I take off, I have a safe flight.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reunite,
Blessed with knowledge, wisdom shining bright,
I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reignite,
Those blessings gon' take me to great heights.

Pride and gratitude, fuel for my action,
In this sci-fi world, I'm ready for traction,
Socials lit, but they can be distractions,
Blessings from the messiah, time for a reaction.

Riches in disguise, I’m flipping every dime,
Success driven, bitch, I’m here to climb,
Hypnotized masses, they don’t see the grind,
But I’m getting blessed with extra Christ, let’s unwind.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessing in my life,
Clocking in, I’ve been putting in them late night,
Struggling, I’ve been conscience of my dreams in sight,
Hope that I take off, I have a safe flight.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reunite,
Blessed with knowledge, wisdom, power in the night,
I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reignite,
Those blessings gon' take me to great heights.

Yo, I need that grind, late nights on repeat,
Chasing dreams hard, can’t accept defeat,
Blessings in the shadows, yeah, they creeping,
Power up my mind, ain't no time for weeping.

Anticipating fortune, I'm aiming for the sky,
Blood diamonds glistening, ain't no lie,
Success I desire, yeah, I’m on that track,
Triple doubles on my sheet, no looking back.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessing in my life,
Clocking in, I’ve been putting in them late night,
Struggling, I’ve been conscience of my dreams in sight,
Hope that I take off, I have a safe flight.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reunite,
Blessed with knowledge, wisdom shining bright,
I need a lil’ mo’ blessings to reignite,
Those blessings gon' take me to great heights.

Pride and gratitude, fuel for my action,
In this sci-fi world, I'm ready for traction,
Socials lit, but they can be distractions,
Blessings from the messiah, time for a reaction.

Riches in disguise, I’m flipping every dime,
Success driven, bitch, I’m here to climb,
Hypnotized masses, they don’t see the grind,
But I’m getting blessed with extra Christ, let’s unwind.

I need a lil’ mo’ blessing in my life,
Clocking in, I’ve been putting in them late night,
Struggling, I’ve been conscience of my dreams in sight,
Hope that I take off, I have a safe flight.


Dark Sky Paradise

RAW SMACKDOWN

Dynamo-P on YouTube: https://goo.gl/piZymu

Spotify streaming: https://goo.gl/L7RfgF


JKE Music Is the Label.