Sounds of Summer: Liminal Frequencies

Bridge in front of large waterfall in Oregon

Warm purple and yellow toned graphic that reads: Agile Vocalist Summer 2023

July is high summer here in the northern hemisphere. The season marks a threshold to cross over. Time and space to recreate and reflect is essential. The month is our family’s annual dive deep into new, creative and sometimes uncertain experiences. We head off to performing arts family camp, traveling up the west coast through Oregon to arrive in Washington in Longbranch located on Puget Sound. Mount Rainier sometimes makes herself visible among the clouds, and when she does her presence is an incredible sight from the campground.

Sounds of Summer and Water

In tribute to Agile Vocalist’s roots– a podcast that began in the shower, I share the Oregon leg of our trip. Falling water can be cleansing, deafening, cathartic and inspiring. We saw many gorgeous Oregon waterfalls, understood the history behind the City of Roses, and took the Portland Aerial Tram up high to view Mt. Hood’s beauty.

This episode is a reminder to revere nature, breathe, listen and enjoy the sounds of summer–wherever you are, even if you are in deep winter in the southern hemisphere.

Click the image to listen on YouTube:

About Camp Cazadero (Northwest)

Caz is not just about the performing arts, it’s also fine art for things like a paper mache  monster making class or a collage postcard collage art workshop.
 
This year, I went all IN on drums. You’ll hear that in the episode. I can’t figure out if I’m a closet drummer or bassist, probably both. For Simple Grooves class we didn’t have enough drum sticks so we used branches. With a few good combinations now locked in my muscle memory and brain, I don’t know how I will ever play drums with real sticks and not branches ever again! Taiko was also fabulous- swollen beginner forearms are signs of exceptional effort.
 
And for the new, I did an Improv class among about 20 other people, ages 11-60something all crawling on the floor making stuff up! I haven’t laughed that much in a long time. Another deep pleasure was animal explorations- turning myself into sound, movement and manner of all kinds of animal creatures along with other adult and kid collaborators. How often do you get the pleasure to be another kind of being?

To listen to this episode as a podcast, search for Agile Vocalist anywhere you get your podcasts.

orange graphic that reads Liner Notes

Sound Clips You’ll Hear in this Episode

  • Simple Grooves class led by Jason Elliot, Camp Cazadero Northwest
  • Camp Caz taiko lesson introduction by Toru Watanabe
  • Children and kazoos, Camp CazNW
  • Rainforest birds of the Olympic Peninsula, Longbranch, Washington
  • A capella chorus sings Kacey Musgraves, led by Marie Schumacher Camp CazNW
  • Train along Columbia Gorge beneath Bridge of the Gods, Oregon
  • Jazz and rock band night at Camp CazNW: Campers sing Taylor Swift
  • Open mic at Camp CazNW: Camper sings Conan Gray
  • Agile Vocalist production duo bloopers- POOR Barbara!

Did you enjoy this? Please share it with your arts and sound-loving friends. Don’t forget to subscribe to Sound Cocktails, the Agile Vocalist newsletter.

Episode Transcript: 

Narrator: Summer frequencies. This is my pause on season three, a limited space episode where you can share in the sounds of my life this summer From California up through Oregon and Washington and performing arts family camp. Here are some of the frequencies that I’ve enjoyed. New episodes are coming again in September and you can Google Agile Vocalist anywhere on the web or social media and catch up on what you’ve missed. Have a great summer, or a great winter if you’re in the southern hemisphere.

Instructor: This is slow. Usually you hear it: [rhythm] Drumroll. Okay, ready, here we go, and this and that. Sol-lei. 

Campers: So-lei! [taiko drum beats]. Kazoos and laughter. Outdoors and children sounds.

Camper choir: Oh, what a world I don’t wanna leave. There’s all kinds of magic it’s hard to believe. Oh, what a world I don’t wanna leave. There’s all kinds of magic it’s hard to believe. There’s all kinds of magic. It’s hard to believe. There’s all kinds of magic. It’s hard to believe. There’s all kinds of magic it’s hard to believe. I used to believe that we were forever and ever and I used to say never say never. So you called me up last night and said I still love you and my best is still, sorry.

Campers Sing: We are never, ever, ever getting back together. We are never, ever, ever getting back together. And I used to say: never say never. So you call me up last night and you said I still love and this was so boring. It’s exhausting. We. Are never, ever, ever getting back together.

[guitar interlude]

Camper Singing and Playing Guitar: I got tight eyes, a flat sky making it home under my lash line. You keep on crying and it hurts all mine. I’ll keep on staring at the clock trying to pass time. In my life. It flies by faster than you could say I love you could fly. It’s almost over. You say we’re the same. Our lives be better when we make it to the other side. Oh, we make it to the other side, oh.
Narrator: Okay, the capo’s name is Barbara. Our apologies to anyone who’s named Barbara. You’re kind of kicked around in this house, yeah, but Barbara’s dead. She’s dead.

 

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