I have been thinking a lot about the word contribution. What do we contribute to this world? This month I am contributing a Laura Marling Cover.
I am wrapping up the year by sharing a video of an unplugged duo version of "Jackson", a raw arrangement my UK buddy Harriet Langley and I played live in London.
22 December 2020
Well, 2021 has come to an end, I know most people are stoked about that. What a strange year it's been, harder for some than others, but a real whirlwind of emotions no matter where you are in the world or what your circumstances. I am grateful right now that my sister made it from Melbourne to Sydney last week so we can hug and drink coffee. I know how lucky I am to be in Aus right now during this pandemic and I am thinking a lot about my friends in London who are locked away right now trying to keep their cool. Sending love to you guys.
I am wrapping up the year by sharing a video with you all I am very proud of and that I loved making. The song is an unplugged duo version of "Jackson", a raw arrangement my UK buddy Harriet Langley and I played live in London, Sydney and Melbourne throughout 2019. We got together with our mates Ingmar Kamalagharan and Thomas Vella from South Sessions in May 2019 to jam this tune out in a friends vintage, plant filled living room in south London. Check out the video below.
"Jackson" was written on a Christmas day in London, 2017, when I was alone and missing my family. This song feels extra emotional this Christmas as I know so many people won't be spending Christmas in the way they would like to. I want to send out love and courage to anyone who needs it this Christmas. ❤️
If you are on my mailing list, you'll receive a free download of this song before xmas (you can sign up at www.fetherstone.com). If you want to donate something towards the making of this video and track, you can do that on bandcamp here (https://fetherstone.bandcamp.com/track/jackson-live-in-london). All money received for this track will go into the new album I am currently working on right now, which I will be sharing in 2021. So excited about that.
Merry Xmas friends.
With love,
7th August 2020
I have been thinking a lot about the word contribution. What do we contribute to this world? What do we offer out to our community (be it peers, students, teachers, family) as a gift? The hardest thing about sharing anything is our human need for validation, justification and reassurance that what we have to say is, well, worthy of someone else's attention. So much of the time, we don’t share because we can't guarantee we will receive responses that help us feel safe and comfortable - and it's scary (I have been binging on Brene Brown’s ‘Call To Courage’ talk on Netflix - I cried & laughed approximately 3 times on each watching - seriously recommend).
So a few weeks ago a light bulb went off. What if we DON’T share our thoughts and creations purely out of fear? The world would be starved of that bead of loveliness, and how sad! So a new word came to mind that felt less risky, less tied up in all the fear - contribution. What can I contribute to the pool of great things, knowledge and creativity for the sake of growth, learning and joy?
This month, I’m contributing an arrangement of a Laura Marling song that I love from her album 'Song For Our Daughter'. The song is called “Held Down”. The harmonic twists and turns of the vocal harmonies on the original track are really surprising and beautiful, so I wanted to explore ways in which I could create that same tension and release in my own way. I recorded, produced and mixed it in my home studio and gave the video a splash of arty quirk for good measure. You can watch it here - https://youtu.be/GeYu2BvosDE,
To me, the REAL contribution in doing this arrangement is that I have transcribed a version of my cover to digital sheet music. It's arranged for SMATB (Soprano, Metzo, Alto, Tenor, Bass) and you can find it on my new 'shop' page from my website here. I would absolutely love to hear some singers try it out. If you do, fellow singer friends out there, please send me a recording or video - it would make my day (maybe year)!
If you like this little arrangement and want to hear me try one of your favourite songs or artists in this vocal loopy way, I’d love to hear from you. That can be your contribution to me (ok I’ll stop using that word now 🙃). You can reply to this email or so hi on any of the social links below.
Sending out positive Friday vibes to you all. Stay inspired and I plan on appearing again in a month with my next monthly cover instalment.
With love,
FS (aka Bri Cowlishaw)