Island Experience
Cover Art: “Tropic Travels” By Scott Westmoreland It was fun composing and arranging this rather unusual Caribbean music. The diverse and exciting orchestra background music made it very interesting. It really dramatized the music and this resulted in keeping a smile on my face while I was putting these songs together.
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Island Christmas
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Island Living
Cover Art by Dianna Willman
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Lately, I have been very interested in today’s generation of island musicians. For example, how is the music evolving? How and what are the differences in the instruments being used to produce the latest sounds? Is the music changing, and in what direction — going back to earlier styles — or advancing into 21st Century, more futuristic melodies and backgrounds? I have noticed a definite trend in a need to harmonize with nature and help the earth and other living species. Does this come from an awareness of the struggle taking place in nature? Are we becoming more aware of how the waters suffer from many pollutants, and living species are hunted and fished to the brink of extinction? Also, is it finally sinking in that the islands that we know today will not be liveable when the glaciers melt? The only islands left will be the tops of mountains and hills. It appears that more of us are concerned with what is happening to our earth and what this means for our future. I can sense this change in attitude in the music of the islands and the Americas. The music on this CD covers most of the vast areas in and around the Caribbean. Latin and English speaking areas are covered from Hot Bomba to free-wheeling Sambas. Even the Argentinian Cuarteto, the close relative of the Merengue, and the hot dance sensation that has swept the Southern latitudes — the Tortura — are represented. A beautiful memory formed the music “Jamaica on My Mind” and the hip-hop background rhythm of the slow jazz of “Mystery Island Revisited.” This latest CD, “Island Living,” reflects the subtle but insistent changes coming into the 21st Century music.
Island Bars
Cover Art by Patty Sole.
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This CD has come about as the result of requests from you music aficionados. Many have liked the occasional “bar” music sprinkled in amongst my Carnival and Junkanoo songs. There are those who have asked me to put out a CD containing exclusively old-style and Latin jazz. Perhaps you have visited these expatriate hangouts in the islands, or those good old back roads bars where a different brand of Blues, Jazz and New Orleans musical styles are mixed with island themes and rhythms. For all of these reasons, I have happily produced “Island Bars.” You can picture in your mind, as I do, the old-timers bringing their instruments into these places and jamming and producing an unusual and nostalgic brand of Island Bar Music.
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Island Memories
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I am a strong proponent of living in the present instead of reliving past adventures and dreaming of future conquests and discoveries. However, we must be very aware that dreams of a better future drive us onward and vivid experiences shape us into what we are. Much of this shaping has provided the songs of “Island Memories.” My enjoyment in dancing and watching the limbo, the magic of multiple guitars in the background of rhythmic sambas, the strong, emotional drums in Cuban music and, especially, the beauty of a tropical island night filled with the sights and energy from the Universe. The Universe has a multitude of natural rhythms in the continuous movement of all its parts. These rhythms are naturally experienced by islanders and are reflected in their music. Carl Sagan had an understanding of this rhythm. His inspirational videos of travels through the Cosmos have always stimulated my imagination, especially regarding the role of many species in the continuous and sacred evolution of life in the Universe. Therefore, I have dedicated “Rhythms of the Cosmos” in memory of Carl Sagan.
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Island Time
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The music on “Island Time” comes from our latest trip to islands of the Caribbean where time not only stops, but backs up: that slow, back-in-time pace that melts away tension and slowly but surely starts a vibration through your spine that reaches all the inner, hidden recesses of your core with a rhythm from nature that is naturally present in island music. The island people are desperately trying to preserve their sacred tie with nature, but the earth’s rapidly rising population is making their precious island lands more and more expensive to own, even for those who have lived there for generations. Where can they go? Too soon, where will we be able to go to find a place to experience “island time?” We don’t want to just remember “island time” — we want to experience it! Here is your chance to listen and experience “Island Time.”
Island Of Meditation
Cover: Infant Stars in the Milky Way Photo from Hubble Space Telescope
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I am very pleased to provide “Island of Meditation.” This CD was produced in response to the requests of many of you wonderful island music lovers for a CD with all slower, more peaceful and less explosive music. These needs were created by doctor’s offices, art classes, physical therapy, acupuncture and meditation centers and so on, where peace and harmony are sought, rather than people wanting to jump up to dance. It also provides a restful and contemplative environment for private enjoyment. We love that our music lovers come up with great ideas and requests for CDs; please keep them flowing in. We love hearing from you. In order to produce this CD, we selected appropriate songs from some of the existing CDs. It was very difficult, but we narrowed it down to 13 songs that entirely fill the CD with almost 80 minutes of beautiful music.
Island Of Mystery
Cover adapted from print by Monica and Michael Sweet |
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There are islands that you sail to, around, or near almost every time you race, or cruise to a destination. They just happen to be near the route to someplace and make an excellent anchorage. Island of Mystery is such a place. When at anchor or sailing close by, strange goings-on and different styles of music can be seen and heard. Different types of people appear on the island at these various times, and signs are posted on the island that warn you away with various penalties promised. The island and its reef are so beautiful that anchoring close by is a great temptation. On occasions such as these, the compelling and mysterious music coming from the island’s interior and the obvious moonlight rendezvous make imaginations soar and curiosities peak. This moody and mysterious music is reflected in the songs, “Mysterious Moonlight Rendezvous,” “Slow Reggae,” “Meditation Bossa Nova,” “Mysterious Island Tango,” “Puff Visits the Mysterious Island,” “Island Beguine,” “One Note Samba,” and “Mystery Melody Floating in the Night Air.” “Beach combing and Dreaming of You” is a song about a person suffering from too much partying and trying to get his soul back by beach combing for shells and other memorabilia. And, when the mind starts to clear, memories of someone in the past brings back good thoughts and, occasionally, more pain. “Tropical Thunderstorms” is a song that reflects the battling of nature’s Yin and Yang forces that brings balance back. If one doesn’t understand nature and its constant changing and evolving, fright and anxiety result. However, if you do understand, then rhythm and beauty prevails which stimulates wonder and creativity.
Isla Espania
Cover: Folklorico Dancers – Veracruz, Mexico
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When I was a young boy, I complained about the lack of color in the music that my teachers gave me to practice. So, eventually they gave me Latin Music like “Cumana” and I really liked it. Much later in life, I became very involved with Latin people in my work and pleasure travels. This gave me a view of the arts and craft, and since I was looking for it, a great deal of the music. But the best part was the rather intimate exposure to the people. The philosophy of living in English-speaking countries and Latin countries is vastly different, and this is a wonderful thing. If everything is the same, where is the learning and melding of different wonderful ways, ideas, and of course, music? In addition to the great rhythms and varying instruments to produce the rhythms and syncopation, passions, and I mean deep, feeling passion is the norm in Latin music. To see parents walking down the streets arm in arm with their children, even teenagers, is a pleasant shock. To hear music coming from musicians from a place so deep inside that the entire person is exposed is a revelation into how it should really be done. I learned all of this from my exposure to Latin people, and I try to get better at it each day. “Isla Espania” is exclusively devoted to Latin music.
Island Echoes
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Island Echoes reflects the interchange of island energies and music across the vast expanse of islands. The echoes bounce back and forth from the mainland of the Americas through the Greater Antilles and outward through the Lesser Antilles. The energies and music take something from each place and add, modify and insert something from lands on the other side of the world. This happens because of the many circumstances in history that caused people migrations from all ends of the earth. The span of music in the Caribbean areas is so varied and rich that I know of no other place like it. I have tried numerous times to list the musical styles but there are always more popping up with new generations trying to make their musical mark. This CD is a compilation of some of the styles but are oriented in a way that showcases the vast differences in the styles. Sailing around through this vast area very quickly points out the rapid changes in the music from place to place. But, if we listen closely, we can hear the echoes from place to place. Many times in life we hear a variation of the expression that “the trip is more important than the destination,” which is certainly true in a small boat trip. However, traveling by air certainly doesn’t qualify. The song “Sailing Along and Dreaming of Life” is meant to show the various moods we feel while sailing in vastly different conditions and thinking of the things going on in our lives.
Island Hopping
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Steel drum (pan) music is really popular in North America. I believe that the colorful uniqueness and totally different sounds are the major factors for this. One of the complaints about pan songs from many is that playing slow songs, even popular ones, can become very repetitive and boring. I definitely won’t make that mistake! Rhythmic beats during steel music mixed with syncopation will turn most people into toe-tappers and body movers. You can rest assured that this CD has pan songs that fit the bill, and that’s why it is one of the most popular. “Please Take Me Home” is a song that comes from the many experiences of sailors who have the wrong people at perhaps the wrong time on definitely the wrong voyage. There are horror stores of really bad captains or useless, belligerent crews, or perhaps passengers who have no business on a small boat, which results in “a trip from hell.” Sometimes people beg to go on a sailing/boating trip for the thrilling mental images and romanticism without really knowing how they will react to nature’s “Pandora’s Box.” Occasionally it will work out and you develop a new boating advocate. But a higher percentage of the time, they are incapacitated with mal de mer, or turn into Frankensteins. Please try it out on small trips progressing to longer voyages first. This even applies to buying a boat. Make numerous different length trips with other, preferably experienced, people before buying or renting a boat. There are stories of people having to be restrained by one means or another so they couldn’t cause damage to themselves or others on the boat. I have never had to go that far, but a few times I have had to take over and relieve them from their “watch.” On longer voyages, each person takes a turn at the helm or being a look-out. This time is called on “watch” and lasts 2-6 hours. “Where the Old World Meets the New” is a song that came to me while in the Andes. Sounds, smells, and the creatures are very different from the North American mountains. I was amazed at all this and mesmerized into seeing two armies passing each other on a mountain pass going in opposite directions in different dress, obviously from different times in history. Yes, island hopping is wonderful, but only with the right people!
Islacita
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“Islacita” (pretty little island) contains mostly Latin music, as can be seen by the song titles. The other few seem to belong on the CD because of their close relationship and similar beauty. The Merengue is a dance that came from the Dominical Republic and is danced almost everywhere in the islands, and Central and South America. In Argentina, the Cuarteto is very similar to the Merengue (on another CD). This CD is very important to me because of the sensitivity and passion taught me by the Latinos. “Sail to Rio for Carnival” contains excitement because of the anticipation of Rio and extranordinary music of Carnival. “Flamencocita” and “Gypsy Dance” are intense and emotional music that comes from the pockets of Gypsies and Spanish dancers that are found in the Latin populations. “I Don’t Care” is a deep feeling song that portrays the really sad and opposite meaning of the song title. “Club Latin” is my remembrance of a piano bar that I visited one evening in Mexico. As I walked in, I couldn’t see a thing in the dark candlelit room until my eyes adjusted to the scene before me. There was a beautiful grand piano on a raised floor being played by a smiling man who nodded for me to sit on one of the stools around and close to the stage. The music started out easy and simple and raised a level of complexity each time another person quietly joined in with an accompanying instrument. Soon enough, beautiful rhythmic Latin Jazz flowed like magic. I was lulled into a trance living the music on my own life’s stage that was indelibly written into my memory.
Island Dancing
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Let’s face it — island music is made for dancing! Most people come up with a melody or words and then compose a song. Not me. I start with a rhythm that I feel from the energy around me at the time, or the energy and rhythm from a memory. I then start fooling around with it until the beat, syncopation and general feeling is right for the mood. I then add, change instruments and drum types, add background instruments, and fool around with the beats per minute. When the various instrument octaves, tuning and echo are where I want them, I finally think about the solo instruments and their accompaniment instruments. With these in place, I work on a melody that fits that rhythm. Memories of things, nature’s sounds, the history of the places I’m thinking of bring the melodies to life. Island Dancing evolved this way. Every song went through this evolutionary process. “Dancing in the Veracruz Square” comes from watching all the Mamas and Papas in their finery dancing to the City Orchestra playing on the balcony of the Government Building: Papa looking so stern and Mama’s eyes sparkling and flirty in her ecstatic dancing mood, the children, dressed up and watching their parents and then bravely dancing with their friends. Once in a while the little girls would dance with Papa by standing on his feet. “The Sirens are Calling Me Sailing” is a provocative sea chantey type song where the hustle and bustle of life takes us away from our boats from time to time to meet the financial and family commitments of life. But, sooner or later, the Sirens win out and we return to Mother Ocean. “Let’s Go to the Carnival” is in a similar vein but much wilder. “Dueling Steel Drums & Horns” typifies Junkanoo where the bands battle each other by pairing off their soloist against each other while the bands who know each other’s music support the competing soloists.
Island Fever
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There is a strange phenomenon that happens to islanders from time to time. Suddenly, or in a slow buildup, you can’t stand the physical confinement of the island. You just have to leave for a period of time. To some, this time period can be small; to others it is of a more permanent nature … you then just come back to the island to visit. The music on this CD has a lot to do with this phenomenon of Island Fever, as examples: “Leaving for the Mainland,” “Another Place, Another Time,” “Spanish Flea,” “Ay Mama,” and “C’est La Vie.” Some of the other songs reflect a desire to do something on the mainland that perhaps you can’t do on the island: “El Rancho Grande,” “Mardi Gras Madness,” “Makes Me Want to Dance,” “Playing on the Beach,” “Dancing Down the Boardwalk,” and “Peace in the Valley.”
Island Magic
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There has always been something magical about islands. Maybe it’s their isolation and independence that makes them difficult to get to, or perhaps the fact that they are surrounded by water and have a totally different energy than the mainland. But, it is also known that nature evolves differently on islands, probably because of the previously stated reasons. Darwin’s discovery of evolution came from his visit to the Galapagos Islands and similar island oddities have been discovered on other islands after Darwin. People all over the world scurry to islands wherever possible. There certainly must be something magic about islands. Almost all the songs on t his CD are about going to or happenings on an island. This magical magnetism that pulls on people to go to islands is causing a great deal of problems. Islanders generally are willing to work and live on their islands without having to make a lot of money and just be happy with their family and friends. However, people from elsewhere who have extra money want to have a place on these islands, as well. They want what they are accustomed to, which may be much more extravagant than the islanders’ homes. This then drives the cost of everything on the island up and up until the original islanders can barely exist there anymore. Animosity has sprung up on many islands as a result of this set of circumstances. In most countries, if costs drive you off the beach areas, you just move inland where it is less expensive. Islanders have no place to go. This is emoted in my song, “Don’t Make Me Leave My Island.”
Island Vibrations
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Each set of islands has different energy vibrations. These vibrations are also in the music, the way the people walk and talk, and yes — even the food. At first you just know something is different and you patiently open up your sensors and try to feel everything. Tai Chi is a Martial Art that teaches how to feel energy and use it. I think that the many years of Tai Chi have helped me in numerous ways, and music is definitely one of them. The vibrations are definitely and emphatically different between the Greater Antilles and the Smaller Antilles. Even in the Greater Antilles, the musical differences between Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are quite marked. The mainland countries in Central and South America have extraordinary differences for many reasons, not the least of which is the remaining influences from inhabitants from thousands of years ago. This CD spans the entire continent and nearby islands with music of varying styles and vibrations, and even includes the vibrations of whales. It includes love songs, Gypsy music, island celebration music, Reggae, Cha Cha and Salsa.
Island Dreaming
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The art of island dreaming is something most of us do. I must admit, I probably do that more than most people because for me it started as a boy and just got stronger each year. Eventually, sailing to these dreamed-about places became a reality and, of course, living the dreams becomes a reality. It is not easy to explain how and what these feelings inside are about, but it all comes out of me in my music, and I’ve been told numerous times that while playing the music I reveal much more of my inner self. When sailing to an exciting place on a small craft, you put yourself into nature’s realm. Nature is rather indifferent about you out there in its environment. The constantly changing yin-yang cycle carries on regardless of who, why, weak or strong that you are. There is no one that can help you when you are hundreds of miles offshore, so you are on your own. You are stripped of all facades, pretenses and there is nowhere to hide. Sometimes you plead for it to stop and let you go, but it can last for many hours and you can’t believe the boat is holding together. Suddenly it changes and you feel like you’ve been taken to paradise. The beauty is boundlessly deep and beyond recognition, with schools of porpoise and long-distance sea birds, sunsets and endless clusters of stars horizon to horizon. What this does is strip you of all pretenses and bares your inner self so that you feel totally exposed and reliant only on yourself and your boat. When you step ashore in another place in this state of being, you are totally open to the different culture, philosophy of living and style of music. When you take a relatively quick plane trip to these places, you carry your old self buried inside the shell your life built for you. So, the new things have a difficult time breaking through to you and often the differences appall you rather than amaze, delight and teach you. The music of “First Light” comes from a tough night at sea and suddenly the beauty of new surroundings shines through as the sea changes its face. Other songs, such as “Under a Spanish Moon,” “Inner Beauty,” “Color of Blue,” “Groovy Bossa Nova” and “Begin the Beguine” reflect this beautiful awakening while in an open state of mind. “Mozambique,” “Trip to Rio,” “Don’t Squeeze Me Tomatoes” (a vegetable vendor song in an open market near the city square), and “Red Hot Mambo” are let’s dance and so happy to be alive songs after a hard and dangerous ocean voyage. “Gitanos” is music derived from a Gypsy part of a town that was a total shift and surprise in the style of music on one of our trips.
Island Moods
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Even when you are a life-long music maker, you don’t know how people are going to respond to your public musical offerings. Sure … your friends, co-workers and other acquaintances are supportive to your music. But, how will others who never heard of you take to mostly highly rhythmic, happy, energetic Island, Central and South American music? The IslandFrank website provided very positive and rapid results. Oh, there were problems! Immediately, hackers appeared making us work very hard to maintain the site integrity. It appeared to me that we had something to share regarding music, photos and other art forms. Our new location on Pine Island, Florida, contributed immensely to our feelings as depicted in songs like “Take a Southbound Train” which was composed with our friends and relatives in mind. “Stepping Out,” “Breaking Free,” and “I’d Rather be Sorry” are songs reflecting the mood of let’s go for it if you feel strongly about doing something you’ve always wanted to do. “Sunset with You” is a song for Sharon, who is a wonderful partner in all of our life’s adventures. She does so much, including the artwork on the covers and technical interfacing with webmasters and on and on. “Limbo” is something I’ve always loved to do, with a bit of success. “Mi Islacita” is a deep feeling song that came to me on a dark, dangerous and exhausting night off of Isla Mujeres, which is just off the Yucatan Peninsula. We had just finished an awful race from Galveston in continuously strong headwinds. This event is the source of endless horror stories involving monstrous seas, the DEA, darkness the depth of which I have never again experienced, circular columns of clouds from the sea level to 10,000 feet located in clusters about a mile apart inside of which lightning lit the columns to a brightness that allowed us to read, and on and on. When we finished the race, we were too exhausted to wind our way through the reefs in the dark under sail and anchor in the harbor of the island. We anchored near a reef on the outside and sprawled, exhausted on the deck and cockpit. The strains of Spanish guitars drifted out to our anchorage from shore. The melodies became haunting, speaking of requited love and soulful passion. This music, entering my sleeping mind and body through my subconscious, played in my memory for years allowing me to compose “Mi Islacita.” “Besame Mucho” and “Poinciana” are other old Spanish songs that I have always loved. The hot, passionate Latin Salsa – “I Want to Come to America” from West Side Story is and always will be a very popular song. “St. James City Reggae” is my attempt to bring reggae to Pine Island, a place where Country music seemed like all that you could hear when we first came to Pine Island.
Island Winds
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This CD is my first, and I didn’t know with any certainty if I would make more. In technical terms, it is probably the least competent but, because of all the deep emotions, one of the best. Being a life-long sailor, wind and water are the most important things that the beautiful blue earth provides me. Therefore, the compilation of songs includes some of my favorites. The artists and their songs are my favorites because of their impact on me at various times of my life. The ones that are mine are deeply emotional because of the experiences and circumstances at the time. For example, “Island Lullaby” is for a granddaughter when she was born. “Out of Sight of Land” is from a spiritual deep feeling I always get on long distance voyages to exciting places when land disappears on a long journey. There is no way you can sail the oceans and not have large permanent changes to your life. There is no one to help or save you; you can’t turn it off and hide; and whatever nature does is not in your control. Nature can roll right over you. It can provide you with the most beautiful sights, sounds and feelings you can ever experience. These emotions abound in Island Winds. Most people understand the beauty and passion behind “Jet Plane” and “Evening Tide” as they need no explanation. However, probably not many people know nature’s beauty and sadness behind “Esolai,” the heartbreaking story of Hawaiian lovers who surfed every evening as the sun was setting. Esolai decided to go out for one more set and never returned. Every evening at sunset, her lover waited for her while singing the beautiful song, “Esolai.” No amount of money and other human resources can provide the magnificent beauty, danger, thrill and other emotions that nature provides and provokes! Islands are surrounded and mostly controlled by nature. The energies from the sky, earth and water meet on islands. Islanders and people close to the water feel this energy and, amongst other things, provide extraordinary music and rhythms. Is it any wonder the people flock to the islands for their well needed battery charging?
Island Nights
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Pretty much all my life, night time has been MY time. I have always had excellent night vision and I don’t have to squint like I have to do in daylight or in well lit buildings, even at night. I have a genetic defect in one eye. It doesn’t contract with light, so I mostly have to wear sunglasses or really squint and get a headache. So, for me, especially on a boat out on the reflective water, daytime is tough and night a pleasure. This has made me into a night person, wandering around stargazing late into the night. But even without the vision situation, I have always been enthralled with the universe which can best be seen at night. The scientist in me makes me particularly interested in the Universe, the origins and the vast timelessness compared to human life. When out at sea, the stars stretch from horizon to horizon so clearly that it appears as a altogether different night sky from the night sky on land. I get the feeling, when sailing, that I’m in a totally different place in the Milky Way Galaxy or maybe that I’m in the Andromeda Galaxy, our neighbor galaxy. When night vision scopes became available for purchase, I quickly obtained one primarily for night time navigation and safety purposes. If someone goes overboard at night, it is somewhat difficult to maintain visual contact. But with a night scope, you can spot lobster trap buoys or anyone in the water just like in daylight. Night scopes are electron plate photon amplifiers which amplify light 50 thousand times. If someone a mile or so away is holding a cigarette in his hand it looks like he has a search light aimed at you, if looking through the night scope. So, if you look at the night sky at a small difficult-to-see constellation with the night scope, you not only see it amazingly bright and clear, but you can see constellations well beyond that you didn’t know were there. Can you imagine what a sight the moon would have been 3-4 billion years ago? The moon was only about 17,000 miles away so it would have appeared about 20 times larger than today’s moon. The oceans’ tides were thousands of feet because of the strong gravity of the moon so close to the earth. It has been and continues to escape from the earth at about one foot per year. Oh well … the effect of the moon on the earth is another story — maybe later.
Island Rhythms
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Rhythms run the Cosmos. Rhythmic timing is the Yin and Yang of the Multiverses (there are purportedly multi universes). Timing in everything we do is what causes the various degrees of success and/or satisfaction. Music reinforces the natural rhythms in our bodies. When I compose and arrange music, I start with a rhythm, working it around until it is the way I want it. Then I can let a melody slowly but surely wind its way into the rhythm, until the themes and sub-themes blend into a complete circle of the final song. This CD is a plethora of rhythms. The songs cover a geographical area of the Southern states through the Bahamas, some of the Greater Antilles, Jamaica, Mexico and Hawaii. Rhythm affected me even as a young boy bored with the constant practice of the Classical music until I coerced one of my music teachers to give me Latin songs to play. Even on the Ohio farm where I was raised, I dreamed of the Caribbean and all the touching music of adventure. “Dreaming of the Caribbean” is a medley of songs that cause a boy to dream of sailing adventures. The Gypsies have hot, passionate rhythms that can stir anyone’s soul, “The Gypsy in My Soul.” The delicious Bahamian melodies, simple but extraordinarily exciting, add to one’s dreams, “Bahamas Snorkeling.” Music that rhythmically cries and is the equivalent of some of our state-side country music, “No Woman No Cry” by the incomparable Bob Marley. Confusion and fusion of rhythms between different sectors of the Caribbean flow rampant in “East Meets West Caribbean.” Sometimes we can feel the independence of rhythms between the countries and islands. They want to be independent, yet there is an obvious melding of styles and rhythms, and its musically wonderful “Touching Energies.” Dancing to these beautiful exciting rhythms has been a part of everyday life in the Islands and Latin countries. The popularity has hit another high in North America as well, with TV series such as “Dancing with the Stars.” These dance feelings are reflected in “Mambo Francisco,” “La Paloma” and “Mama, You Look So Good.”