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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Alouette

When I was just a little girl and my mom used to make her rounds just before she turned the lights off and sent me into lala land, each night would end somewhat like a fairytale.

By fairytale, I mean the happily ever after. By fairytale, I mean, she helped to make the day end on a sweet note. By sweet note, I mean that she would have me frozen in peacefulness when she started to sing me a lullaby. My favorite was always Alouette because it was layered in such beauty and I was in sheer comfort.

What a powerful way to guide a kid along the journey of starting to dream. What an exceptional moment in time to drive an adult back in time with such fond memories. I know that I was lovingly cared for. I know that I can never take those wonderful moments for granted.

If you remember this French lullaby, the lyrics spoke about stroking the feathers of a skylark. All I could do was listen with my heart because the song was so calming. How ironic that a skylark is a songbird? How ironic that I turned out to be a songbird? How ironic that Fleetwood Mac’s popular song, “Songbird” which was featured on the album Rumors, won album of the year in the year that I became a thought? How ironic that this might have been the message telling me exactly what I had been engineered for.

Years later, the pleasure of my eyes often fall on a stage with a microphone on it where I can share my gift with whoever is willing to entertain it for a minute. Some people never consider how things like a lullaby play such a large role in the person that you become. Those moments inspired meaning in me. They gave me reasons to put my fears to rest and to stay on the idea of knowing how to dream.

And then jazz came into my life. And then I started to love it. And then I started to sing it. And then I came across popular songs that made me flashback to yesterday’s smiles. One of them, “Skylark,” a 1941 popular song by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael. When I first listened to it, I was unable to conceal my mirth. It reminded me of that beautiful part of my history that I am still in love with. And so, the lyrics and musical components of this jazz song fell deeply into my heart. The amalgamation of those perspectives are what lead me to want to sing it.

And so when I embraced a popping venue in my local habitation called Rustik Tavern to support my friend Eric Frazier’s longest running jazz jam session to ever be a part of Brooklyn’s lifetime, I joined the stage with the sizzling musicians on the stage and I had the pleasure of covering “Songbird.”

If you have the chance, please check out this cover which is now on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fjLanRDwlQ





Thank you so much for checking out my blogpost and if you are interested in seeing what Eric Frazier really is all about, you should definitely make your way out to his jazz festival that he puts together every year; the Fort Greene Park Jazz Festival happening this Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 3PM to 7PM.  



I will be the featured vocalist for the event and I would love to have you all there. Considering how it went last year, I can say that it will be great this year as well. I value your investment of time taken to read my blogpost and look forward to sharing many more moments with you in the future.


God bless you!

38 comments:

  1. Thank you for that sweet story of how a lovely lullaby helped shape you into the person you are today. Getting my singing voice ready for my little grandbaby.

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    1. Awww. You have the luckiest grandchild to have you in his or her life.

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  2. I love Alouette. I forgot about it until reading this. And I now have to find that song by Fleetwood Mac and listen to it.

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    1. Yeah The Fleetwood Mac song was really great. You'll love it!

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  3. Many things shape us into the person we want to be, or that we find we WANT to be. This is a beautiful story. Thank you!

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  4. What a wonderful story! I'm always hoping that what I do with my son he'll remember fondly. I hope that I'm shaping him the way your mother shaped too.

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    1. He will. We just don't always reveal it but trust me, he adores you more than you will ever realize.

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  5. The little things early on in life definitely shape who we become. This is such a sweet story about how a lullaby shaped you and your love for jazz.

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  6. I remember that tune, not sure my mom ever sang it to me but I to this day still sing it out loud!

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  7. What a beautiful cover!! It really is amazing how much little things when we are younger really shape our lives.

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    1. Thank you for that Jennifer. I appreciate that you listened. Yeah, the little things sometimes are the most important things in life.

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  8. What a wonderful story! Alouette is a really amazing song that we used to listen to when I was young also.

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    1. Awww! That means you had a wonderful upbringing.

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  9. This is a wonderful story on how you became the singer you are today! I think it's really sweet that you attribute part of the journey with your mother and your childhood. Thank you for sharing and best of luck!!

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    1. Yup! my family played a big part in it. I love them so much. Thank you Ashleigh. :)

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  10. It's so sweet hearing how much those lullabies meant to you. This is really very dear!

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  11. A jazz festival sounds like a perfect way to relax on a Saturday. Wish I lived closer.

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  12. How sweet. I wish I had memories like that with my mom, she passed away when I was 16 and I really don't remember much. Lullabies are so special, this is a wonderful story! - Jeanine

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  13. Oh wow, congrats on being the featured vocalist. I don't think I've ever heard that lullaby before.

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  14. This sounds like a wonder festival indeed to attend. Congrats on being the featured vocalist for the event. Thanks for sharing your awesome voice and the great songs.

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  15. That Jazz festival sounds like something I would love to attend. Thanks for sharing.

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  16. What a beautiful voice you have. I always want the back story of ones talent. Such a sweet story.

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  17. It's crazy to think about all the small things that turn us into the people we are today!!!! Such a great story!

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    1. I know right. The good things about going back and remembering moments like this!

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  18. Such a great story! I've never listened to jazz. Thanks for sharing this, so fun to read! -Lynzy

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