Dec 26, 2020
I share all of this post because “now” can be a time of connection in these times of COVID and the other things that keep us separate, whether it is by our own intent or others’.
About a year ago I had one of my in-person gatherings in my home in Santa Monica. I decided to call it Sound Soup, because after dinner we all took part in what became one of the most magical expressions of sound that I’ve encountered, let alone facilitated. I thought I’d share this because the one to lead us off was my ever-so-talented friend Michael Mollura, who is my Featured Guest this Tuesday for my pop-up screening salon, Our Music & Our Dreams. I hope you’ll join us (and bring your plus-1).
Back to my story… just over a year ago, after preliminary drinks, talk time and a welcome, we sat down at the table to enjoy a fabulous potluck dinner… a feast for all the senses, and the result of all of our contributions. (For those not familiar with the term, like some of my puzzled British friends, these are collaborative meals where everyone brings a dish that they’ve made at home or procured in some other way, whether from a restaurant, the markets, a family tradition or elsewhere.) These have been vegetarian or plant-based because there is so much deliciousness to be had without even having to use meat, fish, etc. It’s always fun to explore a bit, right? Over the years I’ve been doing these and and while the food has always been fabulous, even more, these gatherings have been about creating a setting for authentic connection… which is at the heart of Stone Soup Ripple.
Back to that sound soup evening in November, 2019:
Just like the meal, I wanted to create a collaborative experience that would connect us in a different way, through sound. As I told MIchael, this was not to be a ‘performance’… not a quartet or even a solo. Just sound, created from the warmed, nourished and amateur hearts of all of us.
Some of you may have met Michael during my Spring Screening Series, The Road to Dharma, when he joined creator, producer and director Adam Schomer for one of our salons. (Among other feature film scores including one due out soon, Michael composed the score for Adam’s docuseries which had just launched on Netflix, Amazon Prime and many other platforms as that series began.) Michael was also one of our guest presenters to rave reviews at the Esalen Film Festival when I was asked to co-direct it with Corrine Bourdeau a couple of years ago.
Yet again, back to my soup story... which actually ended up as the most wonderful dessert!
Michael led off with his harmonium, with percussionist Christo Pellani who got the vibe going… Then my dear friend and kundalini yoga and sound bath goddess Linh James, added her sounds into the mix, starting with her gong, then Tibetan singing bowls and more… Slowly and as it felt right, she invited others to add their ‘sound voices’ into the mix… handing us chimes, wooden sticks, a washboard type of thing, a rainmaker, bundles of nuts, pairs of chopsticks…
Our combined sounds evolved and expanded as we shifted from separate people who had come through my door to enjoy a meal to a wholly different, united being, thanks to the sound energy we were creating together.
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This Tuesday December 29th, Michael will join me again, and with him, we will explore the world and music and dreams, two areas which come together in his professional roles as a composer of films scores and his clinical psychology practice where he incorporates original music into the dream work he does with his clients.
Feel free to join us on Tuesday (and in the spirit of the ripple, you’re invited to bring a plus-1… just let us know who it is by Sunday, Dec 27th). Info and booking is on the Gatherings Page.
Wishing you all an ending to this year and a new one filled with joy, good health, connection, belonging, a bit of Dharma and the paying attention to the sounds, words, places and people that can make a difference in our lives.
Happy New Year to you,
Christine