Don’t forget that UUCC will once again host Moises Borges and his Brazilian Jazz Band along with the Mo’ Mojo Band for a fantastic parking lot concert! The event will be in our parking lot at 4:00 p.m. next Saturday, May 29th (rain date is Sunday, May 30th) Come sing and dance along to some wonderful music – you can stay inside your car or bring a lawn chair and enjoy the spring weather. Either way, all audience members will be expected to follow county and state recommendations for safe outdoor gatherings. Don’t miss your chance to join some old (and new) friends and enjoy a concert in the great outdoors! There is no cover charge, but donations are encouraged and proceeds will go to side musicians who are struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. You can support the fundraising project on ioby’s website here.
We’ll also have some great music in this Sunday’s virtual service! Read on for this week’s Music Notes…
Music Notes – Sunday, May 23rd:
- Music 1: Woyaya – Amoa, Amarfino, Bailey, Bedeau, Osei, Richardson, and Tontoh
- Music 2: I Am Willing – Near
- Music 3/Offertory: Come Saturday Morning – Karlin & Previn
- Music 4/Postlude: We’ll Build a Land – McDade & Zanotti, arr. Carney
Written by Ghanaian drummer Sol Amarifio (b. 1938), “Woyaya” is the title song of a 1971 album by Oisibisa, a group of Ghanaian and Caribbean musicians. The song was frequently heard in work camps throughout central West Africa in the 1970s and 1980s. The word “Woyaya” has no literal English translation but can have multiple meanings, as is the case with many scat syllables, which are a common feature in West African music. The arrangement of “Woyaya” used in our service (and appearing as #1020 in our Singing the Journey hymnbook) comes from Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock and will be led this Sunday by UUCC’s Chancel Choir along with percussionist Aaron Burkle and pianist Mike Carney.
Born in Ukiah, CA in 1949, Holly Near began singing in high school, and soon built on her performing career with acting parts on Mod Squad, Room 222, and The Partridge Family, and later as a cast member of the Broadway musical Hair. In 1972, Holly was one of the first women to create an independent record company, paving the way for other female recording artists like Ani DiFranco. Often cited as one of the founders of the Women’s Music movement, she not only led the way for outspoken women in the music world, but also worked for peace and multicultural consciousness. Another significant arena of Holly’s activism is the LGBTQ community, and in 1976 she became one of the first celebrities to discuss her sexual orientation openly. Throughout her long career Holly has worked with a wide array of musicians, including Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, and many others. She has received honors from the ACLU, the National Lawyers Guild, the National Organization for Women, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; she was named Ms. Magazine’s Woman of the Year and received the Legends of Women’s Music Award. (from hollynear.com). “I Am Willing” originally appeared on Holly Near’s 2003 album Cris & Holly, a collaborative project with fellow folk artist and activist Cris Williamson (b. 1947). “I Am Willing” has since become one of Holly’s best-loved songs and has been performed all around the world. The arrangement you’re hearing today was written in 2008 by Steve Milloy and features percussionist Aaron Burkle, pianist Mike Carney, and vocal soloists Alicia Burkle, Jane Peterson, and Amy Collins.
“Come Saturday Morning” is a 1969 song created by the songwriting team of composer Fred Karlin (1936-2004) and lyricist Dory Previn (1925-2012) and originally performed by The Sandpipers. Karlin and Previn were especially known for their work in film music, and “Come Saturday Morning” was no exception, as it was first heard in The Sterile Cuckoo, a 1969 movie starring Liza Minelli. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, but lost out to “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In this week’s service, “Come Saturday Morning” will be performed by UUCC Pianist Karin Tooley.
“We’ll Build a Land” (Singing the Living Tradition #121) is one of the best-known and most beloved of UU Hymns. The song was written by Carolyn McDade (b. 1935), a self-described songwriter, spiritual feminist, and social activist, who is also the composer of other UU favorites like “Spirit of Life”, “Come, Sing a Song with Me”, and “Rising Green”. The words, written by Barbara Zanotti, are paraphrased from the Old Testament books of Amos and Isaiah. The choral adaptation of “We’ll Build a Land” you’ll be hearing this Sunday is by UUCC Music Director Mike Carney, and the UUCC Chancel Choir will lead the hymn in this week’s service.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director