I started this day on full tilt as I had a lot to accomplish before this afternoon. So, having been to the gym, practiced and also done some PR I am now poised to enjoy what is to come. I have an afternoon planned with a close gal pal of mine whom I haven’t seen since before Christmas! We are going to chill out, listen to music, indulge in teeny bit of vino (famous last words) as we catch up with each other.
It’s one of those little pleasures of life I really enjoy, just shooting the breeze with a mate. I hardly have enough time these days for the endless list of things I have to do which is why it’s so refreshing to take time out with a friend. It takes you out of your immediate world for a little bit and I think our souls need that more often than we realise.
So, I always set the stage for such events – choose the right tunes for the stereo, light my favourite scented tea lights, put on the mood lighting, get the little nibbles out and as is my wont indulge in my unhealthy obsession with serviettes! I simply MUST have gorgeous serviettes when entertaining ... my friends tease me endlessly about this, but a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do!
Today’s listening experience – Chick Corea ‘Spain’
I adore this track – in the first few seconds, I’m there ... in Spain – with sun streaming down on my skin, cocktail in hand, surround by great company with wonderful music making its mark on my soul. So, it’s time for you to leap in to the azure waters of this elevating track – and you will emerge refreshed, revitalised and ready for what life has in store for you next! Enjoy!
Prema
x
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Friday, 5 February 2010
Feed Your Need
The sun's out today! So I'm taking the opportunity to sit out on my little balcony and get some sun on my pallid skin (brown skinned people need sun too!). So, I've taken my laptop out with me and have stuck some tunes on the stereo - it's really lovely to take time out to feed our needs - I feel so much better for it. So with a coffee in one hand I sit here poised to write another entry in my blog.
The combination of the sun and my balcony bring to mind a certain love affair I have with one particular song - it's the Isley Brother's Summer Breeze. Now I know it's a classic and it's a song that is dear to many people and is the epitome of a warm and gorgeous summer's day. For me though it's the song that truly does give me an instant fix - all the thoughts, the hustle and bustle of life that bubble in my heart like an angry, furiously boiling stock just simmer right down when I hear Summer Breeze. It's my soul's elixir.
I have an interesting relationship with my balcony. We live just off the main road in a town called Reading in the UK. It's pretty hectic with an endless stream of traffic and sirens blaring so often - inner city life in all its glory! My tiny little balcony which I have crammed with plants is my sanctuary and when I am out here amongst my own personal forest, life slows down for me despite the traffic! I have jasmine, honeysuckle, rosemary, lilac, bay leaves, eucalyptus and even a cherry tree - but it is winter now and the leaves have all dropped and so it's not as bushy and verdant as it is in the summer. Yet, it's still my lovely forest and I've got Summer Breeze on the stereo, the sun is shining on my face - LIFE IS GOOD. .
I think it's really important for us all to create a little sanctuary in our homes. A place where we can be ourselves, do our “thangs” and chill out - remove ourselves from the mundane and immerse our whole beings in it. My little balcony, plants and stereo have been a life saver - in my darkest moments I find solace, healing and love in my sanctuary.
Today’s listening experience – The Isley Brothers ‘Summer Breeze’
So, how about you have a gorgeous moment to yourself and listen to Summer Breeze? Imagine the scent of jasmine fluttering around you, think of the warm sunshine on your skin and take yourself to your personal sanctuary. Feed your Need!
Prema
x
The combination of the sun and my balcony bring to mind a certain love affair I have with one particular song - it's the Isley Brother's Summer Breeze. Now I know it's a classic and it's a song that is dear to many people and is the epitome of a warm and gorgeous summer's day. For me though it's the song that truly does give me an instant fix - all the thoughts, the hustle and bustle of life that bubble in my heart like an angry, furiously boiling stock just simmer right down when I hear Summer Breeze. It's my soul's elixir.
I have an interesting relationship with my balcony. We live just off the main road in a town called Reading in the UK. It's pretty hectic with an endless stream of traffic and sirens blaring so often - inner city life in all its glory! My tiny little balcony which I have crammed with plants is my sanctuary and when I am out here amongst my own personal forest, life slows down for me despite the traffic! I have jasmine, honeysuckle, rosemary, lilac, bay leaves, eucalyptus and even a cherry tree - but it is winter now and the leaves have all dropped and so it's not as bushy and verdant as it is in the summer. Yet, it's still my lovely forest and I've got Summer Breeze on the stereo, the sun is shining on my face - LIFE IS GOOD. .
I think it's really important for us all to create a little sanctuary in our homes. A place where we can be ourselves, do our “thangs” and chill out - remove ourselves from the mundane and immerse our whole beings in it. My little balcony, plants and stereo have been a life saver - in my darkest moments I find solace, healing and love in my sanctuary.
Today’s listening experience – The Isley Brothers ‘Summer Breeze’
So, how about you have a gorgeous moment to yourself and listen to Summer Breeze? Imagine the scent of jasmine fluttering around you, think of the warm sunshine on your skin and take yourself to your personal sanctuary. Feed your Need!
Prema
x
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Drawing the blues away
Today is definitely a Bob Marley day! I woke up yesterday feeling worse for wear as I’ve been rather pushing myself a little too hard and as a result had a pretty dark day. It’s funny like that isn’t it? Not funny “ha ha”, just funny odd! LOL! (The whole Goodfellas scene comes to mind!) However, today I feel much better, my spirit feels like it’s brighter and more like myself today. So while doing some work on the PC I felt the urge to listen to the prophet Bob Marley...and soothe me it has for I am now on a much better plane.
You see, for me Bob Marley has the singular ability to just draw my blues away; just like a tide retreating. His voice, his beautiful timbre, those penetrating lyrics and then to top it off such stunning music – utter genius.
It was many, many years ago, on an island off the west coast of Malaysia called Pangkor Island where Bob Marley’s music made a lasting impact on my life. You see, I was on my first holiday with the love of my life. We were in a world of our own surrounded by a tropical paradise. One day, very early in the holiday, we floated into the little town and decided to go into a fast food joint which was akin to something like KFC – but it was called Marry Brown! :-) There was a jukebox there and while dreamily looking into each other’s eyes and nibbling on fried chicken we listened to Bob’s ‘Is This Love’ which I had chosen a few seconds earlier.....and as the song played my love & I were filled with so much emotion – love, unconditional, pure and vibrant – time stood still. We had found our song. We’ve been together since 1999 and every time we hear it, we are right back there, looking into each other’s eyes. It is the most beautiful song – it’s our song and it’s just how our love and lives have panned out – ‘Jah provides the bread’ – ALWAYS. My heart swells as I tell you about it ... this song takes us to our blissful place.
Today’s listening experience – Bob Marley’s ‘Is This Love’
So my darling friends put this song on and if you have someone you love, let yourself love the way the song teaches us to and if you have not then find the special someone whom you can love this way. Sink deep into the song and let your heart swell. We all deserve to feel this kind of love and I wish it for you.
Prema
x
You see, for me Bob Marley has the singular ability to just draw my blues away; just like a tide retreating. His voice, his beautiful timbre, those penetrating lyrics and then to top it off such stunning music – utter genius.
It was many, many years ago, on an island off the west coast of Malaysia called Pangkor Island where Bob Marley’s music made a lasting impact on my life. You see, I was on my first holiday with the love of my life. We were in a world of our own surrounded by a tropical paradise. One day, very early in the holiday, we floated into the little town and decided to go into a fast food joint which was akin to something like KFC – but it was called Marry Brown! :-) There was a jukebox there and while dreamily looking into each other’s eyes and nibbling on fried chicken we listened to Bob’s ‘Is This Love’ which I had chosen a few seconds earlier.....and as the song played my love & I were filled with so much emotion – love, unconditional, pure and vibrant – time stood still. We had found our song. We’ve been together since 1999 and every time we hear it, we are right back there, looking into each other’s eyes. It is the most beautiful song – it’s our song and it’s just how our love and lives have panned out – ‘Jah provides the bread’ – ALWAYS. My heart swells as I tell you about it ... this song takes us to our blissful place.
Today’s listening experience – Bob Marley’s ‘Is This Love’
So my darling friends put this song on and if you have someone you love, let yourself love the way the song teaches us to and if you have not then find the special someone whom you can love this way. Sink deep into the song and let your heart swell. We all deserve to feel this kind of love and I wish it for you.
Prema
x
Monday, 1 February 2010
My Beautiful Affair - The Beginning
It’s the first of February 2010 & I thought it an auspicious time to start my first ever blog. I’ve been quite resistant to writing a blog for the longest time but it seems like the moment has arrived – so here I am folks, ready, willing and able!
As music is the frequency around which my soul vibrates it is only fitting that this blog, has music at its core. As some of you may know, I’ve released my second album ‘in Fusion’ recently, under my own record label MoreReverb.com. It is a huge deal for me because I finally made an album that was a true and authentic reflection of me, which as a musician might know, can be a very difficult thing to do if one has record labels and fiscal issues to think about. Making a record for the sole purpose of wanting to enjoy listening to it is a luxury these days, especially for the artiste/musician. I am blessed to have been able to do this and still have to pinch myself when I think of how we’ve managed to make this happen. The icing on the cake of course was the fact that I was able to enlist my musical heroes into this project – this incredible list is as follows; Wah Wah Watson, Peter Erskine, Luis Perdomo, Damian Erskine & Bashiri Johnson. Now I am unable to talk about these gentlemen without gushing – they really are inspiring people and musicians and have made a lasting and positive impact on my soul. If you’d like to know more about me, the album ‘in Fusion’ and the phenomenal musicians who played on the album, then please drop by www.prema.net for the lowdown.
So, my beautiful affair is of course my affair with music. For lack of a better word (because affair does conjure up images of it being fleeting) my ‘affair’ with music is all consuming and perhaps a little scandalous! However, ask any passionate musician and he/she will say the same – you live, breathe and vibrate music...’tis it’s nature.
It is my feelings about music that I want to share with you all, because I want for more and more people to experience music as intensely as it is humanly possible. In this day of ‘fast music’ very much akin to ‘fast food’, we just don’t savour it. We guzzle down the music, allowing only a moment of instant gratification, a quick fix as it courses through our beings giving us an ephemeral sense of joy which never lingers long enough for us to really FEEL it.
Music is so much more though; it heals, it inspires, it soothes, it elevates, it resonates and does everything we need it to do – we just have to learn to let it do what it was created to do. So, that’s my blog – it begins here today on the first of February 2010 and I hope in a year’s time you will all have your own beautiful affair with music!
Today’s listening experience – Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’
Sit yourself down somewhere comfy, get yourself a lovely drink – take the time to make the best cup of coffee or whatever you fancy... Put this track on, take a sip and close your eyes to the opening strains. Let yourself sink in to the guitar lick, let your body move, stick a knowing smile on your face – ‘only love can conquer hate’, let the swell of the strings fill your heart, exhale and feel the lump in your throat at the chorus. Now, key change...a time for you to put your personal memories into the song and then, slowly, from minor to major... a sense of hope, good things are coming your way ... feel it deeper now, feel the music channel love into your heart – sing along baby! Move your body, you’re on the ride now ... no getting off, here it comes, getting faster, stronger...let go of your fears. You’re home free! When the song is over, exhale deeply and smile. I guarantee you it will set you up for the whole day. :-)
With love and peace,
Prema
X
As music is the frequency around which my soul vibrates it is only fitting that this blog, has music at its core. As some of you may know, I’ve released my second album ‘in Fusion’ recently, under my own record label MoreReverb.com. It is a huge deal for me because I finally made an album that was a true and authentic reflection of me, which as a musician might know, can be a very difficult thing to do if one has record labels and fiscal issues to think about. Making a record for the sole purpose of wanting to enjoy listening to it is a luxury these days, especially for the artiste/musician. I am blessed to have been able to do this and still have to pinch myself when I think of how we’ve managed to make this happen. The icing on the cake of course was the fact that I was able to enlist my musical heroes into this project – this incredible list is as follows; Wah Wah Watson, Peter Erskine, Luis Perdomo, Damian Erskine & Bashiri Johnson. Now I am unable to talk about these gentlemen without gushing – they really are inspiring people and musicians and have made a lasting and positive impact on my soul. If you’d like to know more about me, the album ‘in Fusion’ and the phenomenal musicians who played on the album, then please drop by www.prema.net for the lowdown.
So, my beautiful affair is of course my affair with music. For lack of a better word (because affair does conjure up images of it being fleeting) my ‘affair’ with music is all consuming and perhaps a little scandalous! However, ask any passionate musician and he/she will say the same – you live, breathe and vibrate music...’tis it’s nature.
It is my feelings about music that I want to share with you all, because I want for more and more people to experience music as intensely as it is humanly possible. In this day of ‘fast music’ very much akin to ‘fast food’, we just don’t savour it. We guzzle down the music, allowing only a moment of instant gratification, a quick fix as it courses through our beings giving us an ephemeral sense of joy which never lingers long enough for us to really FEEL it.
Music is so much more though; it heals, it inspires, it soothes, it elevates, it resonates and does everything we need it to do – we just have to learn to let it do what it was created to do. So, that’s my blog – it begins here today on the first of February 2010 and I hope in a year’s time you will all have your own beautiful affair with music!
Today’s listening experience – Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’
Sit yourself down somewhere comfy, get yourself a lovely drink – take the time to make the best cup of coffee or whatever you fancy... Put this track on, take a sip and close your eyes to the opening strains. Let yourself sink in to the guitar lick, let your body move, stick a knowing smile on your face – ‘only love can conquer hate’, let the swell of the strings fill your heart, exhale and feel the lump in your throat at the chorus. Now, key change...a time for you to put your personal memories into the song and then, slowly, from minor to major... a sense of hope, good things are coming your way ... feel it deeper now, feel the music channel love into your heart – sing along baby! Move your body, you’re on the ride now ... no getting off, here it comes, getting faster, stronger...let go of your fears. You’re home free! When the song is over, exhale deeply and smile. I guarantee you it will set you up for the whole day. :-)
With love and peace,
Prema
X
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