HIGH ON A ROCKY LEDGE
This tragic lullaby was released in Moondog's "H’art Songs” (1978) album. This takes a form of a more traditional song, breaking off from the cannons and repetitive patterns typical of Moondog's earlier works. It has since been covered by a number of artists, with a notable recording by Rufus Wainwright (feat. David Byrne).
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In the original song, Moondog's mesmerizing vocals recite a story of death and eternal love, accompanied by minimalist piano layers.
AKIM BAMBOO
From the region of Cali in Colombia, Akim handcrafts his own flutes out of bamboo, following the Japanese tradition of the shakuhachi flute. This sensible human being is one of the many pleasant musical encounters I had in Toronto. Highly creative and with a true passion for Brazilian music, we have recorded and performed in various situations in the past years.
SAUDADE
I have always been fascinated by this Saturnian archetype of the lone sage. Moondog is definitely one of these masters, who diligently brews their wisdom in the vastness of solitude. To me, the touching story in this song carries a deep metaphysical perspective, like a tragic hero myth.
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I can almost see a line traced from Moondog, through Nietzche's Zarathustra, to João Gilberto, the Brazilian legendary artist who, in the depths of the silent night, devised the soft and intimate ways of Bossa Nova, distilling the Brazilian melancholy into the famous word ‘saudade’. João Gilberto is by far the artist I have most studied in my life and my greatest musical influence. This track is a tribute to him as well.
CREDITS
Akim Bamboo shakuhachi flute
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João Leão vocals, guitar, harpsichord, chimes