Featuring:
Lou Rhodes (from the UK band "Lamb") on lead vocals.
Briget Boyle (from the vocal group "Kitka") leads the harmony vocals.
Avanna and Blue fill out the rest of the harmony vocals.
All Instruments by Ray Hix.
About The Music:
This piece is a fusion of several different styles and influences, blending rock, funk, fusion, world, classical, and movie score, into a unique sound.
It features ethereal Female Vocals on top of Koto, Electronic Harp, Bass, Drums, Synth Harpsichord, Electric Guitar, and Electric Violin.
This music began with the Slap Bass idea I used in the middle parts of the tune. That Bass part is remarkably fun to play!
After adding the Harpsichord keys to the Bass line, I realized I needed an intro for it; so I thought I could begin with a slow and spacey derivitive from the Bass rhythm, and build up to the Slap Bass part.
You may notice that the bass and drum do not just repeat a short, 1 or 2 measure pattern here; they sync up to play classical-like variations on the rhythm before starting from the beginning again.
Meanwhile, the koto and an electronic harp enter over the Bass/Drum rhythm.
In this piece, the Harmony Vocals are a main feature - they are not just for backing support.
The female harmony vocals for this tune was inspired by a vision of enlightened, spiritual women gathering in a ceremony to bring through blessings for humanity.
Briget Boyle (she has performed with renowned groups Kitka, Brass Menazeri, True Life Trio, and has her own band) leads the harmony vocals.
Briget actually hits those high notes in the harmony vocals; I did not use technology to raise her voice up there.
Avanna and Blue are two different vocal synthesizers. They add 2-4 voices (some phrases are in 5-part harmony) to fill out the rest of the harmony vocals.
Lou Rhodes (from the UK band "Lamb") provided the lead vocals. She also wrote the melody and lyrics for the part she sings.
When I finally added the lead vocal from Lou, I was blown away by how it sounded like it always belonged there!
Her Vocals fit perfectly with the musical atmosphere and feel of this Composition.
About the Name "Shamanka Blessing":
I was trying to condense the description "enlightened, spiritual women gathering in a ceremony to bring through blessings for humanity" down into a 2-word phrase I could use as a name for the piece.
The name "Shamanka Blessing" came from some definitions I found on the internet:
"Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with a spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world."
And:
"Shamanka: a female shaman."
While there are other definitions and interpretations (from both practitioners and non-practitioners alike) regarding shamanism, only these two simple definitions apply for naming this music.
