Four Winds: A songstorm of musical forces intertwined for the greater good!
www.ArlenePaculan.com
www.KatLeonard.com
www.MeghanMorrison.com
www.HeatherHill.ca
The Four Winds Collective share their gifts of music as they gather to play a concert fundraiser at the Church of The Good Shepherd Sunday September 29, 2013 2pm-4pm. Who are the Four Winds Collective? Kat Leonard (KatLeonard.com) has training in Science, music, theatre and The Second City. She performs feisty comedic pop. Arlene Paculan (ArlenePaculan.com) was trained at Randolph Academy and Royal Conservatory of Music, and performs soulful jazzy pop. Heather Hill (HeatherHill.ca) trained at Royal Conservatory of Music as well as New York City and plays piano pop rock. Meghan Morrison (MeghanMorrison.com) is a mover and a shaker. She started a successful music jam podcast and is an art rocker who plays Celtic groove music.
The Four Winds Collective is a songstorm of musical forces intertwined for the greater good. They travel together with their dynamic live shows in an aim to draw together a community to share joy and inspiration through music and storytelling.
Catch us Sunday September 29th 2pm in Wyebridge, Ontario!
www.KatLeonard.com
@Katbandoo
Talking theatre with Phil Rickaby!
Phil Rickaby’s weekly podcast All the World’s a Podcast features Canadian Theatre professionals. We sat down together and gabbed about theatre, performing, A Depper Kind Of Love, Katbaret and other riveting subjects. (Thanks, Phil!) If you put it on in the background as you go about your day, you can imagine being in the room with us eavesdropping!
My episode is lucky #52 and you can listen here.
Find out more about the podcast and eavesdrop on 51 more artists (and counting) here!
If you’re in the theatre realm, give Phil a ping! (Did you know “ping” is an electronic form of contacting? It’s true!) Maybe you can gab with him too!
If all the world is a podcast, what are YOU saying?
Fan Art-love of my life!
Thanks to Sarah Cochrane I have an original portrait of the love of my life. Thank you, Sarah! I hold him daily and dear to my…. heart… my pulsating heart! (Sigh)
Come By Here!
Once upon a time I wrote lyrics which depicted experiences with Cancer of three people that affected me greatly. Of course there are more than three that have affected me, but writing about them all would create an epic song for which the music video would be a multi-ogy. So I highlighted these three. What to do about music? Enter the astounding Heather Hill who created the music and worked with me to finesse the lyrics and come up with a resounding chorus and title. Come By Here; it’s what the term “Kumbaya” translates to. You may remember the spiritual song Kumbaya from the 1930s about human bonding, empathy and compassion. During the songwriting process Heather had goosebumps, so we knew we were onto something special.
Foreground: Heather Hill’s goosebumps
Background: Heather Hill’s hitmaker piano
Then came along the brilliant Orville Heyn who helped to finalize the lyrics and music. It was with Orville that I went into the studio this past July to record the track.
1. My reflective self! 2. My mic and my notes!
3. My producer/vocal coach/director Orville Heyn!
The result? These are the final lyrics.
COME BY HERE
-Kat Leonard, Heather Hill, Orville Heyn
(c) 2013
I had an aunt with grace untold
A hefty laugh, warm hand to hold
You’d fall in love before you knew it
Her smile was bright, her humour sharp
Encouraging words dispelled the dark
She was gone before we knew it
Chorus:
Come by here
Come by here
Oh god
Come by here
Grampie fought the great evil abroad
He’s the old kind of brave we’ll forever applaud
He fought for light and liberty
Taught me I was never alone
Gave a young girl a place to belong
When all was done he fell to only one enemy
[repeat chorus]
I have a friend who’s fought before
The devil it seems came back for more
She struggles inside, you’d never know it
Like a buoyant wave on a frantic sea
She’s the kind of friend I strive to be
An army of hope she marches on
[repeat chorus]
In perpetual echo our lost live on!
Where can you hear the song?
For one, you can listen here on Soundcloud!
For two, it is part of an artist compilation CD called She’s Listening which is in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada! If you’d like, you can pre-order your copy for $12 here. If you’re in Ottawa on September 8th, you can join Heather Hill and I at the Walk Of Hope and hear us perform the song live then pick up your copy of She’s Listening! There will also be other artists from She’s Listening performing! Sounds like a hoot and holla to me! 🙂
For three, you can see the music video… once there is one! The aim is to produce the video this fall. Come By Here, all!
Love Kat
@Katbandoo
www.KatLeonard.com
Resting On A Memory
For now this memory would hold her, for now this memory was enough. She sat for a moment in bliss, resting and recalling the sensation of the serene thrill that came before.
Within this memory, she could still dance to the music of her own giggles and sighs as they mixed with the hum of her companion speeding freely underneath her. She pulsed with the memory of the motion, each wave of movement a crest toward forthcoming promise and destiny. A magical breeze whispered encouragement, and the generous torque lifting her spirit let her know that she was well on her way. She was on top of the world as her oyster, and as it spun it did swirl into a silken pearl of fortune and gratitude.
This memory she savoured was a token of her good luck and a reminder to cherish each moment. For now this memory would hold her, for now this memory was enough. But as soon as the power came back on, she would jump back aboard for another sweet ride.
Photo by Michelle Weber
*This blog was inspired by Michelle Weber’s call to action on The DailyPost wherein the challenge was to write a post inspired by this photo.
In a nutshell:
Weekly Writing Challenge: 1,000 Words
The challenge is called “1,000 Words” after the famous phrase, but don’t feel that you need to write that much (or that little) — however many words your story requires is the right number of words.
Thanks for the challenge, Daily Press! That was fun!
🙂 Love Kat
If you like ovaries…
Preorder your She’s Listening CD (which includes my new tune Come By Here co-written with the illuminating Heather Hill) and help raise funds for Ovarian Cancer Canada research and screening. Check out the illustrious list of artists singing for the cause! Thank you for all you do! XO
What Are You Laughing At?
I wrote this article for the Positive Imperative movement, which encourages positivity in everyday life and thought.
For the full article, visit What Are You Laughing At?
And check them at www.PositiveImperative.com
Laughter is the best medicine, so make sure you’re not gulping a placebo!
WonderFest-West: empowerment westerly!
Thank you to Jason Spencer for sharing time with us at WonderFest-West and for helping spread empowerment through art with his delicious article! Click here for full article at www.Mississauga.com
PS My favourite part of this picture above is seeing Arlene in the nook of my elbow, backing me up as always! Awesome wingman and cohost!
Special Edition | Wonderfest West
Thank you to The Harlton Empire for their interest in WonderFest-West!
KAT LEONARD (Kat & The MP3) 