We Begin by Kate B
** Please visit www.katebmusic.com for merchandise including CD, USB & Songbook**
Greetings beloveds! I’m so excited to share this album with you as my second musical offering. I love that feeling of listening and thinking ‘A year in the making, yes! We did it!’.
Title track, 'We Begin', was written for a ceremonial walk facilitated by Raelene Byrne, resembling the shape of the snake, representing the power of shedding the old and allowing our full potential to shine. This idea inspired the evolution of my music and the studio performances that followed... we sought to capture that brilliance and embody richness.
Left unsupervised, this album became like one of my famous birthday parties, with everyone grabbing an instrument and singing a line. Thank you so much to all the musicians and friends who contributed their musical magic and support! A huge thank you goes out to the cheerleaders and crowdfunders whose support was so instrumental in bringing this music to life! I wish you great enjoyment in the listening! — Kate B
Special acknowledgement and gratitude goes:
To Andy for being so very good at what you do… I’m such a fan! You so beautifully walk the line between technical detail and sonic bliss! To Imogen & Lilybel, for welcoming me in to your home for another year of our lives! Miss you already!
To Darren for your priceless vocal coaching, your wise words that never let me settle for mediocre and for holding up the mirror, inviting me to bring the best of what I’ve got to offer.
To Josh & Mark for your immeasurable support & friendship, your many hours of listening to the music, and to me, and for the tough love reality checks when I needed them! To Prem, Jethro & Sage for your years of unconditional support, musical friendship and love!
To my co-creators Brian & Haitch for writing with me… so great to embark on a creative project rooted deep in lifelong friendships!
To Matiu, Georgia, Elliott, Raj, Mark M, Nienke & Menaka, thank you for bringing your particular flavour of musical friendship and goodness to this project and to Gareth for bringing the string magic once again!
Thanks to Maddie Howe for the beautiful artwork and Sara-Jayne Prince for amazing photography.
To the crowd funders who made this all possible, thank you SO MUCH!
Special thanks to my partner Ross, my biggest fan, who has quietly held space and offered financial support and encouragement in those moments when I needed it most.
Big thanks to Mum (Christina Eason) for throwing in the last generous contribution into the crowd fund that got me over line and for always believing in me…Thanks mum!
Tracklist
Credits
Recording, engineering, mixing & production by award winning producer Andy Downer at A.D.STUDIO. Arrangements by Andy and Kate. Lyrics & music by Kate Barzdo, excluding covers and traditional songs.
Additional recordings at Kate’s home studio. Extra vocals were recorded on the Yama Nui Recording Studio with Paulie B and She’ll Be Right Studios with Mark Hennessy. Mastering by award winning William Bowden @ King Willy Sound.
Writing credits to Haitch for co-writing 'Jewel in the Lotus', Brian Martin for co-writing 'We Begin', and melody contributions for 'Aum Gaia'. Authors acknowledgement to Peter Makena on 'Magnificence' and Daphne Tse for extra lyrics. 'The Parting Glass' and 'Fire Feather' are both traditional with authors unknown.
There were 16 of us in this musical party all up. A huge thanks you all, for helping to shape it into the magic that is is!
Kate B — Celtic Harp, 6-String Guitar, Ukulele, Lead & Backing Vocals, Shakers and Cajon. Kate plays a Maton SRS808 guitar, Mini Maton Diesel 12 String, Kala Concert Ukulele, Denwar Celtic 27 string Therapy Harp, Koshi Chimes and Cajon.
Andy D — Drum programming, Synthesiser & Bass playing; Piano on 'Aum Gaia', 'Grateful Heart', 'Jewel in the Lotus', 'The Parting Glass' & 'Magnificence'; Backing Vocals on 'Grateful Heart' & 'Traa dy Liooar'.
Co-authors:
Haitch – Co–author, Suling & Vocals on 'Jewel in the Lotus', Native American Drone Flute & Didge on 'Fire Feather', Didge on 'Aum Gaia'.
Brian Martin – Co-author, Piano & Vocals on 'We Begin', Piano & Vocals on 'Womb to Tomb' & Vocals on 'Traa dy Lioor'. Melody contributions for 'Aum Gaia'.
Guest artists:
Darren Percival – Lead vocals on 'The Parting Glass' plus backing vocals on 'Grateful Heart' & 'Magnificence'
Matiu Te Huki – Lead vocals on 'Fire Feather'
Menaka Thomas – Backing vocals and improv vocals on 'Jewel in the Lotus'
Gareth Mewes – Violin on 'Aum Gaia', 'Magnificence', 'Traa dy Lioor' & 'We Begin'
Jethro Williams – Bansuri Flute & Guitar on 'Grateful Heart'
Sage Andreasen – Backing vocals on 'Traa dy Lioor' & 'Womb to Tomb' and improv & backing vocals on 'Aum Gaia'
Imogen Wolf – Backing Vocals on 'Grateful Heart' & 'Traa dy Liooar'
Georgia Shine – Cello on 'The Parting Glass'
Nienke Berghuis – Backing vocals on 'Aum Gaia'
Mark Moroney – Backing vocals on 'Grateful Heart' & 'Magnificence'
Pandit Raj – Esraj on 'Jewel in the Lotus'
Elliott Orr – Calabash on 'Womb to Tomb'
© 2019 Kate Barzdo
www.katebmusic.com ~ hello@katebmusic.com
License
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…. ♥ creates music for the soul ♥ ….
Chanting, mantra & uplifting inspirational songs from the heart combine with melodic vocals and many strings. She has been a singer for as long as she can remember and first picked up the guitar when she was 14. From folk to blues and cafes to weddings and community choirs, her journey has more recently carried her back to the world of chanting & heartsongs.