A beautiful piece of writing and sharing. Those owl-like eyes as you say are mesmerizing. So is the music you shared, although the jarring way it ended threw me. I wish it had a softer landing. I know what you mean about an out-of-body experience when listening to music like that. The first time I head Bill Evan's Peace Piece did that to me. I still feel a little floaty when I remember how it sounded.
Thank you, Deborah. The original is Part VII of a nine-part piece totaling twenty minutes. Each piece transitions into the next composition. 'Raga Kafi' moves into a louder, electric, boogie blues jam with an immediate drum roll, which is startling and breaks its peacefulness. There is no way to end it unless running through some software and gradually lowering the volume in the final few seconds. I think it would have been better as Part VIII and then transitioning into IX, which finishes with Wilson playing a jaw harp. That bouncing, hypnotic sound would have been a better transition out of the sublime chromatic harmonica of 'Raga Kafi.'
I love your comparison to Bill Evans' lovely 'Peace Piece.' Thank you for sharing, reading, and restacking. 🙏
I can't put into words what that mixtape means to me. I love it. I can put my hand to it immediately. It's right by my hi-fi. Unfortunately, the cassette player has been out of action for a few years and, as you know, we have other priorities in this household now. I haven't had a player in a vehicle for even longer. I used to play this tape mainly while driving. It's almost 25 years old now. I treasure it. It includes Country Joe, Masekela, Nick Drake and Eddie Harris all of whom have already featured in your writing. Here's the playlist: I Know You Rider (Hot Tuna), Voodoo Child (Hendrix), What Is Hip? (T.O.P.), Big Kneed Gal (Taj Mahal), Nature's Disappearing (John Mayall), Dark Clouds (Country Joe McDonald), Otis (Hugh Masekela), Road (Nick Drake), Instrumental (Paul Weller), Compared To What (Les McCann & Eddie Harris), Garden (Groundhogs), Midsummer's Daydream (Triumph), Dis Poem (Mutabaruka), Boogie Chillen (John Lee Hooker), Drum Boogie (Gene Krupa & His Orchestra, Stop (Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper), It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding (Bob Dylan), Room To Move (John Mayall), Raga Kaft (Canned Heat).
It's a testimony to how well you know me. The juxtaposition of Boogie Chillen and Drum Boogie is hilarious but I must confess to always fast-forwarding past the latter!
That's not a bad mix, if I don't say so myself. I love Krupa's 'Drum Boogie,' I am assuming I placed it after JLH's 'Boogie Chillen' simply because of its title. Speaking of JLH, Alan Wilson w/Canned Heat did an album with him called 'Hooker 'n Heat', which is superb. It was a dream come true for Alan Wilson and JLH praised him as one of the true great white blues musicians.
It's hard to overstate the sheer beauty of the Columbia Gorge. It's almost overwhelming, and I miss it terribly. I love that you were able to see a part of it most people haven't. Thanks for sharing this with us all.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Kevin! It was a true privilege and honor to have been allowed to visit such sacred ground. The song and the artist, linked at the end, evoke its own sense of sacredness. I hope that you make it out to the gorge on your next return to PDX. It truly is a special part of the country, continent, and world.
What a lovely piece and a fascinating history. I’m so pleased for you that you were able to finally get into the guided hike. I can feel through your writing what an awe inspiring experience that was. It’s incredible how certain sacred places can hold the spiritual energy that’s been bestowed upon them by the continued observation and celebrations that take place there. I imagine that would be the case with She Who Watches.
I loved the Raga Kafi, a beautiful piece of music I’d never heard before. Very evocative of the spirit of Bhakti Yoga chanting which isn’t surprising given the history.
Thank you kindly, Mark! I could definitely feel energy within the site and its sacred ground. I am glad you enjoyed Alan Wilson's 'Raga Kafi.' It is an extraordinary music piece that also emits a sense of sacred energy in its sound waves.
That's amazing! I'm glad you finally managed to get places on the guided hike. Love how you thread Raga Kafi through this experience. This is the title track of the first mixtape you made for me. Love it.
Thank you, Phil. I remember adding Raga Kafi to that mixtape and you too being mesmerized by it. I often hear the song echoing in my head or in the wind. It's one of those special songs I can hear, feel, and see without actually playing it. It's always present.
Wilson was an uniquely talented musician and singer who had a wider scholarly knowledge of the blues and its traditions than most of his contemporaries. Many of his performances and songs with Canned Heat draw on those traditions.
A beautiful piece of writing and sharing. Those owl-like eyes as you say are mesmerizing. So is the music you shared, although the jarring way it ended threw me. I wish it had a softer landing. I know what you mean about an out-of-body experience when listening to music like that. The first time I head Bill Evan's Peace Piece did that to me. I still feel a little floaty when I remember how it sounded.
Thank you, Deborah. The original is Part VII of a nine-part piece totaling twenty minutes. Each piece transitions into the next composition. 'Raga Kafi' moves into a louder, electric, boogie blues jam with an immediate drum roll, which is startling and breaks its peacefulness. There is no way to end it unless running through some software and gradually lowering the volume in the final few seconds. I think it would have been better as Part VIII and then transitioning into IX, which finishes with Wilson playing a jaw harp. That bouncing, hypnotic sound would have been a better transition out of the sublime chromatic harmonica of 'Raga Kafi.'
I love your comparison to Bill Evans' lovely 'Peace Piece.' Thank you for sharing, reading, and restacking. 🙏
Wow, this was a beautiful to share.
Thank you for taking the time to read and for commenting, Chase. 🙏
I can't put into words what that mixtape means to me. I love it. I can put my hand to it immediately. It's right by my hi-fi. Unfortunately, the cassette player has been out of action for a few years and, as you know, we have other priorities in this household now. I haven't had a player in a vehicle for even longer. I used to play this tape mainly while driving. It's almost 25 years old now. I treasure it. It includes Country Joe, Masekela, Nick Drake and Eddie Harris all of whom have already featured in your writing. Here's the playlist: I Know You Rider (Hot Tuna), Voodoo Child (Hendrix), What Is Hip? (T.O.P.), Big Kneed Gal (Taj Mahal), Nature's Disappearing (John Mayall), Dark Clouds (Country Joe McDonald), Otis (Hugh Masekela), Road (Nick Drake), Instrumental (Paul Weller), Compared To What (Les McCann & Eddie Harris), Garden (Groundhogs), Midsummer's Daydream (Triumph), Dis Poem (Mutabaruka), Boogie Chillen (John Lee Hooker), Drum Boogie (Gene Krupa & His Orchestra, Stop (Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper), It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding (Bob Dylan), Room To Move (John Mayall), Raga Kaft (Canned Heat).
It's a testimony to how well you know me. The juxtaposition of Boogie Chillen and Drum Boogie is hilarious but I must confess to always fast-forwarding past the latter!
That's not a bad mix, if I don't say so myself. I love Krupa's 'Drum Boogie,' I am assuming I placed it after JLH's 'Boogie Chillen' simply because of its title. Speaking of JLH, Alan Wilson w/Canned Heat did an album with him called 'Hooker 'n Heat', which is superb. It was a dream come true for Alan Wilson and JLH praised him as one of the true great white blues musicians.
That's got to be one to hear!
It's hard to overstate the sheer beauty of the Columbia Gorge. It's almost overwhelming, and I miss it terribly. I love that you were able to see a part of it most people haven't. Thanks for sharing this with us all.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Kevin! It was a true privilege and honor to have been allowed to visit such sacred ground. The song and the artist, linked at the end, evoke its own sense of sacredness. I hope that you make it out to the gorge on your next return to PDX. It truly is a special part of the country, continent, and world.
What a lovely piece and a fascinating history. I’m so pleased for you that you were able to finally get into the guided hike. I can feel through your writing what an awe inspiring experience that was. It’s incredible how certain sacred places can hold the spiritual energy that’s been bestowed upon them by the continued observation and celebrations that take place there. I imagine that would be the case with She Who Watches.
I loved the Raga Kafi, a beautiful piece of music I’d never heard before. Very evocative of the spirit of Bhakti Yoga chanting which isn’t surprising given the history.
Thank you kindly, Mark! I could definitely feel energy within the site and its sacred ground. I am glad you enjoyed Alan Wilson's 'Raga Kafi.' It is an extraordinary music piece that also emits a sense of sacred energy in its sound waves.
That's amazing! I'm glad you finally managed to get places on the guided hike. Love how you thread Raga Kafi through this experience. This is the title track of the first mixtape you made for me. Love it.
Thank you, Phil. I remember adding Raga Kafi to that mixtape and you too being mesmerized by it. I often hear the song echoing in my head or in the wind. It's one of those special songs I can hear, feel, and see without actually playing it. It's always present.
A lovely narration of an important moment. I’m glad you were able to see She Who Watches and make those connections to music, nature and biography.
Thank you, Richard. I appreciate you reading and taking the time to comment.
...which is one of the reasons they stopped having hits after Blind Owl died...
Wilson was an uniquely talented musician and singer who had a wider scholarly knowledge of the blues and its traditions than most of his contemporaries. Many of his performances and songs with Canned Heat draw on those traditions.
Agreed. Bob Hite was also scholarly in his knowledge of the blues, but Alan Wilson was the spiritual heart and soul of the band.