All profits from this album go to support wildlife conservation in Africa.

This album started out with a jam session. In August 2016 I met members of the Great Cornerstone Band and played a joyful set of songs with them in the courtyard of a hotel. This encounter led to a collaboration that forms the heart of this collection of songs. I returned to Tanzania four months later to record new songs I had written, which all benefited from additional musical and lyrical pieces that the band contributed. We weren’t able to finish recording. I returned to the States, and the members of the band scattered around Tanzania.
I then spent the next four years finishing the original songs, adding a couple that predate the jam session but that feel like they belong here, and writing a couple more. Collaborators from Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, and many parts of the US joined in making the sketches of songs into fully fleshed celebrations. Virtual connections made the completion of this album possible. Altogether, it’s an album that attempts to capture the exuberant energy of that first jam. Asante to everyone who played a role.
Whether it’s the majesty of elephants, the depth of the blues, the tragedy of poaching and loss, or the blending of Western and European influences that gave us jazz, there is no denying how deeply African music casts both shadow and light over our lives. Enslaved people. The cradle of civilization and evolution. Endless savannah. People as varied as anywhere on earth. And animals that speak deeply to my imagination. There’s a debt in me, and the pull of love binds all of these songs together in my heart.
Anytime an artist works with people from a different culture, questions may arise. I engaged with these questions as the project progressed, and I also realize the shifting nature of the conversation about equity, cultural appropriation, and privilege. Without going into more detail than liner notes allow, there are a few answers to possible questions. All of the musicians were paid fairly, and were delighted to be part of the project. I acknowledge the contributions of every musician, while also acknowledging that I wrote each song. The members of the Masai lodge choir were enthusiastic about participating and hoped that we would get the chance to work together again. Sadly, that lodge has since closed. I realize that some may have questions in this area, and I welcome correspondence from anyone who wants to know more.

My gratitude is wide and deep for all of those who were part of making this project possible.
Special thanks to
Ombeni Pallangyo, who brought us to Tanzania and set up the first jam session.
Charles Amani for his hospitality and inspiration.
Ahimidiwe Ismaeli for guiding us with spirit, joy, and love.
Tom Pease, Peter Berryman, Barbara Chusid and Barbara Tilsen for ongoing consultation and hand-holding.
The Masai Lodge for cultural exchange, music, story, and hospitality.
The members of the Great Cornerstone Band, for their beautiful harmonies, their musicianship, and their joyful presence.
Sue Elliott, Jean and Jeff Alt, Megan Perry Bond, and Bernice Hirsch for safari companionship.
All of the musicians.
Barb Tilsen, Kim Walloch, Jonathan Sprout, Jacki Breger, and Tom Pease for helping me to think about this recording and its cultural consequences.
Children’s Music Network for the great presence in the world of music.
Alex Lobulu for his recording studio and skill.
Wendy Schneider for her craft in recording and mixing.
Sochi for his help with mixing and mastering.
Heather for her ongoing passion for Tanzania and her love for me.
Cover design by Melissa Roberts.

All songs BMI Cerisacal Music

Cover photo by Heather Terrill Stotts