I have constantly believed that music breaks down barriers and brings people in concert. It allows us to get to know one another more well whether it ’ s on a personal level, local anesthetic or ball-shaped scale. Music besides has a manner of capturing memories and restoring them .I was born in the United States, however, my heritage stems from Eastern Europe. My Grandmother made the trek from Europe to America, by boat, with my beget and her two sisters after WWII. Just like many other immigrants who came to America, she was in search of a better way of liveliness .
I grew up in a non-religious family, however, we managed to preserve the traditional aspect of our religion by celebrating major holidays. And with every vacation there was constantly batch of songs. Some of the songs were in the spirit of giving thanks for the food we ate and others were related to games we played. flush mystic characters got their own songs. Music played an integral function in bringing us together and helping us to better understand our roots .
I have constantly loved World Music for its raw expression of the culture it represents and the diverse array of instruments used. Sometimes it is the lone window we have into understanding a community of people. And even though I may not always understand the linguistic process, I believe the music speak for itself.
Elena Moon Park, a key player in the Dan Zanes and Friends ensemble, recently released her debut children ’ second album, Rabbit Days and Dumplings, which besides won her a 2012 Parents ’ Choice Award. Released through Festival Five Records ( a label started by Dan Zanes in 2000 ), Rabbit Days and Dumplings takes us on a picturesque retirement, delivering a carnival of sounds from East Asia ( Korea, Japan, China, Tibet and Taiwan ) that have been reinterpreted and translated into a beautiful range of songs. No plane tickets necessary !
Rabbit Days and Dumplings is a personal album built on Park ’ s exploration of her own cultural roots while besides capturing “ songs, styles, traditions, languages, instrumentation, stories and feelings. ” Park further explains, “ It ’ s a reflection of conversations with friends, learning about the songs they listened to growing up and the songs that linger in their memories. ” Park, a Korean-American born in East Tennessee, pays tribute to both sides of her heritage by mixing traditional american english family music with traditional asian sounds and vocals. Renowned collaborators such as the consummate Wu Man, Jean Cook ( a violinist who plays with Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower ), popular Tibetan singer/songwriter Techung, members of Bang on a Can and the Kronos Quartet, to name a few, are featured throughout the album further contributing to the authenticity of the cross-cultural landscape that makes up Rabbit Days and Dumplings .
A majority of the songs are sung in their native natural language, but include enough of the English linguistic process, making it accessible to a wide range of listeners. Although, it ’ s the asian languages that my 3 year old is most intrigued by and tries to sing along with. specifically, one of her favorites is, “ Si Si Sima, ” a Tibetan jump rope song introduced to Park by Techung, who merely released his own solicitation of family music. Before my daughter knew much about the song, she would dance to it while alternately hopping on each foundation. coincidence ? possibly, but the song motivates her to move to the sound as if she is reenacting the experience. We normally end up playing the song 6 or 7 times before she is ready to move on, but each fourth dimension she hears it she exclaims “ Listen to me sing it, Mama ! ”
The album opens with “ Sol Nal, ” which prompted the cause of Rabbit Days and Dumplings. This elated song describes the many celebrations that happen around the Korean New Year. It is led by Park ’ s potent vocals and backed by some of the members from Dan Zanes and Friends .
Some of our favorite songs, in addition to the aforesaid “ Si Si Sima, ” include “ Diu Diu Deng, ” which features Dan Zanes on banjo and a fantastic solo by Wu Man on the pipa ( a plucked chinese string instrument ). The song is about a discipline chugging into a burrow as droplets of body of water drop from the ceiling onto the roof of the educate. I particularly love the layer of English and chinese vocals towards the end of the birdcall .
“ Poong Nyun Ga, ” one of my favorites on the album, features steady drumming from the Korean Traditional Marching Band of New York, trumpets, an accordion, a mandolin and a piri ( korean reed instrument ) that mixes absolutely with the joyous crowd of voices that triumphantly sing in hopes of an abundant year ( in the name of a bountiful harvest or thoroughly luck in cosmopolitan ). The vibration of the song is infectious and I can ’ triiodothyronine avail but applaud and whistle along every time I hear it. Of similar sound is the brassy New Orleans stylus of “ Diu Shou Juan, ” a chinese birdcall that typically accompanies a children ’ second game called Drop The Flag. Sung in Mandarin and English, “ Diu Shou Juan ” is an excellent exercise of Park ’ s ability to create a beautiful union of Eastern and western cultures .
elsewhere, we get to hear Zanes and Park sing together in “ Akatombo. ” The definition of the championship means “ crimson dragonfly ” and the birdcall reflects on memories of a past time. It ’ s a beautiful sung in which we get to wholly experience the depth of Park ’ s gorgeous voice. Paired with Dan Zanes ’ mho indulgent, signature rasp, the song is quite moving .
Winding down the album, Park besides gives a nod to popular western music with “ Summer is Here. ” The sung ’ randomness constitution reminds me a short of Neil Diamond ’ s “ Sweet Caroline ” for some cause ( which, to me, international relations and security network ’ t a bad matter at all ). It ’ s a charm song based on Park ’ s know growing up in Tennesee, hiking through the mountains and eating kimbap, a food that resembles sushi. “ Tinsagunu Hana ” completes the album with an propose of gratitude for all the hard-working parents, including Park ’ s own, as she sings “ …although we number all the stars in the flip we can not count our parents ’ words of advice. ” Listening to this and thinking about all that I have learned as a parent myself I can ’ thyroxine aid but think, “ international relations and security network ’ t that the truth ! ” Although, I am going to make certain to play this one for my Mother, a well .
I am truly impress by the work that was put into making the album. Highly recommended for all ages. Rabbit Days and Dumplings is a dateless classical and one that in full supports Park ’ sulfur firm belief that music has the ability to transcend borders, ages, languages and backgrounds.
The album contains beautiful illustrations by Kristiana Pärn while the liner notes provide snippets of song lyrics, asian handwriting, phonetic representation and english translation, which makes it fun to follow along. Below is a sampler containing five songs from Rabbit Days and Dumplings. You can besides find song lyrics and backgrounds for most songs on the album here .
The album can be purchased from Festival Five Records, a good as the early common outlets. A parcel of the proceeds will be given to DonorsChoose.org to support creative department of education in our schools .
wax disclosure : I was given a replicate of the album for potential revue, however, the opinions and thoughts expressed throughout are my own .
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