The Zabalo River, a life source, a vein.
We travelled for hours up the river, with our guides often required to hack through the obstacles with machetes to get to the campsite.
I chose this site along the river for the performance as the bubbling and gurgling of the rushing water sounds like a conversation. I stand in my gumboots and I place my feet tentatively as I try not to slide on the mud and into the river. The air is humid against my skin, my clothes sticky wet, hands sweating, fingers struggling to seat on the clarinet keys due to the copious layers of insect repellant, dirt, sweat and sunscreen. Our small team gathers to record and listen to what I am about to play. Feeling highly attuned and awakened to the sounds of the Amazonian jungle, I dig deep within. I have travelled a long way for this moment, this performance. Can I pull this one off? The songs of the insects, cicadas, birds and the gurgles of the river draw me in and I am swept away.
Voices of the Zabalo River (24:02)
I. Awakened by murmurs
II. River Turtle
III. Water voices
Special thanks to my family, the Cofan Tribe, Gordon Hempton, Quiet Parks International, City of Greater Geelong, Steve Ashby, Mike Vernusky, Nicole Carroll, Perri Lynch Howard, Adam Simmons, Donna Smithyman, Penelope Bartlau. To all the other special people in my world who offered support, encouragement, knowledge, inspiration and guidance.
credits
from Live at the Amazon,
track released February 24, 2024
Performed by Vicki Hallett
Recorded by Gordon Hempton
Edited and mixed by Gordon Hempton, Vicki Hallett and Steve Ashby
Mastered by Steve Ashby
Image by Vicki Hallett
Vicki is a musician, sound artist and field recordist. Her process explores the space between hearing music as a cultural
experience and the aural vibration within the being. The ongoing quest for sonic immersion and creative compositional devices with authenticity and inspiration leads both Vicki and listener through an organic landscape of sound....more
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