Jan 14, 2016 Original Songs
Here is a song I wrote (and for which I composed the music and supporting parts, except the improvisational sections) in 1992, and sang and recorded in 1993. It’s a story, as many of my songs are. Hope you like it.
Tags: #LittleStrawFolk, #MagicRealism, #Original music and song, #Vijaya Sundaram
Oct 30, 2014 Original Short Stories
PHOTO PROMPT-Copyright-Melanie Greenwood
Genre: Fill in the blank
Word Count: 100 words
The Patio-Loungers
©October 30th, 2014
By Vijaya Sundaram
I gazed at the patio of the house opposite where nobody lived. Outside, there were three chairs. Two people seated there waved at me to join them.
Only I saw them. My family called me retard daily. Better to not tell.
Every day, when soup was pushed through a gap in my cage, I was silent. I was busy, planning.
Hey, retard! shouted my step-mother, high-heels clicking closer.
I made up my mind.
He’s gone, Ted! Did you let him out?
Who, me? What the hell are you talking about?
“Hello!” I said to the patio-loungers, pulling up a chair.
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Tags: #Vijaya Sundaram, 100-word original short story based on a photo prompt, paranormal fiction, teleportation
May 9, 2013 Music
Some Music for You Today – May 9th, 2013
“Yesterdays” by Jerome Kern (with lyrics by Otto Harbach) This version performed by Vijaya Sundaram and Warren Senders in 1989.
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Yulduz Usmanova (Usmonova) is a well-known Uzbeki singer. I thought you’d enjoy listening to her beautiful singing.
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Eddie Jefferson sings “Sister Sadie.”
I love Mr. Jefferson’s warm, fuzzy vocals. There’s humor and great musicality in all his singing. He generally makes me smile. (Although, I must say this song isn’t funny).
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Billie Holiday: I Cover The Waterfront
She always makes me want to cry.
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The above piece is a composition by Warren Senders, who put Baul songs to music. The lead singer in this live concert recording from 1993 song is me (yes, I used to be a part of a group of women singers known as “Goddess Gospel” — founded and led by Louise Cloutier, formerly of Cambridge, now in Chicago). Hope you enjoy Three Baul Songs!
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One of my favorite pieces of guitar playing: Bach Cello Suite #1 in G, played by Andres Segovia.
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Otis Redding — “These Arms of Mine”
I love Otis Redding!
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Ray Charles — “Georgia On My Mind”
There’s nobody like Ray!
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Bob Dylan — It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Then, there’s Bob!
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“Julia” by The Beatles (John Lennon)
This, too, makes me want to cry.
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And of course, there’s Hindustani (North Indian) Classical Vocal Music. Hope you enjoy Ashwini Bhide Deshpande singing Raga Bhimpalasi.
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Song from the movie “Alaipayuthey” — music by A.R. Rahman
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Another song from the movie “Alaipayuthey” — music by A.R. Rahman. This one is one of my absolute favorite A.R. Rahman songs.
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“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” is one of my favorite pieces by Charles Mingus. I used to sing a version of it (lovely lyrics!).
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That’s it for today, folks. I’m still feeling a little shy about putting up my very own songs and compositions, but will do so anon. Hope you enjoyed the music!
Tags: #Vijaya Sundaram, #Warren Senders, Alaipayuthey songs, Andres Segovia, Antigravity, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Bob Dylan, Charles Mingus, Jerome Kern, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Yulduz Usmanova, Yulduz Usmonova
Mar 17, 2013 Awake in Dream Time - Journal Entries about the almost real, the surreal and the unreal, Essays on Music and Musicians
Roots Music
(Pune, India, 1994) – An Original Poem
©Vijaya Sundaram, March 17th, 2013
To get to the roots of things,
We dug deep, drenched in song.
At times, things were rich,
Saturated, awash in light.
At others, rocks shouldered through,
Got wrenched out of the way.
That was the year when
Unexplained sorrow burst
Through inexplicable joy,
Escaped, became song.
Sometimes dreams came,
Pursued by demons,
Effaced by the gods.
That was a good year,
Full of magic realism, when
Dreams came on winged backs
And bore me away, and
A three-faced Goddess
Showed me favor,
As I ran, carrying a fish in a jug.
That was the year to rise,
Untrammelled by the mundane.
Above the struggle, we leaped
Into a space of pure spirit.
That was the year we distilled
Our music-minds, mined the ether.
That was the year, when,
Lighter than air, lighter than light,
We rose, embryonic-winged
For we were ruled by spirit,
And our spirits were weightless.
~~~~~~~The End~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tags: #Music, #Original Poetry, #Vijaya Sundaram, #Warren Senders, Antigravity, India, Pune