Why the Caged Bird Sings is a participatory and community-engaged, five-day singing, songwriting & recording workshop that involves small groups of incarcerated women, men or detained your along with their literacy educators and/or cultural programmers in federal prisons, provincial correctional centres and youth detention facilities in the land now known as canada.
The song lyrics created by the participants are strung together to create a narrative, using consensus as a way to create equity so that everyone's voice is heard and validated. The songs are uplifting and positive in theme and are meant to become a repeatable mantra that belongs to all the participants who co-wrote the song--extending out to the greater community--so that everyone can join in. At the root of every song lyric is the use of metaphor. This helps to poetically focus the lyrics both thematically and in how the song is constructed.
The resulting uplifting song is one that does not ignore the struggles or hardships that any of the participants have individually or collectively endured, but instead looks forward to be a useful way of affirming one's future and potential. The songs are meant to be 'freedom songs'--not to be confused with those from the civil rights movement. In Cree language, 'freedom' is akin to having self-control and self-determination, so from a creative point-of-view, it is self-expression, or 'freedom' that these songs lyrically and melodically declare.
Once recorded, mixed and mastered, the songs are released as singles and shared with the co-writers, programs staff and all project partners. Proceeds from sales are shared with all co-writers.
THE PRICE POINT OF THIS SINGLE REFLECTS THE MINIMUM WAGE AN INMATE RECEIVES PER DAY - PLEASE ENJOY & SING ALONG!
from
Live the Life that is Meant for Me,
released August 10, 2016
Lyrics by: Drew Ballantyne, Mitchelle Ballantyne, Larry Bird, Cory Halkett, Joshua Johnson, Randall Lemaigre, Keith William Martell, Robert pachapis Favel, Alfred Sanderson
Music by: Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Gregory Hoskins, Joseph Naytowhow, Mark Schmidt
Collaboratively composed and men's voices recorded live, April 2016 at Prince Albert Correctional Centre (PACC).
• lead vocals: Keith William Martell
• group vocals: all lyricists
• chanting, flute & spoken word: Joseph Naytowhow
• hand drums, backing vocals; • Cheryl L’Hirondelle
• acoustic & slide guitar: Gregory Hoskins
• bass, synth, keys, drums & percussion + additional guitar: Mark Schmidt
• cover artwork: Robert pachapis Favel
• Co-produced and arranged by Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Miyoh Music; & Mark Schmidt, Northern Town Music Productions, Regina, SK
• live onsite voices recorded by Cheryl L’Hirondelle
• GH guitar tracks recorded by Gregory Hoskins, Midnight Works, Guelph
• Additional recording + ALL mixing & programming by Mark Schmidt
• Mastered by Ron Skinner, Heading North Mastering Studio, TO
Project partners:
Judy McNaughton, Northern Artistic Director, Common Weal Community Arts, Alfred Sanderson, Cultural Coordinator, Prince Albert Correctional Centre & kiy collective
Project funders:
Canada Council for the Arts, Saskatchewan Arts Board, SaskCulture & Sask Lotteries
