SUNSET SUNRISE by Rozalind MacPhail

Get yourself comfortable and take a moment to relax, rejuvenate and release your day. We hope this music will help you cope with life’s unexpected moments. May it ease you into the present moment, help you feel grounded and capable of facing any challenge that comes your way.

* Nominated for MusicNL's Instrumental Recording of the Year (2017)

ABOUT THE ALBUM

"They say that people come into our lives for a reason, a season and if we're lucky, a lifetime. On December 10, 2016, we lost a dear friend in our community, stained glass artist, Graham Howcroft. Graham was a brilliant artist, an insightful intellect and an inspiring mentor to many. He was also my housemate. We only knew each other for one short year but his death had a profound effect on me.

After Graham passed, I couldn’t believe how the world kept moving so fast while my world seemed to stop. It wasn’t the first time I had lost someone close to me but it was the first time I observed an artist who I greatly respected deteriorate from disease in old age and it troubled me to my core. Losing Graham made me take a good hard look at the direction my life was going. My eyes were forced wide open. I could see that I had two possible paths ahead of me. One led me in the direction of abundance, joy, vitality and connection and the other led me to poverty, disappointment, dis-ease and isolation. It was during these reflective moments I decided to create an album that could be used as a tool to help others cope with loss, addiction, stress and the process of letting go. Meditation has gotten me through some of my darkest moments. There is a great need in our world right now to find ways of tapping into our inner peace while being in the midst of so much uncertainty.

SUNSET SUNRISE is a homage to our great life teachers. Graham savoured the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets from his St. John's apartment each day and this space is where I composed and recorded the flute and bansuri tracks, accompanied each morning by the sunrise over the Narrows. I wanted to create music inspired by the same beautiful view Graham had enjoyed and I used the RPM Challenge as my catalyst to create and complete the project during the shortest month of the year. I took additional inspiration in experimenting with flute effects from two of my favourite albums, Paul Horn's INSIDE and Kraftwerk's RALF UND FLORIAN.

The process of letting go was fresh in all of our minds throughout recording this album. Portland musicians Kim Henninger and Shawn Parke created their electronic tracks after losing a close family member, Ryan Parke in a tragic car accident. Woven in the electronics of “Sunset” is Ryan’s voice whispering the word ‘love’.

It can be so unsettling when we are forced to let go of loved ones, get rid of bad habits, deal with painful memories or change unhealthy life patterns. We hope this music will help you cope with life’s unexpected moments. May it ease you into the present moment, help you feel grounded and capable of facing any challenge that comes your way. Thank you to my friend and mentor, Stephen Vardy for these beautiful teachings."

- Rozalind MacPhail, St. John’s, Newfoundland (Feb 28, 2017)

THANK YOU: Kim Henninger & Shawn Parke, Anne & Julian Pickard-Vaandering, Jennifer May Newhook, Stephen Vardy, Jill Holden, Moksha Yoga St. John’s, Meranda Squires, Paddy Barry, Stephen Lilly, Émilie Beaupré, Abigail Pye and Josh Caine. None of this would have been possible without you. Thank you for supporting me every step of the way.

Dedicated to our departed loved ones, Graham Howcroft (1944 - 2016) and Ryan Parke (1974 - 2017).

Rozalind MacPhail explores new ways to combine image and sound in works that speak honestly of people, place and the human experience.

A classically-trained flutist, MacPhail layers moody vocals, electrifying flute loops, omnichord and driving electronics through her effects pedals and the digital audio workstation, Ableton Live.

rozalindmacphail.com
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