The Singing Earth

Book excerpt: The Singing Earth is a collection of stories from musician and writer Barrett Martin, which follow his musical adventures around the globe. The reader is taken on a journey that starts with Martin's involvement in the '90s Seattle music scene, and then moves to Australian Aboriginal songlines, Garifuna ancestral drumming, Senegalese griot music, musical diplomacy in Cuba, touring with a Brazilian rock band, recording Shipibo shamanic music in the Peruvian Amazon, playing with a delta blues legend, recording in Jerusalem, Native American ceremonies, and the power of music as a form of political resistance. There is also a companion CD that comes with the book, which has rare, unreleased songs from Martin's various bands, as well as field recordings from the incredible musical environments he has visited. Those who have read the book have called it a musical adventure story that looks at the links between ecology, community, and how music helps us connect with our greater humanity.