CD Release: 'Beaten Tracks' by Martin Collis
by Guy LeMasurier, MSc
|
|
|
One of our summer projects at Speakwell was to release a CD of Martin's most successful songs from past tapes, vinyl and live performances and to add six new unrecorded songs. In some ways 'Beaten Tracks' reflects the themes of this issue of WELL. There's a song which has been almost an anthem at teacher's conferences called 'Just A Teacher' the lyrics of which are in the article Total Teacher Wellness.
|
RealPlayer required (free)
|
'Claudia' is timely with the recent Olympics in Sydney. It's a song that inspires every coach and teacher and tells the story of Claudia Kolb who went from uncoordinated age group swimmer to double Olympic champion while Martin was coaching at Santa Clara Swim Club. (Last year Martin had a brief reunion with Claudia when he was speaking in Spokane where Claudia is now a teacher.)
|
|
There are songs of love and songs of laughter. Everyone at Speakwell and the recording studio is excited about one of Martin's new songs 'Never Too Late'. Instead of singing it himself, Martin asked Victoria recording artist Carolyn Neapole to interpret the song and the result is sensational.
|
|
|
|
'You're The Guru' tells of all the wellness gurus who want to change our diet, exercise habits and lifestyle for a price. (Beware of gurus who drive Cadillacs.) The chorus features lyrics about the infomercial king himself Anthony Robbins.
|
There really is something for everyone on this disc, from the song about wheelchair athletes 'Hell On Wheels' to Martin's attempt at bilingualism in the notorious 'French Connection,' and even a country song 'Men With Three Names' (inspired by our good friend Charles Sterling who turned Martin onto a lot of Texan singers when he studied at The Cooper Institute).
As a bonus track, the CD finishes with a 6 minute guided meditation by Nancy Wardle, MD. Nancy uses meditation with most of her patients and in her words, "Uses the miracle of breath to restore balance in the face of life's constant demands and disruptions."
|
Incidentally, the background picture on the CD cover and on the disc itself is taken from a watercolor Nancy painted on the island of Ithaca in Greece last year.
When I asked Martin about the disc's title, 'Beaten Tracks' he said it goes back to his days as a schoolboy in England, where beating was an integral part of education. In Martin's own words, "many people get beaten down, I think I was beaten up, but I still see myself as a recovering Brit."
Of course I'm biased, but I feel the CD would make a great gift for the holiday season. Where else could you get inspiration, meditation, love, laughter (lots of it), poetry and music for $15.00. If you'd like to order one or more copies of 'Beaten Tracks' please visit WELL-MART.
|
|
