Sea of Sky

The new double CD set from Second Sufis, Sea of Sky, takes some significant departures from our ‘well travelled road'. For each disc in the set, we decided to include arranged rock compositions to complement our loop-based improvisations.

The compositions feature the use of vintage Mesa Boogie guitar and bass amplifiers that give our electric sound more depth, presence and authenticity. Eric Farantino, long-time student of Forever Einstein’s John Roulat, provides his progressive rock drumming skills on both rock compositions and Jerome Pier contributes vocals on Ocean Mirror. Wheels in Wheels is a classic rock trio instrumental with electric guitar, Chapman stick, and trap drums. Ocean Mirror features lyrics, traditional trap drumming, and electric guitar tightly interwoven with two-handed Chapman stick, poly-rhythmically rocking as never before. Listen as a tidal wave of odd meter tension crashes over you, a riptide of shredding sound.

Sea of Sky also includes some pieces featuring acoustic guitar with Chapman Stick. This combination of instruments creates a rich palette of sounds that have not really been heard before, and presented musical opportunities to create songs that have been calling to us for some time. This combination produces an effect on tracks such as Conference of the Birds and Break Before Dawn not unlike that of sunlight reflecting off rippling water.

Mosi-au-Tunya musically captures the magnificence of the Zambezi river as it majestically thunders over Victoria Falls and rises from the jungle below as an iridescent mist. A River Runs Through It evokes the thrill seeking adventure of a white water journey in classic Second Sufis jamming. Perpetual Motion and Sojourn II add starless tones of a more crimson hue. In other tracks, rhythmic grooves grow from a variety of exotic percussion including clay jar drums, dhumbek, slit drum and tabla; over which exotic horns, didgeridoos and a unique ceramic instrument called the “horn-drum” create their evocative and mysterious textures. Over these, Les Paul and Chapman stick complete a collection of impressionist soundscapes that range from atmospheric to oceanic.

Simply put, Sea of Sky is Second Sufis at their zenith, including highly accessible tunes in the progressive rock, world music, psychedelic, and ambient genres.

Disc 1

Water, Wood, Skin, and Clay
Mike Gorman - percussion; James Mott - percussion, didgeridoo

Ocean Mirror - (Lyrics)
James Mott - Chapman stick, Mike Gorman - electric guitar, Eric Farantino - drums, Jerome Pier - vocal.
(original concept, James Mott; lyrics , Mike Gorman; individual parts by the players)

Conference of the Birds
James Mott - Chapman stick, Mike Gorman - acoustic guitar.

Mosi-au-Tunya-(The Smoke that Thunders)
James Mott - Chapman stick, percussion, didgeridoo; Mike Gorman - electric guitar, perc.

Break Before Dawn
James Mott - Chapman stick, percussion, horn; Mike Gorman - acoustic guitar, percussion.

Perpetual Motion
James Mott - Chapman stick, perc.; Mike Gorman - electric guitar, Tibetan bowl, perc.

Sojourn II
James Mott - Chapman stick, perc., Chinese bowl; Mike Gorman - electric guitar, perc.
(original concept by James Mott)
For Marjorie Mott and Richard Brown with love, in the place where everything is music.

Disc 2

Midnight Express
Jerome Pier - keyboard; James Mott - percussion; Mike Gorman - electric guitar, perc.

Sohbet - (a mystical conversation in mystical places between mystical people)
Jerome Pier - vocal, keyboard; James Mott - horn drum; Mike Gorman - percussion, oud.

In sight of Kathmandu
Mike Gorman - acoustic guitar, percussion, tibetan bowl; James Mott - Irish bronze age horn, Chinese bowl.

Wheels in Wheels
James Mott - Chapman stick, Mike Gorman - electric guitar, Eric Farantino - drums.
(original concept, Mike Gorman; individual parts by the players)

Circling Curl
James Mott - Chapman stick, Mike Gorman - electric guitar, percussion.

Sea Foam
James Mott - Chapman stick, percussion; Jerome Pier - percussion; Mike Gorman - perc.

Reason Came in and Sat in the Corner
James Mott - percussion, bowls; Mike Gorman - percussion.

A River Runs Through It
James Mott - Chapman stick, Buddhist prayer drum, horn drum, burmese gong, percussion;
Mike Gorman - electric guitar, tibetan bowl, percussion.

Many thanks to Eric and Jerome for their outstanding efforts and coming through "in the pinch."

Jerome Pier appears on the earlier Infectious Substance, Pearl, Seven Rays, and Slave Labor on Mars CDs.

Sound Samples
Sojourn II	Ocean Mirror	Break Before Dawn

Lyrics

Ocean Mirror

Stars shine on the sea tonight
Rise and crash in silver light.

Ripples on the ocean mirror
Slip beneath the darkness clear.

Deep within the ocean flow
Pinwheels spin and faintly glow.

Wind rolls in off surging tides
Salt and spray sting starry eyes.

Rushing foam slides over sand
Washing footsteps from the land.

In the depths of coral seas
Pressures building underneath.

Trembling in early light
Born from crying in the night.

Palm trees brush the orange sky
Golden clouds like dolphins glide.

Sea weeds lash against the shore
Green sun flashing on sea floor.

From dreaming deep the children wake
Dripping from their sleep on boxing day.

Branches bend like fleshy vines
Parrots start white from feathered pines.

Gulls drop low and briefly hang
Graces failing under wing.

Tide is drawn out far from land
Fish lie twisting on wet sand.

On the beach the only sound
Open roar of jet inbound.

At the sea wall, rise and crash
Surf explodes and rushes past.

Rooftop island tourists peer
Foaming action washing clear.

Pushed along up hills they ran
Rivers of houses, boats and men.

Floating on the ebbing tide
Mangled forms of those who died.