13 LUNAR MEDITATIONS:
SUMMONING THE WITCHES
In this evocative song-cycle “13 Lunar Meditations: Summoning the Witches,” Ayelet sets writings and found-texts from 20+ women and girls, written and collected especially for this global project.
The writers, ages 4 to 70+, represent a diversity of backgrounds and nationalities. From Darwin, Australia to Casablanca, Morocco, from a young girl to a grandmother. The album set the words and perspectives from of a sex worker, to a gynaecologist, from a Cherokee-italian energy healer, to a teacher. All looking at the same moon in its varied phases and expressing a highly personal connection to it.
Ayelet’s compositions to these texts run the gamut from abstract scores, to contemporary composition, to pop-ish songs, all embroidered with improvisation and rooted in Jazz with Turkish & Armenian undertones.
Recorded in Montreal, QC, Ayelet is joined by a stellar group of eighteen musicians –
Sage vocalist Jay Clayton (Steve Reich, Vocal Summit) shares the lead-vocal roles with Ayelet.
A choir of 12 improvising vocalists is conducted by DB Boyko (choir members assembled with the help of Joane Hetu of Joker Choir, Christine Duncan of Element Choir and Kathy Kennedy of Choer Maha)
And the band:
Aram Bajakian (Lou Reed, John Zorn, Diana Krall)- guitar,
Eylem Basaldi (Snarky Puppy, Sandaraa) – Turkish Violin,
Stephan Diamantakiou – Contrabass
Ivan Bamford – Drums