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Dateline: March 5, 2013
Location: Nigerian Consulate, NYC The Bard Of New York presents Nigerian ambassador Usman Sarki with the Robert Burns Universal Peace Workshop at the Panel Discussion on The Cost Of War On Women and Children In Zones Of Conflict. Participating in the Discussion which was organized and moderated by Ugoji Eze of the Eng Aja Eze Foundation, were distinguished guests from Iraq, Sweden, India, Mali, Yale School of Medicine and UNICEF. The Scottish Goodwill Ambassador Mike Ogletree, an ex-member of Scottish rock legends Simple Minds, performed "The Cost Of War" a song he wrote specifically for the occasion and also took the opportunity to brief the guests about the Robert Burns Universal Peace Workshop - and the Peace for Auld Lang Syne (P.A.L.S.) Club. Based on Robert Burns's iconic song Auld Lang Syne (with a chorus of Give Peace A Chance), the workshop is designed to bring individuals together from many diverse social and cultural backgrounds for a practical session on the meaning and application of Peace For Auld Lang Syne. "I think of Mary Slessor on the Clydesdale bank $10 note, a Scotswoman who made such a big impact on Nigeria and hope that Burns's work might have a similar healing effect. Peace through art has always inspired my musical journey. Auld Lang Syne is the best Peace song I know and the power of a song to inspire and motivate others is phenomenal. From these simple beginnings I have lofty goals and really appreciate all the help I am getting along the way." |
"If we wish to create a lasting peace we must begin with the children." (Mahatma Gandhi)
Building on the concepts of kindness/compassion, friendship and peaceful reconciliation as described in the words of the iconic "New Year's song", the Peace For Auld Lang Syne workshop is gentle, participatory exploration into the world of Peace through art. With bardic "teachings", song, dance and poetry, and following along with the P.A.L.S. Coloring Book Mike Ogletree offers a new look at Peace which will appeal to children of all ages, even the one you once were. CLICK HERE FOR A PREVIEW OF "THE COST OF WAR" BY ANACOUSTIC MIND |
Scotland and Nigeria United For Peace
MASH-UP
Beethoven and Burns
New Research Yields Never-before-heard Song
Ludo an Rabbie
A New "Hidden" Work Brought To Light.
What follows is a brief blog about events whose details and back-story could be expanded upon and developed into the screen-play for a major motion picture full of drama, intrigue, romance, travel, money and more.
After his death in 1796 the Scottish poet Robert Burns's Edinburgh publisher, George Thompson, had sent selections of Scottish poetry and song to the great composer Handel commissioning him to set them to music. The idea being that Thompson would be able to sell such works as new musical interpretations of classic Scots songs by the great Handel himself. However, Handel died before he could complete the project so Thompson, not to be deterred, offered the commission to the great German composer Ludwig van Beethoven who agreed and wrote musical settings for 25 works. One of the songs was called "Farewell Bliss, Farewell Nancy" written by a Mrs Grant of Laggan, a prominent literary figure in Edinburgh at the time. However, the song lacked a third stanza so Thompson had the "bright" idea of tacking on some lines from one of Robert Burns's most beautiful romantic poems, "Ae Fond Kiss And Then We Sever" as a 3rd verse to fill out the song. THE BARD's IMMORTAL WORDS BEING THROWN IN AS FILLER. When I saw this I was a wee bit shocked and decided to set the entirety of "Ae Fond Kiss..." to Beethoven's music and reclaim the work in it's entirety for Burns. Thus a sublimely beautiful hidden work was brought to life for the first time. As far as I know no one has ever arranged or performed "Ae Fond Kiss" in this way, so I am proud in my own little way to have made this discovery and be the first to give it voice.
A New "Hidden" Work Brought To Light.
What follows is a brief blog about events whose details and back-story could be expanded upon and developed into the screen-play for a major motion picture full of drama, intrigue, romance, travel, money and more.
After his death in 1796 the Scottish poet Robert Burns's Edinburgh publisher, George Thompson, had sent selections of Scottish poetry and song to the great composer Handel commissioning him to set them to music. The idea being that Thompson would be able to sell such works as new musical interpretations of classic Scots songs by the great Handel himself. However, Handel died before he could complete the project so Thompson, not to be deterred, offered the commission to the great German composer Ludwig van Beethoven who agreed and wrote musical settings for 25 works. One of the songs was called "Farewell Bliss, Farewell Nancy" written by a Mrs Grant of Laggan, a prominent literary figure in Edinburgh at the time. However, the song lacked a third stanza so Thompson had the "bright" idea of tacking on some lines from one of Robert Burns's most beautiful romantic poems, "Ae Fond Kiss And Then We Sever" as a 3rd verse to fill out the song. THE BARD's IMMORTAL WORDS BEING THROWN IN AS FILLER. When I saw this I was a wee bit shocked and decided to set the entirety of "Ae Fond Kiss..." to Beethoven's music and reclaim the work in it's entirety for Burns. Thus a sublimely beautiful hidden work was brought to life for the first time. As far as I know no one has ever arranged or performed "Ae Fond Kiss" in this way, so I am proud in my own little way to have made this discovery and be the first to give it voice.
Simple Minds
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Fiction Factory
1984 - Feels Like Heaven
#6 In UK Pop Charts |
Click here for Peace / Syne
Being The Dream
Take one very inquisitive, Scots-born, African/American and expose this soul to 25+ years of Scottish culture, collaborating with fellow Scottish artists such as Robert Burns and Simple Minds, arguably two of Scotland's most important creative forces ever; add nine years of life as an Italian celebrity working the venues and locales of that beautiful country; move him to Southern California where he put in 15 years as a sound engineer/musician, before relocating to New York City, the world's cultural melting pot, the perfect place to process his life experiences, channelling the art he believes it is his destiny to produce and you get what we call Anacoustic Mind aka Mike Ogletree: A multi-cultural synthesis of Scottish Soul, Poetry and Music.
Channeling The Bard
For the American Scottish Foundation at their 18th Annual Burns Celebration this year, I have been honored with the invitation to give the Toast to The Lassies. Always a grand night I have several revelations planned for the evening music and stories I hope will keep the crowd entertained as they should be on a night such as this. We'll be in the company of the very talented singer Maureen McMullan and pianist Enrico De Trizi among other musicians and worthy folk of the evening. Looking forward to seeing ma gude friends Ali McBain and Camilla from ASF. Always a night tae remember at the gorgeous University Club NYC in honor o' Scotland's Bard Robert Burns.
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Auld Lang Syne for PEACE
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Mike Ogletree | Create Your Badge
"The wars are o'er, and I'm come hame,
And find thee still true-hearted;
Tho' poor in gear, we're rich in love,
And mair we'se ne'er be parted."
Quo' she, "My grandsire left me gowd,
A mailen plenish'd fairly;
And come, my faithfu' sodger lad,
Thou'rt welcome to it dearly!"
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.
And find thee still true-hearted;
Tho' poor in gear, we're rich in love,
And mair we'se ne'er be parted."
Quo' she, "My grandsire left me gowd,
A mailen plenish'd fairly;
And come, my faithfu' sodger lad,
Thou'rt welcome to it dearly!"
For gold the merchant ploughs the main,
The farmer ploughs the manor;
But glory is the sodger's prize,
The sodger's wealth is honor:
The brave poor sodger ne'er despise,
Nor count him as a stranger;
Remember he's his country's stay,
In day and hour of danger.
NYC Jan 25, 2012 Happy Burns Day
The Soldier's Return - Robert Burns (1793)
In celebration of war's end and the return of gentle peace on this special day we remember our brave men and women in uniform at home and abroad, may they all return safely to their families and loved ones.
This song tells the story of a tender game between two lovers; a soldier happily returning from the battlefield at the end of war's deadly blast to his homeland and Nancy, his own fair maid with the witching smile.
As he at length reaches old familiar sights, the rivers and glens of home, he spies Nancy and decides to play a trick on her changing his voice and appearance and pretends to be a poor soldier with a long journey ahead of him, looking for a room and board for the night.
Momentarily taken in by the deception Nancy engages him in conversation, wistfully remembering Willie, her own soldier lad then blushes as she realizes that this is in fact her own dear Willie.
When he tells her that he's home from war, financially poor but rich in love she replies that she has inherited gold and a farm from her grandfather so they are all set.
However, in the end, addressing everyone Willie says that glory is the soldier's prize and honor the soldier's wealth and entreats us never to despise or alienate our brave poor soldiers, because when danger comes knocking at the country's door it is they who answer that call and put themselves in harms way for all of us.
This is The Soldiers Return
Robert Burns For Peace In Harlem - May 22.10
In pursuit of Peace Robert Burns Immortal Memory spoke volumes at the Celebrate Diversity Celebrate You Day at the Jackie Robinson band shell in Harlem NYC this past Saturday. A joint effort organized and executed by a team of hard-working, dedicated performers and volunteers from the New York African Chorus Ensemble and African Views, the day was hot, sweaty and celebratory. And, the mellifluous notes of Scottish pipers and a singing Scots bard blended wondrously with the rhythm and color of African dance, drums and voices. This melting-pot of art from cultures as diverse as Latin, Scottish, Native-American, Asian, African and more, all in the name of Peace, was a testament to the potential and belief in non-violent activism that once moved New Yorkers to the streets in droves so that their voices might be heard.
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The message from the Immortal Memory of the 18th Century Scots Poet Robert Burns, performed by an African American Scotsman and the Scots Pipes and Drums of the New York Caledonian Club, was clear and simple – “That Man to Man the world o’er shall brothers be for a’ that”. Taken from his 1795 poem “A Man’s A Man For A’ That” Burns words prophesy a time of peace and harmony for all men through the social bonding of brotherhood and fraternity. Old as time, compelling as love let’s pray that Saturday’s gathering of kindred spirits for Peace in Harlem, NYC was but the beginning of many similar initiatives across the city and beyond
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The message from the Immortal Memory of the 18th Century Scots Poet Robert Burns, performed by an African American Scotsman and the Scots Pipes and Drums of the New York Caledonian Club, was clear and simple – “That Man to Man the world o’er shall brothers be for a’ that”. Taken from his 1795 poem “A Man’s A Man For A’ That” Burns words prophesy a time of peace and harmony for all men through the social bonding of brotherhood and fraternity. Old as time, compelling as love let’s pray that Saturday’s gathering of kindred spirits for Peace in Harlem, NYC was but the beginning of many similar initiatives across the city and beyond
G(ig)Log May 20.10 Lucky Jack's Mic-club.
The energy and respect for Robert Burns Immortal Memory at Lucky Jacks Mic-club in Manhattan, NY on May 20th was palpable and sincere. 'Twas a memorable evening of rock-rollicking entertainment wi’ the skirl o’ the Scots pipes, and kilted followers in attendance, everyone was on it. It felt like we were all engaged and enlightened wi’ the sangs, stories and clatter from the life and times of our 18th century Scottish folk hero Robert Burns. I was as fascinated and absorbed by how the evening unfolded as the audience appeared to be. What a blessed experience to share. Thank you Frances, Sacha, Duncan The Pyper and most of all the audience, those who gave 100% participation, we were one. Let’s do it again soon please.
My Heart's In The Highlands
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The Kilmarnock Edition
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