An Evening of Song with Laurence Cole & Debbie Nargi-Brown

Santa Cruz is so lucky to have the opportunity to sing with Laurence Cole who is based in Port Townsend, Washington. He is considered one of the leaders in the community singing movement in this country. He will be joined by Santa Cruz's own Debbie Nargi-Brown for a three hour evening of story and song. Michael Glusman will be joining us on drums!

Laurence Cole has been leading song circles at various song gatherings and festivals for many years across North America. He is an advocate for the reclaiming of our natural right to sing together as a most basic and primal technology of belonging and connection. In a wounded culture of separation, we can regain the enlivening power of group singing using only what we came in with; our hearts, our souls, our voices, our love.

Check out his webiste here, it contains an amazing original song library with all the parts.

https://www.laurencecole.com/

For over 3 decades, Debbie Nargi-Brown has been leading dancing and singing in Santa Cruz and beyond; teaching African Inspired dance classes, leading Community Sings as well as facilitating retreats and workshops. She writes songs for the heart, for healing, for transformation, for love, for grief and all those things that connect us as human beings. Bringing people together in dance and song is one of her greatest sources of joy!

To learn more about Debbie and listen and purchase her music: debbienargi-brown.com

You can also find her music on bandcamp, soundcloud and all streaming services.

Suggested Donation: $20 - $40

We will be singing in the auditorium at the London Nelson Community Center. Come early to find parking in the surrounding neighborhood. Carpool if you can. Doors open at 5:15.

Here is an excerpt from his website about community singing:

Singing together to nourish the soul and re-enchant the world with song.

Part of my mission is to re-acquaint people with their birthright and natural ability to make beautiful and meaningful sound together. Most of the songs I’ve written are short, easy to learn, chant-like songs with several layers that fit over and around each other in interesting and pleasurable rhythmic and harmonic challenges that make them fun to sing. Group singing is one of the most ancient and primal “technologies of belonging” that we humans have been using since our earliest times, possibly before speech itself. When we make joyous and passionate song together, it nourishes our souls and offers an enlivening gift back to the natural world that made us and gives us our sustenance and our very being. When such an exchange is genuinely made, and the song finds its natural ending, often there is a sweet, lively silence in which we simply stand and hold the “enchantment,” the sense of deep and genuine communion amongst each other and with the whole living world.

Host or Publisher Debbie Nargi-Brown