The foundation of ‘Traveling LullabieZzzz’ was rooted in the inspiration to record a lullaby album with my musician friends. I had never recorded an album in my life, so I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but I decided to go for it anyway. Picking up the phone to ask my musician friends if they would like to record a lullaby with me (without being paid) took a little courage, but all of them said yes! That was such a lovely way to start to this project...
The first friend who was willing to step on board on this adventure was Jochum Vrijland. He was as crazy and/or coureagous as me, cause although he is a very good theater sound technician, he had never recorded an album either but was excited to take on the challenge.
The Lullaby Album
Jochum Vrijland
We turned my living room into a recording studio, and because of his love for technical devices, Jochum brought in more microphones than I've ever seen together in one space! While recording, we found a variety of music ranging from self-written lullabies to unique lullabies written in Italian, Georgian, English and Dutch.
There were lullabies that I knew and loved, so I asked Pieter-Jan, a pianist and accordionist that I deeply admired, if he would be willing to accompany me. And he said yes…
Pieter-Jan Cramer van den Boogaart
On the album, not only does he only play the piano and accordion, but also the Dulcitone- a very funky keyboard instrument that Frans, my piano tuner, was willing to lend to us for the recordings.
It’s hard to describe the joy of making music with a musician you really admire; it’s as if his music would lift me up, so I could sing from a place I would never be able to reach by myself. Every rehearsal we had felt like a little music party he would throw especially for me! Click here for a teaser of our song Sogna Fiore Mio.
Thijs Maas, a composer of beautiful music, and someone I went to theater school with 'a hundred' years ago, said he had a duet lying around that could be called a lullaby and we could sing together.... Click here for a teaser of our duet 'Nooit meer weg'
When we last spoke on the phone, I was going on about how much I had enjoyed being in the audience of his recent show. I was telling him how I was especially moved by the beautiful and sensitive notes of his pianist, Thijs Cuppen. He asked, "why don’t I ask Thijs to play piano on our lullaby recording." My heart made a little jump, and later a bigger one, when Thijs C. said yes!
I had written lyrics and the melody for a lullaby for 'big boys.’ I sent the song to Thijs C. and asked if he would consider composing the arrangement. He sent me some of his ideas and they left me smiling for the rest of the day! He turned this simple song, my first self-written lullaby, into something so beautiful that I will always cherish. Click here for a link to the 'Lullaby for big boys'
My brother Mattijs took on the challenge to write a funny lullaby. I knew if anyone could it would be him!
He created a heartfelt, but painfully funny lullaby, in which two parents can’t help but pour their heart out as they sit by the bedside of their crybaby... who is crying so much that he’s not only ruining their sleep, but probably their marriage and possibly their lives... Click here for a teaser of Mattijs's song 'Crybaby'
I liked the idea of having different musical genres on the album. Claudio (aka Gekke C), a Hip Hop artist, had just become a father, so I was hoping his new baby could inspire him to create a lullaby rap. In turn, it became a Blues-style lullaby, with Mattijs on keys.
Click here for a teaser of 'Slaapblues'
Claudio Magaña Torres (aka Gekke C)
I had been singing harmony for some years with Noortje and Laura...
Noortje van Veller
Laura Mentink
We found two harmony lullabies that we enjoyed- one Georgian lullaby and one from the band Elbow, Saskatchewan, Canada. We knew these songs would be a challenge, but with Noortje as our musical leader we took it on! Recording the Georgian lullaby on key, demanded a concentration like I'd never experienced; I’d never before found myself sweating when singing, but this one felt like we had to run half a marathon- making it to the end of the song without any of us making a mistake, felt as if we had just made it to the finish line. We felt so proud. Click here for a teaser of 'Kakuri Nana'
I learned about a beautiful lullably, ‘Everything Possible," that wished for the child to ‘be anybody you want to be… and love whomever you will.’ When I was researching it on YouTube, I discovered that it had been performed by multiple gay groups and choirs, possibly because of the line: ‘some women love women and some men love men." So I loved to include this 'gay-friendly lullaby ' on my album. I asked Erik and Marcello to sing the backing vocals. Marcello has been my vocal teacher for years, and made a beautiful arrangement for this song. Click here for a teaser of 'Everything possible'
Erik Mattijssen
Finally, was my Grandmother’s lullaby. She was a professional singer back in the day, working as a backup vocalist in Radio Studios, on stage and for television. I always loved her stories about the early days of television, and watching the recordings of her appearances on TV that she loves to show. Years ago, someone wrote a lullaby for her to perform, that she would often sing to us. I asked her if she would record that lullaby with me, as her backup vocalist, and my brother accompanying us on the piano; she said Yes!
Her eighty-something year old voice still sounded beautiful and it was sweet to sing harmonies with her, while my brother accompanied us on the piano. When my mom first heard the recording, it made her cry. Click here for a teaser of 'Grandma's lullaby'
Special Note:
From the start my lullaby project, I felt the need to protect the integrity and intention of the project; I dreamed that the lullabies would be gifts that I give, so I decided that I wouldn't ask to be paid for the lullabies I would sing or record. I’m happily putting in my heart and soul, my voice, my time and energy and gratefully accepting all the gifts this project has gifted me along the way! And after a few years of devoting my time and energy to the lullabies, I've never regretted that decision once.
That said... I also didn’t want the project to create financial difficulties, and knowing that it would be extremely challenging to produce an album without money, let alone film a documentary, I utilize crowndfunding for these projects. Help us to print the album by pre-purchasing it today!
There may be a limit to how much you can ask people to do without being paid for it, and the professionals that worked worked with me to create this album, put in a serious amount of time, and they deserved to be paid for their amazing work. Ticket Sales for the Lullaby performances and other fundraising will help support these amazing artists!