Short Summary
WHAT is this project about?
We're making a new ALBUM
and we need your help!
We are Vicki Genfan (USA), Sally Barker (England) and Ali Tod (Scotland), three women from three countries, each bringing our unique talents and musical influences, embarking on a trail-blazing artistic journey to compose and record a brand new body of work while caravanning across America starting May 17, 2023 for 6 weeks.
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The journey includes four major recording sessions outside, “in the wild” at National Monuments; Organ Mountain Desert Peaks in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Rio Grande Del Norte in Taos, New Mexico, Browns Canyon in Salida, Colorado and Black Rock Desert - High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area in Gerlach, Nevada.
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To give back and show our gratitude for the use of the monuments, we’ll play benefit concerts at local venues nearby to raise funds for the volunteer run ‘Friends Groups’ that work to protect these lands.
After 3 weeks of recording at the monuments and playing these benefit concerts, we'll begin the journey back east, stopping for performances in Virginia City, Montana, Nashville, Tennessee, a private event in West Virginia, and finally a Homecoming concert back in North Carolina.
As a donor, you can come along with us! We'll post weekly livestreams on YouTube and Facebook and if you've got a 'backstage pass', you'll hear from us daily with a link to a dedicated webpage letting you in on our daily 'video journal' from the road....all 6 weeks of it!
WHY are we so passionate about this 'Monumental Journey'?
We’re itching to soak in the awe of Mother Earth and compose entire new works inspired by her gentlest whispers and most feral roars. Composing, recording and touring has never been done quite like this and It's going to be a wild adventure!
WHO ARE WE?
Winning the esteemed Guitar Player Magazine’s ‘Guitar Superstar’ award in 2008, Vicki Genfan is known around the globe for her own percussive technique of 'slap-tap' acoustic guitar, and has been showcased as one of the world’s top guitarists at festivals and concerts. She's also a multi instrumentalist, stellar vocalist, award winning songwriter and passionate educator.
“If I could play guitar like Vicki, I’d stay home and entertain myself.”
- Steve Vai, legendary GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist
Her voice is arrestingly pure and evocative; her songwriting steeped in storytelling. In 2014 England’s Sally Barker was Tom Jones' finalist on 'The Voice UK'. A seasoned songwriter, guitarist, performer and vocalist, the list of musicians she has supported, collaborated with or performed with is expansive, including Tom Jones, Bob Dylan, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention and Robert Plant.
“You have the most beautiful voice that has ever been on this show.“
- Tom Jones, legendary GRAMMY Award-winning artist and coach on The Voice UK
A fierce emerging talent, Ali Tod joins us from Edinburgh, Scotland. Combining flamenco guitar playing with modern percussive fingerstyle techniques and a ruthless funky edge, you can find her mingling and performing with artists like Brandi Carlile and the Mexican Acoustic duo, Rodrigo y Gabriela. We're excited to have her with us on this adventure!
“Honestly, she’s ten times the musician we are. I don’t even know why she likes us.”
- Brandi Carlile, GRAMMY Award-winning artist, producer, and songwriter
HOW CAN YOU HELP US?
Our goal is to raise 80K in this campaign. Your contributions will make this dream a reality. We'll travel over 7500 miles, from east to west and back again with 3 vehicles and 6 crew members sharing the tasks of driving, audio & video recording, food prep, road management and coordination. Once back home we'll complete the recording process.
You're donations will help us pay for:
- gas
- food
- lodging
- compensation for our crew
- editing, mixing, mastering, designing, marketing and promoting the final product!
*At this point, we're planning to release the album and all artwork/liner notes digitally only. If we're able to raise more money, we will manufacture CDs and/or Vinyl!
WHAT DO YOU GET IN RETURN?
- New Music!!
- Chance to experience the wonder and awe with us
- Swag
- Signed rocks from the trails
- Livestreamed concerts
- ‘Cocktail hang’ on Zoom
- Private Zoom concert
- Private Guitar lessons
- Cover song re-make
- Personalized song
- Officiate and play at your wedding!
THE IMPACT
This musical adventure is driven by the purpose of reminding us all just how beautiful and vital uncultured, natural lands are to the world, to future generations, and to our well-being. It's also a reminder of the powerful connection between nature and art. Backing this project means furthering the dream we hope you share of a more connected, equitable, healing world through the medicine of music.
RISKS & CHALLENGESChallenge #1: How will we get access to the monuments and find the best places to set up for recording ? Where are our 'Yo Yo Ma' shots? ![]()
Solution: Lucky for us, we have Carl Rountree on board! As former assistant director of BLM's (Bureau of Land Management) National Landscape Conservation System, he has the connections and the 'know how' that led to us being granted permission to set up our recording sessions at the monuments. As far as we know this has never been done before.
Challenge #2: Nine people and 3 vehicles living and recording while off the grid for 2-3 days at a time.
Solution: We are so lucky to partner with Tay Hoyle and Taytrix Productions on this project. Tay has already outfitted the 'Vicki Van' (Dodge Sprinter) to be a full scale mobile recording and performance vehicle. She will be converting her Box Truck in the coming months to become our 'control room'. This truck will also carry the Taytrix StackIt Gobos, most of our instruments as well as sleep 2 crew members. We've also been extremely lucky to have use of a third van, (Dodge Transit) which has been converted by our friends to be a luxury travel van. All three vehicles can operate on Solar power and have the capability to keep us alive and well for the 2-3 day excursions into the wild needed at each recording site. As for keeping us nourished, we've got Bo and Nissa dedicated to prepping and supplying us with all the good food we can imagine!
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Challenge #3: Creating under 'pressure'...this trio of musicians has not yet worked together - what if we don't get along? What if we don't 'gel' musically? What if we have no good ideas???
Solution: We'll draw upon each of our myriad experiences working and collaborating with many different musicians. We imagine it will be exhilarating to be thrust into the 'unknown' with the task of making new music! (kind of like 'Survivor' for songwriters!)
Challenge #4. Getting great quality recordings while out in the wild.
Enter Tay Hoyle and Taytrix once more! Tay has been working with Vicki as her recording and mixing engineer for over 25 years in addition to engineering in world class studios. Her expertise, especially in recording acoustic instruments is second to none. With the addition of the StackIt Gobo systems, (read more about these here) we'll be able to have a level of control over our recording environment that just wouldn't be possible out in the elements alone. We'll even be able to record in the rain! (not really looking forward to that...)![]()
Challenge #5: Spreading the word about this fundraiser!
Solution: In addition to our basic crew - those who will travel with us, we are continuing to add 'extended' crew and support in the form of Sponsors, interns coming on board to help research digital and hard copy media to contact, marketing experts sharing tips, each of our friends, family and fan bases sharing the adventure and campaign to their friends and followers. You can help in this way too! Share this campaign. Thank you!! We couldn't do it without you!
Meet the Team!
Here’s our amazingly talented and hard-working team mates who will do all the cool important things plus take turns driving:
Tay Hoyle, owner of TAYTRIX - Recording Engineer and Production Manager
Carl Rountree – Location Scout and Bureau of Land Management Liaison
Cindi Hobgood – Location and logistics coordinator, photographer, and videographer
Bo Lewis – Tour Chef and videographer
Nissa Campbell – Assistant Tour Chef and videographer
Other Ways You Can Help
We totally get that not everyone is in a position to contribute monetarily. By making some 'joyful noise' about our campaign you can contribute enormously! Use the Indiegogo 'share' tools and spread the word to your friends and family. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!
