December 2018

It was certainly a wintry session this month: gale force winds, cold, heavy rain and sleet. But it was (eventually!) cozy inside the Scout Hall and the singing warmed our spirits!

 Here is the link to December's recordings.

We began with a children's Christmas song from Bulgaria, Oj Koledo, moj Koledo; next a beautiful song by Ali Burns, May your cup always be full –  a four part ‘toast’ or ‘blessing’ for New Year or for the year ahead; finally, a non-Christmas song from India, Radhe Govinda bolo.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information (just click on each song title and the info will appear on the right). 

Here's a children's choir singing Oj Koledo.

Have a great Christmas whatever you're up to, and a very happy New Year.


We're back in Wivenhoe on Saturday 19 January to sing in the New Year. We hope to see you there. Why not make 2019 your year of singing?

Hope to see you there!

Click here to find all the dates for 2019. 

PS there will be a small price increase in 2019 to £9 per session, but that will INCLUDE tea/coffee and biscuits. Yay!

November 2018

There's a definite nip in the air these days, but we've been blessed with some glorious weather so far this autumn.

A beautiful sunny day for this month's SingWiv didn't stop around 25 keen singers from turning up!

Here is the link to November's recordings: we started with Chris's arrangement of Feelin' good (made famous by Nina Simone) - there wasn't time to record this at the end, so included is a recording from a recent workshop in London; next we devoured a church song from Nigeria, Eh Yaweh kumama; finally we tackled a bit of country and western: Farther down the road by Jane Voss.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information (just click on each song title and the info will appear on the right).

Click to hear Jane Voss singing her song Farther down the road.You can definitely hear its country & western roots here!

And here's a version of Eh Yahweh kumama.

Next month is the last session of 2018. There might even be a festive song! It's on Saturday 15 December with a prompt 2pm start.

Hope to see you there!

Click here to find all the dates for 2019. 

October 2018

Still basking in the unseasonal warmth and sunshine, even though the leaves are turning! Amazingly we attracted a goodly crowd of singers, despite the tempation to stay in the garden.

Here is the link to October's recordings: we began with a simple round from Ghana, Nanuma; next an autumn chant, Falling; then something completely different, a chant from the Sufi tradition, Allah hu; finally a rousing drinking song, Landlord fill the flowing bowl.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information (just click on each song title and the info will appear on the right).

Remember you can listen to all the songs we've ever done by finding the link on each month's page on this blog.

Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 17 November - same time, same place, new songs, new faces.

Click here to find all the dates for 2018 and on into 2019.  

September 2018

So here we are, back after our break, refreshed and ready to sing and still hanging onto the summer weather!

Here is the link to September's recordings: we started with a simple, fun round Down by the water; next a Nigerian song from the Yoruba tradition, Ibache; then a beautiful song by Alouette Iselin about how to overcome the dark times, The comfort of singing voices; and finally, a bit of a laugh as we wrestled with an Irish tongue twister, MacTavish is dead.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information (just click on each song title and the info will appear on the right).

Remember you can listen to all the songs we've ever done by finding the link on each month's page on this blog.

You can listen to a lovely choral arrangement of The comfort of singing voices here on SoundCloud.

Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 20 October - same time, same place, new songs, new faces.

Click here to find all the dates for 2018 and on into 2019. 

We're back!

Goodbye summer 

but hello singing!!!!

Yes, Sing Out Saturdays are back in Wivenhoe on Saturday 15 September after our summer break.

Everyone is welcome: men, women, complete novices, experienced singers. And if you can't make this Saturday, don't worry, we're back every 3rd Saturday, just come when you can.

Click here to find all the dates for 2018.  

We've also started to add dates for 2019:

19 January
16 February
16 March
13 April (not a 3rd Saturday due to Easter)
18 May
22 June (not a 3rd Saturday due to other commitments)

We look forward to singing with you soon!

June 2018

Even though the Wivenhoe Regatta was on, we managed to muster a great bunch of singers, and even some new faces!

Here is the link to June's recordings: Chris's arrangement of the Coldplay song Til kingdom come; a famous Welsh song Sosban fach about a little saucepan; a Xhosa setting of part of the Lord's Prayer from South Africa, Mayenziwe.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information.

If you don't know the Coldplay song, click to listen to Til kingdom come.

And you can hear Cerys Matthews here singing Sosban fach.

Enjoy!

We're taking a summer break now, but we'll be back on 15th September and hope to see you then. Please spread the word!

Click here to find all the dates for 2018.  

May 2018

Amazingly, despite it being the day of the Royal Wedding and Wivenhoe Open Gardens and the FA Cup Final, we mustered a goodly number of singers this month!

Here is the link to May's recordings: Chris's arrangement of the Beatles' classic All you need is love and the beautiful Welsh song Lisa lan. We did one other for a bit of fun - Jenny Goodman's Oo let me sing - but it wasn't recorded.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information.

There are two other versions of Lisa lan included: one is by Chris's community choir Woven Chords, and the other by a real Welsh person (Siwsann George)!

Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 16 June - same time, same place, new songs, new faces - our final session before a summer break. If not, have a great summer and we'll be back in September.

Click here to find all the dates for 2018. 

April 2018

What a difference a month makes!

This time it's a big well-done to those of you who managed to drag yourselves in from the garden! And welcome to the four new people who came.

Here is the link to April's recordings: a Taiwanese fishermen's song; a spiritual; a protest song from South Africa.

We didn't quite finish the spiritual and the South African song proved quite a challenge (!) so the recordings include versions of Steal Away and Senzenina from Chris's Coventry community choir WorldSong.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information, lyrics and a translation.

Here is the Cape Town Youth Choir's version of Senzenina. 

And Michael Tippett's arrangement of Steal Away.

Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 19 May - same time, same place, new songs, new faces - ignore the royal wedding and the FA cup final doesn't kick off until 5pm!

Click here to find all the dates for 2018.  

March 2018

It's supposed to be spring!!

Well done to all of you who braved the snow and winds to come to this month's SingWiv. We had a great turn out despite the weather and made a wonderful sound.

Here is the link to March's recordings: an Irish song in your actual gaelic (it was St. Patrick's Day!), a beautiful song of hope from South Africa and a gospel song from the Appalachians (in the 'tear jerker' genre!).

We didn't quite manage to finish the South African song so there's also a full recording of the song from one of Chris's old community choirs, WorldSong.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information, lyrics and a translation.

Here is Clannad's version of the Irish song Nil sin la.

And an amazing version of O sing to me of heaven by the Chilhowie Primitive Baptist Church.

Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 21 April - same time, same place - when we hope that spring will have finally sprung!

Click here to find all the dates for 2018. 

February 2018

Not quite as many as last month, but we mustered nearly 30 singers, a good number of whom were new. We could still do with some more MEN though!!

Here is the link to February's recordings: a warm up song for Valentine's Day, a song in Swahili, some storming gospel and a little something from West Africa (this last one I didn't record, so I've added an old recording from when we did Ma belle sinkwanee back in 2015).

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information, lyrics and a translation.

For your delight and delectation here is the Nashville Bluegrass Band singing Goodnight the Lord is coming.


Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 17 March - same time, same place - when we hope that spring will have truly sprung!

Click here to find all the dates for 2018. 

January 2018

Gosh, the first session of 2018 turned out to be a very, very well-attended blinder!

[ this is an old photo from 2015 - we had almost twice as many singers this month ]

I don't think we quite manage to beat our previous record of filling the Scout Hall to capacity, but 36 singers came pretty close - we almost ran out of chairs.

And we had decent number of men (we can always do with more chaps!).

Here is the link to January's recordings: a party song from Cameroon, an old setting of a Psalm (Waters of Babylon) and a Zimbabwean lullaby.

Chris has also included the version of Bele Mama that he based his arrangement on.

In the Description section for each MP3 you'll find song information, lyrics and a translation.



YouTube has a recording of Don McLean singing Waters of Babylon:


Enjoy!

Hope to see you next month on Saturday 17 February - same time, same place.

Click here to find all the dates for 2018.