all up with sustainability—being a former hippy of the sixties, an organic gardener, animal protector and avid bird lover, to my surprise out poured a new genre of ghazal and poem. They were definitely influenced by my mentor Francis Brabazon, as are my songs. But there was still my own heart beat and thoughts pouring into them, and they turned out funny, crust cheeky and IrishlAustralian. Grin and Guip could have been called Laughter Whilst Glum, or Fun and Sun in the Park with Meher Baba, or any other fun title but Grin and Gulp Ghazals stuck. Now it has become a bit more seri ous a subject after winning a place in an English language ghazals challenge to write one with a radif—repeating refrain at the end of a couplet—on the subject of clouds and rain. I won a place in that English Language Ghazal Magazine with my ghazal and have been writing one a day for some time now. I selected some 25 for this CD by Raindust. The pen name is obviously a bit tongue in cheek. Oh, to truly be dust at the Beloved’s feet! It is a spoken word CD with lovely sounds behind the poetry I decided to recite them as they definitely needed the Australian accent to come alive. Baba is encoded everywhere in it for us, but yet not so overtly that all faiths and even those of no faith will still enjoy and think through their lives in the Kali-Yuga. HopefiUy it will cause them to make a few changes and adjustments towards the upcoming new humanity and a troubled tired planet Earth. The difficulties a-cornin’ with the advancement of the Kali-Yuga are throughout the ghazals, but with humour and a fttsion of world poetry. I hope you enjoy this CD, and remember to lift the corners ofthe mouth and smile, as did the publisherwho told me to make them.The painting on the CD cover was painted by my daughter Freiny-etta Frances l\’lormon, and is titled “Tractor’s Costume”, 2 x 1 1/2 ft, used with her permission. (Creative Growth Art Gallery and School.)
Surrenderance: Blues & Gospel Songs & Ghazals Raine Eastman-Gannett, Berkeley I have just finished this new CD after working on it, sporadically, for seven years. I am doing a pre-release, one hundred of them to have for Meherana, where I will be the musical guest on May 23 for four days with Bhau Kaichuri as he is coming 48
to the West again, and probably he will say yet again, “For the last time!” Only Baba knows! I also felt I had to release Surrenderance now as the first track is called “Avatar’s Abode” and in June my family and I will head to Avatar’s Abode, Queensland, Australia, as I do almost every year to the Sahavas for the 50th Anniversary of Beloved Baba’s visit there in June 1958. People are coming from all over the world as they did also on the 30th and 40th Anniversaries. There are always at least 200 Australians who make the pilgrimage to the Abode each year to be a family in His love and recite Arti together in His glorious room there, and attempt to entertain him in The Shed—the humble name of the wonderful theatre at His Australian home. So the CD Surrenderance is done! A beautiful John Parry painting graces the cover a wonderftsl photograph at Mehe rabad by my husband Bill Gannett is on the tray. The music is blues and gospel. One might wonder what on earth an Australian singer and musician might know of such music, especially one who studied classical voice, guitar, raga singing and harmonium, and these days teaches all of these subjects including Hindi bhajans, Sanskrit mantra and Western voice. I spent eight years in the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and many of the old traditional spiritual melodies on this CD I sang rith Meher Baba ideas running through my musical heart and mind even while on stage and touring with the group. It was through this group I finally got to sing in the Sydney Opera House when we toured Australia. Thus on the CD are eight gospel songs and eight blues songs, the majority of the blues songs have lyrics by Francis Braba zon to traditional blues influenced tunes. One cannot say Francis wrote them, and
yet one cannot say someone else did either, as most are variations on a traditional blues idea. The lyrics by Francis as always, are amazing. There are others by myselfand it closes with a Blues Ghazal—the original inspiration for this type of CD for Baba. The last line quotes Rumi: “They say that there is no death worse than expectancy” and this is also the mantra that dominated myworking on this intense musical project for all these years, trying to keep detached, keeping Baba with me at all times. One of my compositions is the song “Rockyou Merwan” (Dhondi’s Song). It is about Baba’s Aiya (nanny).This song is in the tradition ofsongs by qawaali singers to Halima, who was Mohammed’s nanny and wet nurse. Once when Mani was naming all the people to remember from their lives over the years—at Baba’s request—Mani down Dhondi. Baba forgot to clapped for immediate attention and said “We must not forget Dhondi.” Many wonderful musicians join me, Sam Saunders on guitars, Billy Goodrum on Hammond Organ and piano, Michael DeVries on drums and the great liarplayer Kevin Connor. $14 in the Love Street Bookstore. write
monica
Ra.ughty .u1vatar Raine Eastman-Gannett 0 Beloved wou/dyou ? did I see you swallow the sun? I look out the window, no light or warmth, it:c notfin. You gulped it dowmi did it right infront ofmy face, Nothing can measure the glow lost, or brilliance replace. You grin, eyes twinkle, think it ever so funny, Give hack now, we’ll catch cold, get sick, nose runny. Good boy, now spit it back up, give us back bright light, The warmth andglow alone will be worthyour might. Shining andgolden isyourfimce now that itc in you, No mercy, you laugh, and chide me for ignoring you 171 make nice toyou sweetie, nowjust spit it back mp, Trickingyou, snugglingyou, I slap your back, Kawip! Glorious, golden, out itpops with a great loud OIVI—sound, Lovely! GoodAvatai now listen, Raindust sings a sunny round