Eat the sky. . - Music Reviews - sound recording review

Wilma Groenen Audio Art Studio Saskatoon, 2002.

Briarpatch readers will recognize Wilma Groenen from her frequent performances at our May Day fund-raisers. Finally she has made a CD with many of our favorite tunes, including "Green Eyed Devil" and "Sisters."

Groenen has a unique capability of combining a celebratory and appreciative message with a solid blues sound. Her new release, Eat the Sky, stems from her life work which "has been to cultivate peace, the arts, solidarity, community, diversity and a healthy earth." More than one song urges the expansion of the borders of what we consider to be our community - in spite of what our overprotective mothers might have told us.

Dealing with a more troubling issue (genetic manipulation) is "Glimpse of Eternity" where Groenen questions the sanity of the multinational seed companies, "So tell me what kind of man could breed death into a seed. Take the spirit living there and pocket it for greed." This isn't the only song where she asks us to question what's going on around us. In "Summer Joe," Groenen mourns the demise of the traditional way of life of the Lubicon First Nation in Northern Alberta because of oil interests and Western folly.

When you get to page 30 note the date when Eat the Sky will be launched in your community and don't miss this exciting debute.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Briarpatch, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group