KIVA -- Live at the Forest Inn
This wonderful live album was recorded at the Forest Inn, a large Victorian ballroom in the Seminary at Forest Glen, Maryland. It is the first release to include new KIVA member David Landis and the return of Diana McFadden. It also features the fantastic vocals of Amikaeyla Gaston, longtime KIVA alumni Nicole Cooley in an unusual arrangement of the traditional song "Twa Corbies", and award winning harpist Olvardil Prydwyn on harp (on "The Basin") and cittern (on "Twa Corbies"). This CD was nominated for a DC Wammie (Washington Area Music) Award for 1998, as best New Age Album.
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- Star of the Sea Star of the Sea -- The lyrics and part of the melody of this song were written by Persephone and part of the melody was written by Ariana. It is an uplifting and danceable song to Yemaya, the African goddess of the oceans. This version has wonderful life and energy in our live recording. Star of the Sea was originally studio recorded for "Finding the Balance Within".
- Witchin' Hour -- A cool jazzy song about that special time of the night. Witchin' Hour was originally recorded in the studio with different instrumentation for The Healing Art.
- Empowerment -- This song was written by Ariana. It is a strong song reminding women (and men too) to love themselves ("whether fat, thin, or over-the-hill..."). It was first rcorded in the studio for "Finding the Balance Within".
- Twa Corbies -- This is a traditional Scottish song about two crows ("twa corbies") deciding to dine on a new-slain knight. It is sung in a mix of Gaelic and English, so you probably won't understand all the words. This is the only time KIVA has recorded this song. Includes Olvardil Prydwyn on cittern.
- Green Man (by Shaman) -- This wonderful song was written by Deirdre Stuart of the band Shaman. This is the first time she has given anyone permission to record this song. It is about the arrival of Spring, and a conversation with the newly awoken Green Man (who "brings back color to the land").
- Devi Puja -- This is a pair of tranditional Indian songs merged and rearranged by Alaina Seraphariel of the band Pomegranate.
- The Basin -- This song was written by Ariana. It is about a whirlpool on the White River in New England that looks so inviting but can be deadly. The sirens beckon you to "drown all your sorrows" here. It was first recorded in the studio for "Finding the Balance Within". Includes Olvardil Prydwyn on harp.
- Durgé Durgé -- This is a traditional Indian chant singing the praises of Durgé, the slayer of demons. This the first and only time KIVA has recorded this song.
- Ariana's Blessing -- This is a new song written by Ariana. It is an acapella blessing song.
- Go Now -- This is a song written by Amikaeyla with some help from Ariana, and Diana Sunday. It is the mythical story of how animals and people arrived here. The original idea for the piece was that Amikaeyla's Cherokee grandmother (who was on the trail of tears) used to tell Amikaeyla a creation story when she was a child. Ariana and Diana added their own verses later in the song. This was the last song recorded that day. It was late in the evening, and we had only practiced it two times before. Everyone seemed to find the groove on this one and we all felt inspired. After almost 10 minutes of playing, we ended the song only 3 seconds before a power brownout of the entire neighborhood shut off the recorders -- we think this song was meant to be recorded.
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The Forest Inn and Our Experiences There
"Ye Forest Inne", was built as a hotel in Forest Glen (outside of Washington DC) in 1887. After the hotel failed a few years later, it was turned into a casino. At the turn of the century it was bought by John and Vesta Cassedy, who started the National Park Seminary School for Girls. They greatly expanded the grounds and the excentric collection of buildings. Later it was sold to the U.S. Army, which used it as an annex to Walter Reed Hospital. The buildings and some of the grounds were given Historict District status and a group called Save Our Seminary raised funds to restore the Japanese pagoda. Eventually, the site was sold to a developer who turned much of the site into condos and senior housing. Today you can rent the ballroom for $500 per hour with a 3 hr minimum fee. The building code allows for a maximum of 350 people. Check out the pictures of the rennovated ballroom here The Rennovated Forest Inn Ballroom.
The Cassedys built the many fanciful buildings that grace the grounds -- a Medieval castle, Dutch windmill, Japanese pagoda, Greek Odeon temple, and others. The ballroom where we recorded is over 100 feet long and 60 feet high, with a large stage, two tiers of balconies, crystal chandeliers, and stained glass skylights all around the beam-buttressed, vaulted ceilings. Greek and Roman statues decorate niches around the ballroom and can also be found throughout the wooded grounds. The ballroom within the Forest Inn is now one of the only partially preserved buildings at this American site of ruins.
The Forest Inn was a really beautiful place to create music. The sound in the ballroom was perfect -- not too boomy and beautifully echoing. Our audience built throughout the day until we had a great crowd to sing with us in the call and response chants that wound down our recording session. The ballroom was pretty run down and this was the final live performance before the army stopped anyone using the place until it was sold and refirbished sometime after 2003.
Listening to how the songs turned out while mixing down in the studio has been wonderful. KIVA is undoubtedly the tightest and best we've ever been as a group. There are several new songs and updated versions of our previously recorded songs as well. KIVA is now -- Ariana, Nicole, Eve, Diana S., Diana M., Dave, and introducing Amikaeyla. These recordings also have guest harpist Olvardil Prydwyn. With the 3 and 4 part harmonies and rich instrumentation from cello to mandolin and hand percussion to Celtic harp KIVA's sound has expanded to encompasse worldbeat and folk styles to create a sound all our own.
At one time there were restoration efforts going on and then the complex was sold to a developer who turned many of the buildings into condos and added new condo buildings onto the grounds. The building that KIVA had performed in was turned into an office building for the condo complex. To see information about the past efforts to save the buildings often called "follies" go to Save Our Seminary.
Ariana Lightningstorm
April 1997 - Updated June 7, 2021
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Revision Date: June 7, 2021