Rent Party Raag on the Celestial Harp (2009)
A rent party is something you do, when you don’t have enough money to pay the rent. You put the word out that there is going to be a rent party. Anyone can come to a rent party. You have to have some drinks and some food. But it is the drinks that are most important! Everybody pays something to get in the door! After that you have a rent party. Rent parties usually go well into the morning, but they really only last as long as there are drinks. When the drinks run out, everybody leaves and the party is over. There were not a lot of people, but there were just enough to cover the rent!
The cover picture is a composite of several pictures put together. First there is the picture of the barn with a rainbow over it. On the roof is a picture of Forest Woodhenge superimposed. On the barn extension there is a picture of trees being carried into the Forest Woodhenge for the last circle. A peacock was superimposed on the side of the barn adding glory. On the front of the barn a picture of the Celestial Harp is superimposed. The picture of me with hands open was taken from the moment that Forest Woodhenge was finished after 3 years work.
This is where I live and work. It includes the Star Centre where I play and record the celestial Harp. When the income is irregular and times get tough, and it seems impossible to pay the rent, that is when you have a rent party!
Once a certain amount of people arrived, I made sure they were all comfortable and then I brought them into the studio and started talking about the Celestial Harp. After about an hour the place started to fill up. Then I started to play on the Celestial Harp and I just played and played and played. The first piece is part of the performance. I call it the Rent Party Raag.
The drinks ran out relatively early for a rent party, by about midnight and I was alone. Peter Rivington brought over a Kaossilator and left it with me, So I stayed up the rest of the night playing the Celestial Harp and adding the Kaossilator to it.
So this was truly a solo performance, but it did mange to raise just enough money for the rent. I was grateful and relieved!
Tuning System #12
Cover design and photo art by Robin Armstrong
Cover and labels printed by Printer Gateway,
Mixed and mastered by Robin Armstrong
©2009 RA Publications, Toronto, ON.
Track 01. Rent Party Raag ………………………….. 33:02
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp.
Track 02. After Midnight …………………………….. 3:49
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp
and the Kaossilator.
Track 03. Guests Arrive ………………………………. 6:21
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp
and the Kaossilator.
Track 04. You Should Have Seen Them Dance …. 5:38
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp
and the Kaossilator.
Track 05. Significant Presence …………………….. 4:32
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp
and the Kaossilator.
Track 06. Orbs of Departure ………………………… 2:40
Robin Armstrong on the Celestial Harp
and the Kaossilator.