We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Wind, Bow & Key Arrangement No. 1 For The Sky Islands

by Cecyl Ruehlen

supported by
snooks
snooks thumbnail
/
1.
Wind, Bow & Key Arrangement No. 1 For The Sky Islands 15:47

about

Composed, Performed & Recorded By
Cecyl Ruehlen
In Colorado & Arizona / 2019-2020
Dedicated to Ricky "Stranger" Washuk
---------------------
This single composition started on an analog Casio 405 keyboard in Boulder Colorado, winter 2019. I was sitting in complete dark on the floor with just the keyboard, headphones and recording device holding three chords for long and irregular phrases. The recording fell into computer folder limbo and re-emerged in September 2020 as I spent time wandering around the Madrean Sky Islands of south eastern Arizona. More specifically I was drifting around the Santa Catalina region that overlooks the Madrean Archipelago, which runs through the traditional territories of the Pima and Apache Peoples. This archipelago is one of the most ecologically unique and rich environments (and migratory pathways) on Earth.

The Sky Islands are enclaves of Madrean pine-oak woodlands, found at higher elevations in a complex of small mountain ranges in southern and southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. The names "sky-island region" and "Madrean Archipelago" imply that the biota of the region has characteristics similar to that found on true islands. A mountain island in a desert ocean, as it were.

Certain floristic attributes of the sky islands can be compared with those from two oceanic archipelagos, the Hawai'i Islands and Galapagos Islands. The sky islands were isolated from one another and from the pine-oak woodlands of the Sierra Madre Occidental to the south by the warming and drying of the climate since the ice ages.

The plant and animal species have the strongest affinity to the high plains region east of the Rocky Mountains, which is where I am originally from. There is something transformative and rejuvenating about the quick traversal from the valley that Tucson rests in (at around 2,000 ft) to the dense forests at 8,000+ ft. On a late summer day one can suddenly leave behind extreme heat in the valley for mild and breezy air lingering essentially in a different geographic climate. However, this region, like many others, is under threat from climate crisis and chronic wildfire outbreaks.

Climate change models (CLIMAS, UA) predict an overall drying of our Sky Island forest ecosystems and of the Southwest in general. This will mean undoubtedly the loss of some seeps and springs, and some drying of creek reaches. This will also increase the risk and vulnerability of forests to catastrophic fire events(crown-sweeping fires). Regardless of fires, we can expect slow changes in vegetation communities,especially at the higher elevations of our distinct mountain ranges. We will likely see oak, pine/oak and mixed conifer communities along the elevation gradient of montane forests shrink in their extent, and possibly disappear from some ranges.

Upon reflecting on recent travels up into the region, and on the minimal structure of the original recording made on the keyboard I sought to write similarly towards aspects of my past work "Spells & Other" where various instruments occupy an expansive field and just sit there together moving gently around each other in slight repetitions. Music as flocking in and out of uniformity. This composition was made using Alto and Soprano Saxophone, Upright Bass, Upright Piano, Casio 405 Keyboard and crude computer synthesis.


Biblio:

"An Overview of the Flora of the Sky Islands, Southeastern Arizona: Diversity, Affinities, and Insularity" By Steven P. McLaughlin

"Restoring Connections Core and Endangered Habitats of Birds in the Sky Island Region of Arizona" by Tucson Audubon Society

credits

released September 9, 2020

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Cecyl Ruehlen image

Cecyl Ruehlen Tucson, Arizona

Cecyl Ruehlen is a composer / performer / producer morphing iterative actions into a sonic ooze with an array of chimeric objects and recording processes / anarchic geographies / woodwinds / in situ / assemblage / 1/4 of the group Compersion / 1/3 of Ausect / 1/X etc

Booking : harmonicoozerecords@gmail.com

Also visit:

Harmonicoozerecords.bandcamp.com
Compersion.bandcamp.com
 ... more

contact / help

Contact Cecyl Ruehlen

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Cecyl Ruehlen recommends:

If you like Cecyl Ruehlen, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now