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Martha inspires music 100 years on

31/7/2014

2 Comments

 
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Martha being, of course, the last of the billions of  passenger pigeons that inhabited North America until a few decades before she died in Cincinnati Zoo a hundred years ago this year.  My former RSPB colleague Mark Avery has written a book about Martha, her super-abundant ancestors and her message to those prepared to heed the warning of where today's mass bird declines might lead.

So I was fascinated to read in Mark's blog, taken over briefly by Bay Area musician Karla Kane, about a song Karla and her band the Corner Laughers have written in honour of this sad centenary.  She mentions another track dedicated to the critically-endangered California condor, which she studied for her masters; and a glance at their website reveals a lot of music inspired by birds.

The comments on Mark's blog mentions Texas-based band Shearwater, co-founded by another ornithologist, Jonathan Meiburg.  Indie-pop and Indie-rock being a little outside my normal universe (no sniggering at the back of the orchestra...), I'm wondering what else I'm missing out on and whether there is an eco-rock genre out there. Recommendations welcome!

2 Comments
Karla link
5/8/2014 09:04:27 am

Thanks for mentioning us -- This is a lovely site!

Reply
Laurence link
5/8/2014 09:12:32 am

Thanks, Karla! I'm looking forward to hearing more of your work!

Reply



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