My Last Teaspoon of Honey

New Single to be Released on 19th November 2024

I wandered through Fremantle Farmers Market one winter Sunday morning and found myself in conversation with the proprietor of a boutique honey store. A delicious teaspoon of jarrah honey encouraged me to walk away with a jar of honey.

When I emptied my old jar of honey, to make way for the new, I found myself singing "If I could I would give to you my last teaspoon of honey." And in that moment I began my journey with this song. I didn't know where this song would take me. I allowed my mood, over many days, to suggest other "If I could I would..." until it seemed the song was complete.

My Last Teaspoon of Honey soon became part of my set list and I was delighted to find the audience connecting with this song. It would be true to say that the audience response encouraged me to release My Last Teaspoon of Honey.

The music video was filmed, in Porongurup National Park, by the ruins of the Mira Flores homestead. Porongurup is a spiritual place for me and I walk past the old bread oven on many an occasion, enjoying the quiet and the grandeur of the Karri trees.

I hope you enjoy My Last Teaspoon of Honey and find calmness and reflection listening to this song.

My Last Teaspoon of Honey

 
If I could I would give to you my last teaspoon of honey.
If I could I would give to you my last handful of money.
If I could I would change all my words that hurt you.
If I could I would change all the times I'd desert you.
 
Chorus
All the roads I have travelled on lead me to just one thing I'd like to say,
'Tomorrow is a brand new day.'
 
If I could I would spend my days searching for nothing.
If I could I would turn my nothing into something.
If I could I would believe in the glory of madness.
If I could I would believe in the beauty of sadness.
 
Chorus
 
If I could I would write all the words that are missing.
If I could I would smile and rejoice in the listening.
If I could I would cry all the tears I've been holding on to.
If I could I would understand, for the story of knowing you.
 
Chorus
'Tomorrow is a brand new day.'

 

Copyright   Jane Laws 2024

Unauthorised copying, public performance, broadcasting, hiring or rental of this song prohibited.

History of Mira Flores Homestead

1910 gathering at Mira Flores Homestead

A six room weatherboard house was built below Devil's Slide at the turn of the 20th century for Alfred Edward Morgans (17th February 1850 - 10th August 1933). Morgans was the 4th premier of Western Australia, serving for just over one month between 21st November - 23rd December 1901.

When Morgans experienced financial difficulties, the Government purchased part of his property in 1926 for the Porongurup National Park at a cost of 1,764 pounds. The remainder became private farms.

The house was sold and moved to Mt Barker between 1931 and 1933 (site uncertain).

By 1978 a granite rock and brick oven and the house chimney were visible reminders of Morgans grand dream to build a horse and cattle stud, run deer, pheasants and partridges and develop a sanatorium for gold miners suffering from silicosis.

Today only the bread oven remains as the house chimney blew over in a storm.

#PorongurupNationalPark #Porongurup #MountainCountryWA

#SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #FolkMusic #MatonEM100C_808

#JaneLaws 

Microphone Stand Tray Review

Setup using two Hercules DG307B's.

Once I began gigging with my new Electro-Voice (EV) EVERSE 8 it become apparent that a microphone stand for my mobile phone (with the EV QuickSmart Mobile App installed) would be great. I asked Uncle Google and it seemed like the Hercules DG307B: Universal Tablet/Phone Holder would be perfect.

Sometimes I sit down at gigs and operate my BOSS VE-8 Acoustic Singer, by hand, instead of using the foot switches. I thought a microphone stand tray, for the VE 8, would also be useful. I wanted the tray as small as possible and the Gravity GMATRAY1 Universal Microphone Stand Tray filled my requirements.

So once again, it was off to Mega Music, my local music store.

Unfortunately the clamp on the Gravity GMATRAY1 was too small (only just) to fit the bottom upright of my mic stand. After some thought, I decided to make my own tray using a second Hercules DG307B. So it was back to Mega Music who quickly exchanged the Gravity GMATRAY1 for a Hercules DG307B.

I made a tray to fit, using a Black Chef Inox Cutting Board (from Spotlight) and two Riley Nylon Midget Black Fairleads (RM168BLK) (from my sailing spares box). The fairleads created a front & rear edge to the tray. The DG307B tablet holder clamps provided a sufficient edge at each side of the tray. The breadboard dimensions are 250 x 400 x 12 cm. The 12mm was the perfect depth to fit the tablet holder clamps and one single cut across the board was sufficient to create a made to measure tray for the BOSS VE-8 Acoustic Singer (217 x 161mm).

Seems like a great solution, what do you think?

Electro-Voice (EV) EVERSE 8

I have been an Electro-Voice (EV) girl since 1996, when I purchased a 100M amp and two SX100 speakers. These days, gigging takes me to smaller venues, some without power. I was delighted to find the EVERSE 8 in my "what to buy" research.

My first gig with the Everse 8,
at La Chiquita Cafe in Fremantle

I am not someone who likes to fiddle with sound; when I find something I like I stick to it. With this in mind I went through each FX in turn and selected my vocal and acoustic guitar sound.

I only found two quirks with the EVERSE 8:

1. When recalling a preset, or if you switch the device off and on, any level above 10dB is set to 0dB.
2. The speaker volume cannot be saved in a pre-set.

Once you know about this, happy days.

I found out, by accident, that my android phone connects to the EVERSE 8 without Bluetooth turned on. This makes sense to me, no phone calls broadcast to the world if you forget to go to flight mode.

My first gig was two hours, café style and the EVERSE 8 was battery powered. Folks loved the sound; organic and pure.

The EV QuickSmart Mobile App is intrinsic and easy to use and the possibilities seem endless; it's up to me now.

PS If I'm using my stomp, I plug the stomp into channel 1. The guitar and vocal are mixed and then sent to channel 2 via a Boss Acoustic Singer VE-8.

Weatherised, battery-powered loudspeaker for indoors or outdoors.

Available in a black or white finish.

Compact and lightweight (7.6kg).

Wireless control & monitoring.

8 in. woofer and 1 in. titanium dome.

Large battery capacity (up to 12 hour runtime).

Have You Ever Been Before - Porongurup National Park

 

Kangaroo and Joey

I wrote the song, Have You Ever Been Before, as a tribute to The Porongurup National Park, home of Castle Rock and Granite Skywalk. Porongurup National Park is a beautiful part of the world in Mountain Country in The South West of Western Australia.

During my career years, I spent many a long weekend recuperating and resting my soul at Porongurup. Porongurup has always been my go to place for peace and tranquillity. In 1997 I was lucky to find my own piece of paradise, a small cottage, at the foothills of The Porongurup Range.

On Wansbrough Walk towards Nancy Peak

One day, while I was walking along the Wansbrough Walk trail, on my way to Nancy Peak, I found myself humming an original tune and it was there that I wrote the lyrics "Have you ever been before, where the mountains rest the soul and the trees grow tall. Let the silence soothe your mind, and you'll find there's no reason to count the time." From that moment the idea for my song, Have You Ever Been Before, was born.

To sing, Have You Ever Been Before, on the porch of my Porongurup home, for Play Music On The Porch Day, was a magical experience, I hope you enjoy this song.

Devil's Slide - Porongurup National Park

Have You Ever Been Before
 
One day in seventy eight I met a man
His name I don’t remember.
We were sat by a river
It was spring, late September.
He had the time to listen,
And his eyes they did glisten
And he took my hand and held it close and he said.
 
“Have you ever been before
Where the mountains rest the soul
And the trees grow tall?
Let the silence soothe your mind
And you’ll find there’s no reason
To count the time.”
 
There is little time to contemplate
The beauty of life at the end of each day.
I long to watch the world go by
And enjoy the sight of a bird at play.
I know instead of all this greed,
Food and shelter is all I need,
But it’s hard to change to a life I don’t understand.
 
Yes I think I hear the call
To where the mountains rest the soul
And the trees grow tall.
Let the silence soothe my mind
And I’ll find there’s no reason
To count the time.
 
When he stood up to leave
I saw his face was lined and weathered.
He picked up his walking stick
And reached for his old dog who was tethered.
He knew where he was going
He’d been that place before,
And he looked back o’ver his shoulder
And said once more.
 
“Have you ever been before
Where the mountains rest the soul
And the trees grow tall?
Let the silence soothe your mind
And you’ll find there’s no reason
To count the time.”
 
 
Copyright   Jane Laws   1996
Unauthorised copying, public performance, broadcasting, hiring or rental of this song prohibited.

Nancy Peak - Porongurup National Park

#PlayMusicOnThePorchDay #NationalPark 

#TreeChange #PeacefulPlace #Tranquil

#PorongurupNationalPark #Porongurup  #MountainCountryWA

#SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #FolkMusic #MatonEM225

#JaneLaws #ErikKowarski

Fremantle Harbour Bound

Fremantle Harbour Bound is one of my maritime folk songs, it is a story about being at sea, for a very long time, and finally sailing towards home.

However the song goes much deeper than that and reflects upon my own personal journey of finding my way to live on the shores of Fremantle. All of my adult life I have connected to Fremantle, to the history, to the culture, to the port, to the people. Although I have been a member of Fremantle Sailing Club since 1987, the different roads I have chosen have never led me to live in Fremantle.

Then the winter of 2022 came along and it was either "now or never" and my partner and I sold up and moved to Fremantle. The song, Fremantle Harbour Bound, came to me while I was musing with my guitar on a stormy afternoon while we were in the throes of moving.

Erik Kowarski, renowned Perth improvising fiddle player, recorded and produced my first album, Gypsy Traveller (released in 2000.) It was wonderful to team up with Erik again for the journey of recording Fremantle Harbour Bound. Erik's beautiful fiddle has added a haunting touch and nautical flavour throughout the song; thank you so much, Erik.

The Fremantle Harbour Bound video was filmed aboard my yacht, Ambience, in the waters around Fremantle. With only two of us onboard, we found the on-water filming a memorable challenge. Trying to look after Ambience, each other, other water users, and filming is a day we won't forget in a hurry.

Way back in 1996, when I wrote the song, Seaflight, (a tribute to Perth teenager, David Dicks, who was sailing solo and nonstop around the world), Fremantle Sailing Club life member, Gran Hickling, asked me if I could write a song about the sailing club. Gran would ask me every time I saw him, which was, at times, every week. I used to just smile and muse to myself, "what could I write in a song about our club." Then last year, when Fremantle Harbour Bound came along, as if out of nowhere, I thought to myself, this is the song that Gran always wanted me to write.

Fremantle Harbour Bound

I am Fremantle Harbour bound,
Around the sound, around the town.
A west bound wind will bring me home,
Away too long, I am harbour bound, Fremantle Town.

 

Will you forgive all that has gone before,
So I might live in peace upon your shore.
And in my mind I hear a distant call,
I'm harbour bound, Fremantle Town, Fremantle Town.

 

I am a mile away from nowhere now,
Do you hear me sigh? Do you hear me shout?
And do you hear me sing The Lord's Prayer out loud?
Away too long, I am harbour bound, Fremantle Town.

 

I am Fremantle Harbour bound,
Around the sound, around the town.
A west bound wind will bring me home,
Away too long, I am harbour bound, Fremantle Town.

 

Copyright   Jane Laws 2023
Unauthorised copying, public performance, broadcasting, hiring or rental of this song prohibited.

#SailingLovers #BoatingLife #SailingBoat

#Fremantle #LoveFreo #Freo

#SeaShanty #SailingHome

#FreoMusic #SingerSongwriter #IndieMusic #FolkMusic

#JaneLaws #ErikKowarski

Timing and Expectation

 

I choose the title, Timing and Expectation, for my 5th studio album, long before I had written all of the songs. Even though we often have no control over "timing," when reflecting on my life, it always occurs to me that the timing of an event has a significant bearing on the result. The degree of pleasure or pain that you experience from even the most trivial events can be affected by their timing along your life’s pathway. “Expectation” because keeping your expectations in check is one of most difficult and important life skills I have ever had to learn.

 

I kept a copy of the album cover on my music stand to motivate and inspire me during this two year recording project. Timing and Expectation is a collection of thirteen of my original folk-roots songs.

I continue to enjoy writing a travellers tale, and four of the songs are inspired while riding the open road on my motorcycle: Eighty-seven Years, Wilcannia My Darling, Travelling Man and Where the Wind Blows Cold.

 

Falls of Thunder, Can I Dance? and Smoky Bar were inspired by some of the folks and places that have made an impression on me along life's way. My home town of Rockingham in Western Australia inspired Down to the Waterline.

 

Help Me Free My Mind turned up unexpectedly. It was important to include this song on the album as the more we talk about mental health the better the long term outcome will be for everyone.

It's 3am in Studio 453

I worked for hours with my trusted companion, affectionately named Harvey Korg (Korg Harvian 30 Digital Ensemble Piano) on the arrangements for the songs.

 

My vocal and acoustic guitar recordings were recorded in the early hours of the morning, when the town was quiet. All sound checks were completed the night before so we could begin recording with a minimum of fuss. On a given morning we would record either vocal or guitar. We would set the alarm for 1am. Guitar recordings would begin at 1:30am. Vocal recordings would begin at 2am, giving me an extra half an hour to warm up my voice. These early starts took their toll on us and after we had recorded the last track of the last song both me and my sound engineer were very pleased that the recording side of the project was complete.

 

We busied ourselves and created music videos for four of the songs. The music video for Eighty-seven Years was filmed at Porongurup, Western Australia. On Falls of Thunder I used super 8 footage of the falls, taken by my mum and dad. My role in the Down to the Waterline video was filmed on my home town beaches of Warnbro Sound and Mangles Bay. Help Me Free My Mind was filmed late one afternoon, in my front garden, during a covid lockdown.

 

One of my favourite places, on the beach at Warnbro Sound

I would like to say a special thank you to my sound engineer, and life partner, Steve Laws, for the hours spent in my studio, recording, mixing and mastering this album.

 

Sound bites and lyrics are available on my website. I hope you enjoy Timing and Expectation, the album is available for purchase or streaming on all of your favourite music apps; enjoy.

 

My recording studio is made up of the following components:

·       HP Envy 17” (Intel Core i7-4700mq processor, 16GB RAM and 1TB hard drive).

·       Cakewalk Sonar X3 DAW.

·       Roland Octa-Capture Audio Interface.

·       Rode NT2000 Microphone.

·       Adam F7 Studio Monitors.

Maton EM100C-808 Messiah

My journey to purchase a new guitar, to compliment my Maton EM225 Dreadnought, began two years ago. I am not a collector of guitars. Until 2021 only two acoustic guitars have ever lived in my house, my first guitar, a "learn to play" Yamaha, purchased in 1974, and my trusted friend, my Maton EM225 (1996).

Trying out the Messiah at Kosmic Sound.

Two years ago the pickup in my EM225 developed a ground hum which could not be fixed even by Perth's best technicians. I thought I was destined to buy another dreadnought as I am a dread kind a gal. Then a chance discussion with a technician at The Rock Inn in Mt Lawley suggested that maybe the old pickup could be replaced with a new, state of the art Maton AP5 Pro. After discussions with Maton in Melbourne I said "let's do it." The AP5 Pro has breathed new life into my EM225 and opened up the opportunity for me to purchase a "different sounding guitar" as my new best friend.

For a couple of years I looked around and played many guitars from all over the world, but I always came back to Maton. In January 2021 Kosmic Sound had a great selection of Maton guitars for me to try out. I sat down in their practice room for two hours playing one guitar and then another. I kept coming back to the EM100C-808 Messiah. I was enjoying the beautiful chime of this guitar, the high notes sounded like a harp whispering on the wind; a very different sound to my dreadnought - exactly what I was looking for. The next thing I knew I was at the checkout and my 808 was in her flight case ready for the drive home.

Nothing like getting out in the bush and playing a few tunes.

Double the fun.

To say I am thoroughly enjoying my 808 Messiah is an understatement. I can seamlessly change from the EM225 to the EM100C-808 as the neck profile feels identical. At the moment I have the EM225 in standard tuning and the 808 in Double Drop D. My 808 has arrived just in time as I am working on recording my fifth studio album, Timing and Expectation.

I have just recorded my first song with my new 808, Help Me Free My Mind. In recent years songwriters have been encouraged to write songs about mental health to help bring community awareness to this most sensitive and important subject. I recorded the Help Me Free My Mind “lockdown video,” just as the sun was slipping below the horizon.

Every time I lay eyes on the Messiah I smile a contented smile. I think of picking her up and writing a song with her all the time. I bought the right guitar and every time the flight case catches my eye I think "Have flight case, must travel;" watch this space.

New album - due for release in 2022