Recorded in the middle of the night at Highnam Woods in Gloucestershire, ‘Nightingale Soul Call’ expresses a suspended moment in time in which Adrian Freedman’s Shakuhachi flute met the nightingale, and together with Sam Lee on the shruti box, a meeting of kindred souls took place.
The nightingale is a master of lyrical improvisation and of meaningful silence. Adrian Freedman is a master of the ancient Zen flute, shakuhachi, known for his soulful improvisations, and for the way he integrates sound and silence in his performances.
The single is being released ahead of Singing With Nightingales, a series of live events run by Sam throughout Spring which aims to raise awareness about the precarious situation facing nightingales in this country, and which brings together the finest musicians in the land to duet with the sweet sounds of the nightingale.
The single will also feature on Adrian Freedman’s upcoming new album Kindred Souls, a collaborative recorded with 20 other musicians from five continents that aims to transcend cultural boundaries.
“Making music with nightingales is one of the most incredible ways of connecting with nature through our hearts and our ears” says Sam of the single. “Doing this collaboration with Adrian is a great privilege because he is one of the most alive and sensitive spirits and musicians I’ve ever met. I knew that when we first went into the woods to play, that Adrian and the nightingale would be like kindred souls meeting. Witnessing that was a sublime experience I shall never forget. It’s really special that there’s an audio recording of that moment of magic as serves as a testament to the importance of nature as our friend and collaborator”.
Listen here!