By Katie Dutcher
New Thought News Service
The minute Erika Luckett steps up to the microphone, you can tell that something magical is about to happen.
She pauses for a moment, eyes closed, and you get the impression that she's listening for something.
Then all of a sudden, the hands that have been frozen on the guitar come to life, and the music that pours forth has a spark and an energy to it that is absolutely unmistakable. A moment later, Erika's deep, rich alto voice is joined by Lisa Ferarro's almost ephemeral mezzo-soprano; the voices blend together so beautifully that at first you might not realize that a second voice has come in.
The sound they create is rich, textured, and complex, and more than any other duo I have ever heard, they sound and sing as one.
Erika and Lisa have been writing and performing together for a little over three years. They met as solo artists in 2006, but it wasn't until the 2007 United Centers for Spiritual Gathering that they first created music together. The chant they sang together awakened something in both of them; they realized right away that "something was wanting to come through."
As a duo, they are recognized for their presence, inspiring songs and musical renditions of the poetry of Rumi, sacred, powerful chants and songs that bring the words of one of Sufism's most beloved mystics to life. Below, their thoughts on their music and the human sacrament – which a talk with them reveals are two sides of the same coin.
New Thought News Service
The minute Erika Luckett steps up to the microphone, you can tell that something magical is about to happen.
She pauses for a moment, eyes closed, and you get the impression that she's listening for something.
Then all of a sudden, the hands that have been frozen on the guitar come to life, and the music that pours forth has a spark and an energy to it that is absolutely unmistakable. A moment later, Erika's deep, rich alto voice is joined by Lisa Ferarro's almost ephemeral mezzo-soprano; the voices blend together so beautifully that at first you might not realize that a second voice has come in.
The sound they create is rich, textured, and complex, and more than any other duo I have ever heard, they sound and sing as one.
Erika and Lisa have been writing and performing together for a little over three years. They met as solo artists in 2006, but it wasn't until the 2007 United Centers for Spiritual Gathering that they first created music together. The chant they sang together awakened something in both of them; they realized right away that "something was wanting to come through."
As a duo, they are recognized for their presence, inspiring songs and musical renditions of the poetry of Rumi, sacred, powerful chants and songs that bring the words of one of Sufism's most beloved mystics to life. Below, their thoughts on their music and the human sacrament – which a talk with them reveals are two sides of the same coin.
On songwriting
(Songwriting) is about being open. When you're open, thoughts will come together in ways they normally wouldn't. For us, writing is a process of deep listening – listening with our entire body. Feeling what wisdom is trying to come through us. Ideas, they're not something that you create. They're already there, all around you, all the time – you just need to listen and pick up on them. When we write songs, we sometimes feel like we're walking into ideas … When we're open to what ideas are trying to emerge, whether it's the key, the beat, the rhythm, the lyrics, things just arrange themselves. Music has been our greatest teacher in the lesson of surrendering. To think that we are conjuring this music, that it's coming from us, is absurd – and the quick path to writer's block. The music comes through us. We're just vessels.
On the human sacrament
What we try to do with our music, and in our lives, is to be an awake citizen on the planet in the highest capacity we can. Just to embody living in a place of connection with everyone else. Transmitting that (sense of) connection is a human sacrament. We see our role as reminding everybody of that sacrament. The radio of God is on all the time. It's up to us to keep our connection to it clear … It's about being willing. That word, willing – it concerns the will. Where are we directing our will? We're always directing it somewhere, even if we're not aware of it. We're using our will in every moment. Where do we choose to direct our will?... We can be so asleep to our magnificence sometimes. We are the Creator. We are masterfully creating a work of art that is our life. We are reflections of the Divine – it's just about how much we step into that. It's our choice to imbue our lives with divinity, and become magnifiers of the divine.
On their music
Music (is something that) speaks to our heart and to both sides of our mind. With music, sometimes people can't handle it, because they feel something. Music can make you feel out of control. It opens you up in ways that other things can't … We try to keep subtlety in our music and work. We try not to tell you what we're doing. What we like to do is create the opportunity for (someone to have) an experience. We want to meet you where you are; we have no attachment to how (our music) is supposed to be experienced. Our highest intention is to create a space for someone to wake up to something … Music is the way God speaks to us most clearly. It's such a blessing to be here, to do this work with each other, and become co-creators with the Divine. It's such a blessing. We're so grateful.
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