(SPECIAL NOTE: One must play "The Land Belongs to the Children" in Hi-Fi. Click on PLAY ALL SONGS in Hi-Fi, and it comes up first.) From David Mills: The songs on this recording represent music projects I directed over a 20-year time span. The music styles are as diverse as the many great musicians involved in these projects. For detailed information about the musicians and to read the lyrics, you can visit my website at: www.DavidMillsMusic.com The first three songs are performed by Millsenblum, a cabaret show that featured singer/comedienne Galen Blum. In the first song, "The Land Belongs to the Children," you will hear children singing "Vande Mataram," a quote from a century-old song known to almost everyone in India. Vande Mataram means Mother Land, I bow to thee. The phrase comes from a 19th century poem that was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore in the early 20th century. Tagore, having received the Noble prize for literature, was known throughout the world. He was knighted by the Queen of England in 1915, but in protest of British rule, he relinquished his title in 1919. As a result, even the upbeat feeling of Vande Mataram carries a bit of a political overtone. Often Millsenblum performed with just voice and guitar, and "Everybody Knows (for sure)" is a good example of one of our torch songs. I always visualize this song in an old movie scene, such as, Lauren Bacall singing with just Hoagie Carmichael at the piano. "Set Yourself Up Ladylike" is a song designed to invoke 1930's Parisian cabaret complete with a heavy influence of American ragtime. I was fortunate that the pianist, Bob Brandon, had been studying Scott Joplin music just prior to the recording session. Tracks 5 and 6, "Sugar Man" and "Honey Bee," are performed by The Winchester Special, a band that developed out of a song-writing workshop I conducted at the Winchester gun factory in New Haven, Connecticut. We got such a great reception at our performances, we decided to form an eight-piece dance band. Ralph Weeks, who will soon retire after forty years at Winchester, wrote these two songs for The Winchester Special. Tracks 7 and 8 are instrumental compositions performed by Amatruda, Mills and Dixson. This was a period when I was playing a lot of bass guitar because it was useful in teaching music improv ensembles. It is only from compiling this CD that I realize how much my bass lines were influenced by the music Ralph Weeks had written for the Winchester Special. Robert Amatruda is a classically trained pianist who once made his living as an accompanist for an opera singer. Arti Dixson is a well-known jazz drummer who studied with Jack DeJohnette and went on to tour with Ahmad Jamal. Besides bridging classical and jazz music, I wrote "Bad Girls Swing" in the format of an Indian raga. It opens with a free-rhythm section known as the alap. The rhythm comes in with a melodic statement known as the gat. The last section is a rhythmic volley known as jhalla. For me, there is a space shared by all music, be it from India or Indiana. The image I chose for the CD cover is "Music"-a painting by world-renown cellist and teacher Aldo Parisot. I hope you enjoy MY ECLECTIC MIX!