Where the World Begins

It's been a life changing journey ever since I decided to move to Sonoma Mountain. I have learned from all of the parts of the mountain, human and otherwise. In this final episode of Season 1, hear about where I've been and where I am heading...   Produced by Avery Hellman Mixing, Mastering & Editing by Ben Montoya Music by Ismay   Here is our website where you can listen to our music and keep posted on the project of Ismay as a whole. Join our email list on the home page.

As mentioned in Episode 6, I wanted to share the song that story was based on, entitled "Song of the Mourning Dove".   Links to the full record on our site: https://www.ismaymusic.com/music Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/77sFDwywxshHFqKu6rVXIp?si=xlKBJrMMRFyvU0HYQ_F18Q Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ismay/1340597459 Souncloud: https://soundcloud.com/ismaymusic/sets/songs-of-sonoma-mountain   This song isn't on any digital platforms, just CD and vinyl, and I hope you enjoy it.    A little more about the record: Five years spent working and living on the family ranch informs Ismay’s debut full-length record, Songs of Sonoma Mountain. This album was recorded in a 100-year-old sheep barn at the ranch, seeking to immerse the listener in the world of Sonoma Mountain, and to evoke the sense that we aren’t as separate from nature as we may think. Co-produced by Robert Cheek (Engineer: Band of Horses, Chelsea Wolfe) and Avery Hellman, Songs of Sonoma Mountain features live vulnerable performances that bring out the character of the space. These songs tell stories from the perspective of the mountain, the animals upon it, and Ismay themself to examine gender identity, loss, and a search for belonging. The record interweaves field recordings with intricate songwriting and experimental production.   This episode was produced by Avery Hellman Mixing and mastering by Ben Montoya Music by Ismay   Music track credits: Jan Purat, violin Avery Hellman, guitar, vocals, waterphone, co-producer Robert Cheek, co-producer  

This is a story about writing a song, but it's about a lot more than that. It's about how the stories we create in our minds, fictionalized, rendered in our imagination may end up coming true in unexpected ways. And it's about how our minds may create, as a means to cope with the tragedies we may one day encounter...   Links to the full record on our site: https://www.ismaymusic.com/music Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/77sFDwywxshHFqKu6rVXIp?si=xlKBJrMMRFyvU0HYQ_F18Q Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ismay/1340597459 Souncloud: https://soundcloud.com/ismaymusic/sets/songs-of-sonoma-mountain   Produced by Avery Hellman Mixing, Mastering & Editing by Ben Montoya Music by Ismay  

During our last episode we spoke about fires, and the greater context of their presence in California. Nick Tipon has much more to say though beyond that subject about the past, present and future of Sonoma Mountain. In particular, we talked about TEK--Traditional Ecological Knowledge Nick Tipon was born, raised, and lives in Santa Rosa. He is a retired high school teacher and is a current Board member of the Historical Society of Santa Rosa, Fibershed, and is a member of the Point Blue Conservation Science STRAW faculty. Nick is an enrolled member and elder of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo). He has served as Chairman of the Tribal Education Committee and the Tribe’s Sacred Sites Protection Committee. He also served as the Tribe’s National Parks and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Liaison and is a former Tribal archaeological site monitor. Nick lectures on a variety of topics related to changes to Native American cultural resources, archaeology, curation of artifacts, and the treatment of Native American cultural resources. He consulted and lectured at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC and the Field Museum of Chicago.    Produced by Avery Hellman Mixing, Mastering & Editing by Ben Montoya Music by Ismay   Our website: https://www.ismaymusic.com/

Back in 2017, there were wildfires on three sides of the ranch, and brought irreversible changes. After getting through that bad year, I wanted to understand how this natural disaster had changed us. So I interviewed 3 people around the community, and learned about the ways the fires had changed the shape of our souls. In so doing, I also came to see the natural world differently, and learned new ways of seeing our place in natural history...   Produced by Avery Hellman Mixing, Mastering & Editing by Ben Montoya Music by Ismay   Bernie Krause's Work: https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/ Clementine Darling: https://www.clementinedarlingmusic.com/ Our Website: https://www.ismaymusic.com/

I traveled a few ranch doors down to talk to my neighbor Byron Palmer. He's a cattle rancher, but he may say some things about land and cattle that you may find surprising.   Produced by Avery Hellman Mixed and Mastered by Selena Seay-Reynolds Editing help from Jasmine Huff Music by Ismay   Sonoma Mountain Institute: https://sonomamountaininstitute.org/ Grounded Grassfed: https://www.groundedgrassfed.com/ Our Website: ismaymusic.com

A few months ago, I rode my horse Lu up the mountain to check on a pasture. There with the horse, I found comfort in the ways horses interact with the world, providing an escape from the ways I don't feel I fit in. Horses are in many ways an intermediary between people and the natural world, and therein lies the opportunity for us to learn from them...

This first season, 'Songs of Sonoma Mountain' centers around the decision to move to the family ranch as a person in their 20s, hoping to find purpose, peace, and deeper meaning through connection to place. With stories about wildfire, symbols in the American West, gender identity in rural places, and ranching, WTWB takes you on a journey to meet the people, animals, and landscapes of Sonoma Mountain. Produced by Avery Hellman Mixing and Mastering by Selena Seay-Reynolds