Latin Jazz Vocals Shine in "Rainbow Skies" (from the 2022 Album, "What Was Can Still Be"). It went through several name changes and mood swings since I first composed the song in 1972. It was originally written as a solo vehicle for jazz great Gene Bertoncini, whose guitar I wrote for several times during the Arranger's Workshop Sessions at the Eastman School of Music. The next year, it was transformed into the second movement of a suite for Studio Orchestra called, "Divina Luz" and performed on that year's Arranger's Holiday concert. That version was a slow ballad featuring solo piano. One more time as "Slow Flight to Alpha Centauri," a rock ballad for the quintet I had while living in Grand Junction, CO in the early 80's before creating this last version with its final title, as a jazz samba for vocal and combo. Sometimes, you can get a lot of mileage out of one idea! Composition-wise, it is one of my best pieces. Rhonda L Thomas did a fabulous job, giving it life through her golden voice, and I played Fender Jazz Bass and Fender Rhodes electric piano on it. Once again, John Pierce gave a stunning performance on guitar solo, followed by myself on the Fender Rhodes. The instrumentation was pretty straight ahead, as it was only rhythm section and vocal. The drums and congas were virtual instruments, the rest live. This composition marks one of the only times I attempted to write a set of lyrics (and definitely the only one that will be released as a vocal). I wanted to have the listener immediately get a sense that in order to deal with the madness of the world (like some of the insanity we are dealing with at present), all we have to do is go into our own imagination and create something more charming. Composed & arranged by Tony SingingEagle. Rhonda L Thomas – Vocals Tony SingingEagle – Fender Fretless Jazz Bass; Fender Rhodes Electric Piano; Shekere; VST Drums & Percussion. John Pierce – Guitar Copyright © 2022 Aspen Danse Music, ASCAP. All rights reserved. IRSC# QM-EU3-22-05826 (Here is the full set of lyrics.) There's a special place I found to visit whenever I need to leave behind the madness of the world (it's so dark and serious). I find the rainbow skies of this beautiful place so inviting to the eyes. Their colors can chase away even the darkest clouds, which seem to follow me when I lose sight of the magic of the stars. They give us the sparklies that we need to soar above all those big and fluffy white clouds, as they start to chase and play tag with the wind. Looking down I see brightly colored butterflies dancing all around pretty flowers. They seem to say, "There's a magic in the air – just feel it." Now, take my hand and believe it. The time we spend inside our imagination gives us what we need to become what we dream. Sometimes, we get caught up in the games that all of the trolls are playing just to make us feel real bad about ourselves. That's the time to go back to that special place with the fluffy clouds, pretty flowers, and butterflies. If you really want to know how to get there, just close your eyes tight and then look for the fiery pools of light and the center where imagination is such a nice place to be.more