{"id":5365,"date":"2022-05-18T14:43:18","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T13:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shindig-magazine.com\/?p=5365"},"modified":"2022-05-18T16:47:58","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T15:47:58","slug":"going-solar-the-we-are-the-children-of-the-sun-compilation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/?p=5365","title":{"rendered":"Going Solar – The WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN compilation"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new compilation by DJ and collector Paul Hillery called WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE SUN shines a light on a musical genre that\u2019s often overlooked but rich in groove and melody. PAUL OSBORNE feels the healing power of folk-funk and meets trippy troubadours \u2013 as featured in issue #127<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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“Something that seems to have been ignored, forgotten or largely unknown, is that the pairing of two of my favourite artists was pivotal to the folk-funk sound,\u201d explains DJ, collector and musical curator Paul Hillery when discussing the genesis of a musical genre that\u2019s provided him inspiration over many years. \u201cTerry Callier and David Crosby both journeyed on the US folk circuit and the two troubadours quickly became friends and eventually performed together. They headed off to NYC and the Greenwich Village scene in search of a recording contract, but it seems that late \u201850s America was not ready for a mixed-raced folk duo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the term folk-funk is one frequently used, it\u2019s a sound that\u2019s hard to pin down, encompassing as it does a myriad of other infl uences such as jazz, rock and soul. All of these are showcased on a new compilation that Hillery has put together for the BBE label entitled We Are The Children Of The Sun<\/i>, a sun-kissed collection of sounds that invites the listener to drift away to a soundtrack of acoustic guitars, soulful languid grooves and a dash of yacht-rock.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy idea originally wasn\u2019t to do a folk-funk compilation,\u201d explains Hillery. \u201cBut BBE were looking for an album with new sounds on that wasn\u2019t already popular and defi nitely wasn\u2019t on Spotify. So, the idea I had was an album that would bring people together, from distant corners of the planet and genres that you\u2019d only ever find put together on a film soundtrack, so We Are The Children Of The Sun<\/i> was the soundtrack of my internal film.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Hillery, who talks candidly about his mental health struggles, the music is more than just a pleasant soundtrack, it\u2019s a tool that provides a method of healing. \u201cI have had and unfortunately still have my struggles. My wonderful children have helped me through the darkness and music has the power to heal and to take you out of your own box. I wanted to leave some sort of musical footprint for my children to follow and hopeful fi nd a little bit of me in each of the chosen songs.\u201d<\/p>\n