You’ve heard of people making music with pots and pans, household appliances and cleaning utensils, but have you ever heard of someone making a tune with the sounds of nature?
Local musician Thaddeus Washington releases his album ‘Common Ground,’ which combines the sounds of music and nature.
The album is on all streaming platforms. The album will also be available to purchase, with a portion of the proceeds going to Metroparks Toledo.
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“I believe the record is going to put people in the moment that we were able to experience,” Washington said. “I let the sounds guide me.”
Washington used sounds from Toledo Area Metroparks to incorporate into his album, using the natural melodies of woods, prairies and rivers. He teamed up with several people from Metroparks Toledo to bring this album to fruition.
“This gift is for all people to enjoy while at a park, or to take the park with them,” Matt Killam, chief outreach officer for Metroparks Toledo, said in a statement. “The collaboration was not the brainchild of Metroparks, we just played our role of convener.”
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Killam connected Washington with a wildlife biologist and Toledo Metopark’s chief natural resources officer to record sounds for the album. Killam took Washington around the different Metroparks to areas where he could record the perfect audio. He even took Washington to record the nocturnal melodies of the Metroparks.
“The night just sounds different,” Washington said in a statement.
Washington and Killam also worked together to host the Mindful Meetups series, which was a meditation event at the Metroparks. Around 50 people participated at each meetup.
“Metroparks has long been a place for physical movement — running, biking, walking, paddling climbing — but I felt like I have underserved another important aspect, mental health,” Killam said in a statement. “COVID reminded us of nature’s intrinsic value. Perhaps the muscle it supports the most is between our ears and in our chest. Nature make us whole.”
For more information on Thaddeus Washington’s new album ‘Common Ground’, visit metroparkstoledo.com/discover/blog/posts/music-nature-find-common-ground.
