UrbanGuitar.com

Main Stage :: Songs of the Buddha

Songs of the Buddha

Michael Barry and Laughing Buddha Records make music that makes a difference

March 06, 2007

Michael Barry has been making significant contributions to the NYC music scene for years. A performer proficient on electric, acoustic, and classical guitars, he’s also the owner of the International Studio of Music, President of the NYC Classical Guitar Society, and founder of Laughing Buddha Records. His latest CD on the label is titled Night Wheel, a CD of international lullabies. It’s not just good music- since proceeds from the album sales go to Tibet Aid’s Precious Seeds Fund, it also does good.

Urban Guitar: Can you tell me how this album came about?

Michael Barry: My executive producer, Rex Niswander, and I had been talking about it for over a year. We both felt there was some rich material to arrange, and it seemed there were few albums that appealed to adults as well as children. It always was put on the back burner until we met up with the folks at Tibet Aid. Then the wheels started turning, and the idea of the charity tie-in was born. As soon as that was set, things moved quickly.

Urban Guitar: What interested you in working on an album such as this?

Michael Barry: Well, first of all the material. I'm a big fan of world music, and I'm always on the lookout for music with imagery and a soulful quality. These are beautiful pieces of music. A far cry from "Rock-a-bye baby"

Secondly, arranging music for the excellent players I work with is always a thrill. There's nothing like that first run through when you hear your work played back to you.

Last and definitely not least, the idea of doing music that had a direct effect on needy children was compelling. I had been toying with the idea of recasting the label, Laughing Buddha Records, in a new light whereby music can contribute directly to the needs of our world, and here was the perfect way to start.

Urban Guitar: What are some of the problems that children in Tibet face?

Michael Barry: Tibetan kids are faced with a multitude of problems. They are often orphans resulting from the occupation and all the violence that came with it. In hopes of giving them a better life, parents frequently give their children away to other Tibetans who escape to India and eventually to other parts of the world. These children are sometimes alone or in orphanages, and they are separated from their culture and families. They need all the basics: food, clothing, shelter, education and hope for a better life.

Urban Guitar: Can you tell me about the Precious Seeds Fund?

Michael Barry: The fund, which is a program of Tibet Aid, supplies orphaned or impoverished children with basic necessities of food, clothing and education. It also helps to keep their Tibetan culture alive in their hearts through keeping them involved in learning and activities that are uniquely Tibetan.

1 | 2 | NEXT