KARI KIRKLAND, Wild is the Wind
As your ears attune to the pin drop purity and transcendent exquisiteness of Kari Kirkland’s soulful yet ethereal vocals on her lush, deeply intimate debut album Wild is the Wind, you may find yourself connecting so intensely to her breathy emotional invitations that you’ll wonder why this is the first time you’re hearing from her. Simple explanation – a wild resume/history that includes being an Ironman triathlete, private chef, flying trapeze and bungee artist and co-owner with her husband Gary of a production company that created elaborate circus shows for corporate events.
While Kari’s previous endeavors may have reflected a wild, Type-A personality, her approach to this glorious set of Songbook standards and offbeat pop classics – guided by her co-producer, four-time Grammy nominated pianist and arranger Shelly Berg – is just the opposite. Subtle. Sly. Sultry. Spacious. Too cool for school. Yet also eminently hipster in her ability to soothe and caress us while at the same time keeping us excited in anticipation for her next turns of phrase.
Material-wise, Kari and Berg choose wisely, from discovering the dreaminess of Steely Dan’s “Do It Again” (with the help of John Daversa’s wafting trumpet strains) and adding a touch of blues to Labrith’s UK hit “Jealous” to a slow burning spin through James Taylor’s tongue in cheek “Steamroller Blues” and a lighthearted romp through Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” so infectious that it scored over 50,000 Spotify streams just a few weeks after its January 2021 release.
Not that a promising artist of Kari's caliber needs one, but another key selling point to Wild is the Wind is the opportunity to hear the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove add smoky harmonic color to the moody standard “Too Late Now.” A quote from Berg about why he chose to work with Kari sums everything up far more perfectly than any words I could write: “Kari’s voice and style are uniquely her. There is a depth of truth and heart in her singing that is very, very compelling.”
My first thought about helping students organise their own learning is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. Keeping track of unfinished tasks can make a busy school week feel more manageable. That connection helps me see why student learning organisation can be worth a closer look. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What kind of planning system is simple enough for students to use consistently?
The topic of making space for questions in the classroom gives me a few things to think about, especially when the discussion moves beyond general advice. A thoughtful pause can give quieter students time to develop an answer. It also gives the phrase student classroom participation a clearer meaning than a label on its own. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What helps a classroom welcome questions that do not have an immediate solution?
Considering rebuilding confidence after a learning setback, I keep coming back to the difference between knowing about an idea and putting it into practice. A disappointing result does not have to define the next attempt. I would use that point as a starting question when considering learning confidence recovery. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. What helps a learner recognise progress after an earlier difficulty?
The subject of developing skills through focused workshops feels more interesting when there is room for a reader to stop and ask their own questions. A short workshop can be useful when it gives participants time to try one specific technique. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about focused skills workshops. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. What should a learner be able to do differently after a focused session?
When it comes to connecting school learning with Wasilkow, I would rather understand one useful detail properly than rush through a long list of ideas. A project about nearby places can give students a shared starting point for research. This is why I would approach Wasilkow school community with a specific question rather than a fixed expectation. The part I would like to explore further is what happens when the idea meets a real situation with its own limitations. Which community questions could students investigate through interviews or observation?