C.A.R.E. at Home™ DVD

Circle of Life - About the Music & Nature Scenes

The music on the C.A.R.E. at Home™ DVD is from the Circle of Life CD, which was originally recorded for the Circle of Life Hospice in Reno, NV in 2004. Each piece has been expressed through the merging of the music with nature scenes featured on The C.A.R.E. Channel.

1. Seascapes (The Circle of Life, Theme: 6:28 minutes)
Some say that life begins and ends at a shoreline… The spiritual aura of Hawaii, its mythology and ever evolving birthing through volcanic activity make it a poetic partner with the music of The Circle of Life. The Hawaiian archipelago is a photographer’s paradise. Every island offers unique sites, each with (usually) great weather insuring vibrant colors. This collage features beaches of Maui, Akaka Falls and the Waipeo Valley on the Big Island, and rolling surf from the Napali coast of Kauai.

2. The Profound Stillness: Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon (Chant: 5:43 minutes)
The natural sculpture that arises from Lake Powell imparts a vision of permanence even though the waters of the Colorado River continually change the mass of this lake. Moving from Lake Powell to the elegance of power of the Grand Canyon is so very easy. Both of these sites offer incredible landscapes that are really too huge to be captured in full by any camera. Notwithstanding this limitation, these scenes from Lake Powell near Page, Arizona, and from the south rim of the Grand Canyon, are particularly well suited to Dallas’s Indian bamboo flute and Susan’s orchestral keyboards.

3. Stunning Lake Tahoe (First Light: 6:03 minutes)
The light rising and setting against the profile of the Sierra Nevada Mountains makes each day a dramatic reentry to life. We are fortunate to live close to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, a location that is stunning at all seasons and in any weather. These scenes were captured from the East and North shores of Lake Tahoe, and from the Incline Village overlook.

4. Flowers, Flowers Everywhere! (Water’s Edge: 4:59 minutes)
In a single blossom, it is so obvious a whole world can exist. This diverse collection of flowers was filmed in Reno’s Rancho San Rafael Park, Hawaii, and in Singapore’s Botanical Orchid Garden.

5. The Mystic Suwannee (Perfect Peace: 4:38 minutes)
The magic of the Suwannee River, which flows from its source in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp through Florida to the Gulf of Mexico, at dawn, is rarely experienced. These scenes were shot during the misty sunrise and the previous evening’s light on the riverbank in the vicinity of this incredible tree growing in the middle of the river. Without a doubt, nature produced a magical space never to be forgotten.

6. Birds of the Waters (The Mystery: 4:34 minutes)
The best thing about capturing these birds on video was the pleasure of visiting the various locations where they live. The opening (and closing) duck was found in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In between are seagulls from California and Florida beaches, a mother goose and goslings from West Bloomfield, Michigan, and flamingos from the Marriott pools in Palm Springs, California.

7. Blossoms of the Air (On Wings of Life: 2:55 minutes)
It is often windy in Reno in springtime and also tends to freeze after the first flowers peek through the wintry air. Those blossoms that survive the spring freezes become fruit to be harvested during summer. Most of the blossoms are from the apple and apricot trees in our back yard, as well as a neighbor’s unidentified purple-blossomed tree.

8. Reno Balloon Races (The Gathering: 4:21 minutes)
This piece showcases the gathering of hundreds of balloons rising high into the ever clear sunlit skies of Nevada. These hot air balloons were part of the annual Reno Balloon Races, which take place in Rancho San Rafael Park, a five-minute walk from Susan and Dallas’s house. Some of the balloon shots were actually taken from their front yard.

9. Boats on Puget Sound (The Majesty of It All: 5:06 minutes)
One next to the other, boats in water project a majestic stillness. It was too foggy to go out on a friend’s boat on this foggy day over Washington’s Puget Sound. With the region’s typically changing weather, the morning presented an ever-shifting perspective…and, yes, so very majestic.

10. Colorado River (Inside Passage: 6:00 minutes)
The mountains, the river, the hills, the landscape continually open our eyes. These scenes were taken along the Colorado River between Grand Junction, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Recognizable rock features include the Fisher Towers, the Grand Cathedral, and the towering boundaries of Arches National Park.

11. Colorado Landscapes (Respite of the Heart: 5:59 minutes)
Quietness: where land and water meet. Most of the lakes were captured along the route from Colorado Springs to Aspen, Colorado. The final scene with its solitary duck was taken from the north shore of Lake Tahoe, near Incline Village, Nevada.

12. Waters and Wildflowers (The Circle of Life: Reprise: 4:24 minutes)
This movement opens with views of Emerald Bay leading into Lake Tahoe, on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, California, looking toward the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The diverse wildflowers were captured in springtime near Austin, Texas. The autumn leaves were taken in Rancho San Rafael Park, Reno, Nevada. And the final sunset with its windmill silhouette was captured in the wide vistas of west Texas.

All compositions, composed and performed by Susan Mazer and Dallas Smith:

Susan Mazer: electro-acoustic harp, keyboard
Dallas Smith: silver flute, bansuri, soprano saxophone, and electric wind instrument (EWI)
Andy Heglund: percussion

Cinematography and production by Dallas Smith

DVD Mastering by Andy Neddermeyer (Invision Productions)
DVD Cover Design by Glenn Ruga
Special Thanks to Elaine Trotter (Invision Productions), Sara Marberry, Kelly Hunt, Haydn Bertelson, Josephine Mason

See a complete listing of music CDs by Susan Mazer and Dallas Smith.

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