Music

New Offerings from Potluck Creative Arts

November 12, 2007
By

At long last, finally, Potluck Creative Arts has a proper home on the web!

http://potluckcreativearts.com

Along with the site comes a number of new and unique music, arts and creativity services offered by Mark S. Meritt. Many involve opportunities for you to participate, collaborate and learn, some from anywhere in the world. Several are based on the innovative process of Appreciative Inquiry, used to a great degree by Emergent Associates, LLC — the coaching, consulting and training company Mark S. Meritt co-founded with Howard Ditkoff.

Potluck Creative Arts’ signature services:

  • Songwriting Workshops — Mark can facilitate a group in writing an original song, from scratch, in a single session, whether or not you have any experience creating music or lyrics. Enroll your elementary school-aged kids in ongoing workshops, and commission workshops for any situation, including tailoring regularly scheduled workshops for your group. Check out the latest Songwriting Workshop samples.
  • Singalong Workshops — Fun Singalong Workshops for all ages — ideal for parents and their young children, but great for anyone. Also, tailor Singalong Workshops for your group.
  • Custom Songs — Mark can create an original song based on your needs and desires.
  • Custom Instrumentals — Mark can create an original instrumental composition based on your needs and desires.
  • Custom Writing — Mark can create an original non-musical writing based on your needs and desires.
  • Creativity Coaching — Mark can coach you in developing your own original creative work.
  • Piano/Keyboard Performance — From Ragtime to Rock and everything in between, Mark can perform music to fit any occasion or play for your “piano bar” singalong or private karaoke night.

Discover all the original artistic works and stories resulting from Potluck’s services, and subscribe to their podcasts and feeds, by visiting the Creations Collection.

Also, browse through the Resources archive to help you learn about creativity and how to express yourself through your own life.

Enjoy looking around!

Songs Make Me Smile

July 30, 2007
By
Music and lyrics by Ethan Husted, Tessa Husted, Jimmy Melitski, Sophia Meritt, Jan W. Midtskogen, Katerina R. Midtskogen, Chapman Odlum, Molly Odlum, Karana Stokum with Mark S. Meritt (facilitator)

This song was written from scratch on July 30, 2007, during the second test run, the first with all kids, of the Potluck Creative Arts Songwriting Workshop. It took 135 minutes with breaks, starting only with music as the topic. Learn more about the Songwriting Workshop which uses Appreciative Inquiry to foster collaborative creativity.

Music and lyrics by Ethan Husted, Tessa Husted, Jimmy Melitski, Sophia Meritt, Jan W. Midtskogen, Katerina R. Midtskogen, Chapman Odlum, Molly Odlum, Karana Stokum with Mark S. Meritt (facilitator)

The original workshop performance was by Ethan, Tessa, Jimmy, Sophia, Jan, Katerina, Chapman, Molly, Karana and Mark on July 30, 2007.

Watch the video right here by just pressing Play immediately below. Or, visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

Lyrics

Whenever I listen to a song
I turn up the dial
‘Cause in the car or at home
Songs make me smile

Whenever I dance to a song
My body gets riled
‘Cause Macarena, Chicken or ballet
Songs make me smile

Whenever I sing a song
I sing it with style
‘Cause soft, in between or loud
Songs make me smile

Whenever I play a song
It’s really wild
‘Cause whatever instrument I play
Songs make me smile

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Our Place By the Sea

July 27, 2007
By
Music and lyrics by Jen, Sophia, Teresa with Mark S. Meritt (facilitator)

This song was written from scratch on July 27, 2007, during the first test run of the Potluck Creative Arts Songwriting Workshop. It took 90 minutes, starting only with the topic of Mystic, CT, where the participants have for many years had a family cottage. Learn more about the Songwriting Workshop which uses Appreciative Inquiry to foster collaborative creativity.

Music and lyrics by Jen, Sophia, Teresa with Mark S. Meritt (facilitator)

The original workshop performance was by Jen, Teresa and Mark on July 28, 2007.

Watch the video right here by just pressing Play immediately below. Or, visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

Lyrics

There’s a seaside cottage we’ve gone to for years
Where we’ve had lots of laughter and shed a few tears
As we walk on the dock and remember the past
We know Mystic memories will last

Come along to our place by the sea
It’s fun for you, and it’s fun for me
There’s food and family and history
At our place by the sea

From a walk downtown to a ride on the boat
You can sit in a kayak or tube afloat
A big family meal on the deck in the breeze
Then a s’more by the fire, if you please

Come along to our place by the sea
It’s fun for you, and it’s fun for me
There’s food and family and history
At our place by the sea

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

How I Xanadu

July 15, 2007
By

Here’s me playing the song Xanadu on the piano, and starting with the second verse I start messing with the musical style a bunch.

According to the website for the Broadway musical, Xanadu means “to express oneself through the arts with abandon.” Well, this is how I Xanadu!

In the spirit of expressing oneself, if you like me playing this, you might like an original song I wrote, called Come Out.

For the record, I did this because the Broadway show was having a “Share Your Xanadu Contest,” in which you could win two tickets to the show by submitting a video of yourself “showing how you XANADU.” I don’t just go posting videos of myself doing this sort of thing for fun. But maybe I should!

Update, December 10, 2007 – I was informed today that I won the contest and that everyone involved enjoyed my piano Xanadu a lot. Hazzah!

View the YouTube Video

The video was captured and posted by Mark on YouTube on July 15, 2007. You can watch the video right here by just pressing the Play button immediately below. Or, you can visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

Our Whole Lives

April 16, 2007
By
By Mark S. Meritt and Howard Ditkoff

This song was written as a submission for American Idol’s first songwriter contest. Howard and Mark used Appreciative Inquiry to tailor the song for the program — the first time either of them had created a song fully through the use of AI. Learn more about Potluck’s custom songwriting service which uses Appreciative Inquiry to draw out your needs and desires as the basis for an original song.

Music and lyrics: By Mark S. Meritt and Howard Ditkoff

Listen to Our Whole Lives.

Sung by Lisa Glick.

You can listen to the whole song via this YouTube video by just pressing the Play button immediately below. Or, you can visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

Circle P - Phonorecord Copyright 2007 Mark S. Meritt

Lyrics

I was afraid I was forgotten in the shadows
Too weak to hope the sun would shine on me again
But you lit me up and helped me to remember
How alive I used to be, deep in every part of me back then

You were the faith that moved me forward when I faltered
You were the trust that made it safe to risk it all
To bet my life and all that I’ve believed in
To stand alone and vow to reveal the joy I now recall

We feared our dreams would fade away
But now we know they’re here to stay

I’m strong, I’m free
I’m where I’m meant to be
No longer trapped so deep inside
Afraid of all that I’d denied
You saw in me
What I would come to see
And freed it so there’s nothing left to hide
I’ll lift you up, we’ll fly as one for our whole lives

When I look back on every step along the journey
I see how you unlocked each door through which I’ve grown
Though you may feel your sense of wonder is divided
You showed me how to give, now I know we’ll never live alone

My sun will shine to see us through
I’ll light the way that lives in you

I’m strong, I’m free
I’m where I’m meant to be
No longer trapped so deep inside
Afraid of all that I’d denied
You saw in me
What I would come to see
And freed it so there’s nothing left to hide
I’ll lift you up, we’ll fly as one for our whole lives

We are the rock each other stands on
The reflections that set each other free
Our whole lives, we’re always more together
For you, for me, for we can be

Free and strong
We’re right where we belong
No longer trapped so deep inside
There’s nothing left for us to hide
We finally see
What we were meant to be
We’re free and now we’ve crossed the Great Divide
I’ll lift you up, you’ll carry me, we’ll fly as one for our whole lives

© 2007 Mark S. Meritt and Howard Ditkoff

Come Out

November 28, 2006
By
Music and Lyrics by Mark S. Meritt

This song was written for a compilation album of songs inspired by the work of Daniel Quinn. Mark wanted to throw things for a loop with this song about being true to who you are. The appreciative approach he took led him to create an homage to some of the great disco anthems, both lyrically and especially musically, using that style and the notion of coming out of the closet in a similar way to how the gay movement has at times used disco songs for its own anthems. Learn more about Potluck’s custom songwriting service which uses Appreciative Inquiry to draw out your needs and desires as the basis for an original song.

Listen to Come Out.

Sung by Steph Campbell.

You can listen to the whole song via this YouTube video by just pressing the Play button immediately below. Or, you can visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

Lyrics

Empty
That’s how I’d always feel
My life
Didn’t even seem real
I just couldn’t get all the things I needed
I thought I was defeated

Prison
That’s what I felt inside
Afraid
Part of me might have died
But then someone brought me a brand new story
Here’s what that someone told me

Come out!
Come out of your shell
Or all you get and all you give, you’ll be living in hell
Come out!
Come out of your hole
Or any tale you might be telling, you’ll be selling your soul
If you want a lot, just forget what you’re not
If you’re gonna go far, you’ve gotta be who you are
Shout it, flout it, spout it, tout it
‘Til there’s not a drop of doubt
About
Come out!

So I
Took my mind off the bad
And looked
At what I really had
Though it wasn’t much, still, it was beginning
I slowly started winning

Take two
Now, I am what I am
My life
Not someone else’s sham
For better or worse, I do what works for me
And you’ll, too, if you’ll only

Come out!
Come out of your shell
Or all you get and all you give, you’ll be living in hell
Come out!
Come out of your hole
Or any tale you might be telling, you’ll be selling your soul
If you want a lot, just forget what you’re not
If you’re gonna go far, you’ve gotta be who you are
Shout it, flout it, spout it, tout it
‘Til there’s not a drop of doubt
About
Come out!

You wanna live your life?
Well, you just can’t do it
If it’s not you doing the livin’
You wanna love someone
But you just can’t do it
If it’s not you doing the lovin’
You wanna change the world?
Well, there’s nothin’ to it
Long as it’s you doin’ the changin’
You wanna speak your mind
But if you can’t say, "My mind is mine"
Then what’s the use of talkin’ at all?

Come out, come out, whoever you are
Come out, come out, whoever you are
Come out, come out, whoever you are
Come out, come out, whoever you are

Stand up
Be yourself, feel alive
You’ll do
So much more than survive
Just like love and shelter and food and air
It’s something that we all share

Homo
sapiens all the world ’round
Were lost
Now we all can be found
It all can come out in the end, you’ll see
If everyone will only

Come out!
Come out of your closet
If you don’t, you won’t earn a return on your deposit
Come out!
Come out of your cage
Or all you loathe and all you love, you’ll feel nothing but rage

Come out!
Come out of your shell
Or all you get and all you give, you’ll be living in hell
Come out!
Come out of your hole
Or any tale you might be telling, you’ll be selling your soul
If you want a lot, just forget what you’re not
To get what you need, be yourself in deed
Shout it, flout it, spout it, tout it
‘Til there’s not a drop of doubt
About
Come out!

You wanna get things done
You wanna have some fun
You wanna feel so free
You wanna let it be

You wanna find your path
You wanna have a laugh
You wanna see the sights
You wanna reach new heights

You wanna do your best
You wanna get some rest
You wanna leave your mark
You wanna bite and bark

You wanna be so kind
You wanna ease your mind
You wanna make a friend
You wanna reach the end

You wanna have a thrill
You wanna make a kill
You wanna feel some pride
You wanna get inside

You wanna satisfy
You wanna live and die
You wanna raise the youth
You wanna know the truth

Circle P - Phonorecord Copyright & © 2007, 2006 Mark S. Meritt

Singalong Thursdays at Red Hook Inn

November 9, 2006
By

RED HOOK, New York, October 25, 2006 — Beginning November 9, Thursday is Singalong Night at the Red Hook Inn. Mark S. Meritt will perform songs on the keyboard, taking requests from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every Thursday in the inn’s tap room. The weekly event promises to be a great way for a lot of people to have a whole lot of fun together, letting loose with favorite tunes from ragtime to rock and everything in between.

The Red Hook Inn’s cozy tap room is the ideal place for this enjoyable evening, for those who come with friends or to make new ones, whether they want to sing, listen or even dance. Patrons there have enjoyed Mark’s performances since February 2006 when he began providing music on Thursdays for Ladies Night. Now with Singalong Night, the audience will help create the entertainment. Mark, a pianist/composer/lyricist with national credits as both a musician and songwriter, will continue to bring his vast repertoire, including pop, oldies, swing, jazz, alternative, disco, show tunes, children’s music, country and originals.

The Red Hook Inn is located at 7460 South Broadway (Route 9) in the Village of Red Hook. For more information, call 845.758.8445 or visit http://www.theredhookinn.com.

For more information on Mark S. Meritt, visit the Potluck Creative Arts website at http://potluckcreativearts.com.

# # #

Ladies Night Music at Red Hook Inn

February 16, 2006
By

Thursday is Ladies Night at the Red Hook Inn, and Mark S. Meritt will be performing songs to listen, sing and dance to. Stop by between 7-10 p.m., 7460 South Broadway in the Village of Red Hook.

For more information on Mark S. Meritt and his artistic offerings, visit the Potluck Creative Arts website at http://potluckcreativearts.com.

Lotsa’ Lovin’ — Summer 2005

July 22, 2005
By

Lisa Glick

Vocalist

Accompanied by Mark Meritt

Appearing This Summer

July 22 — 8:00 p.m.

Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center Poughkeepsie, NY — 845.486.4571

August 17 — 8:00 p.m.

The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck Rhinebeck, NY — 845.876.3080

Join us for an evening of Jazz Standards, Broadway Favorites, some sizzle, some soul, and some surprises!

View the YouTube Video of Selections from the Performance

The digital video was captured by Allan Meritt in March 2007 and posted by Mark on YouTube on April 23, 2007. You can watch the entire video right here by just pressing the Play button immediately below — all parts will automatically play in order. Or, you can visit YouTube to see the video or post a comment.

For more information on Mark S. Meritt and Lisa Glick and their artistic offerings, visit the Potluck Creative Arts website at http://potluckcreativearts.com.

Turner Classic Movies 5th Annual Young Film Composer Competition submission

March 31, 2004
By
Music by Mark S. Meritt

This piece, entitled “Elena Arrives: Waltz+Tango=Vals,” was composed for a one-minute clip from the silent melodrama The Temptress, one of four scene options in TCM’s 5th annual film scoring competition.

Listen to .mp3 sample of Turner Classic Movies 5th Annual Young Film Composer Competition submission.

Instrumental.

© & Circle P - Phonorecord Copyright 2007, 2004 Mark S. Meritt

Support Potluck


Fatal error: Call to undefined function st_related_posts() in /home/mscottm/public_html/wp-content/plugins/exec-php/includes/runtime.php(42) : eval()'d code on line 8