Discovering harmony in community: Easthampton’s ‘Vocal Voyagers’ create music in the moment

Most vocal performance groups perform songs that are already written, but a musical gathering in Easthampton creates new, unique work on the spot every single time they meet.

Vocal Voyagers, an improvised singing group led by musician Glenn Smith, recently met for its spring series at Pure Life Studios, located at 116 Pleasant St., room 220 of the Eastworks building.

“I don’t always use the word ‘improv’ or ‘improvisation’ because it can be a little intimidating to people who think, ‘Oh, I have to be not only a musician, but an improviser,’” Smith said. “But I try to stress that it’s open to beginners. You don’t even have to be a singer. It’s just playful and simple parts, and when they see a group doing it, they can get that [feeling of], ‘Oh, yeah, I could do that.’”

Smith, who moved to Massachusetts in 2012, was first introduced to improvisational singing when he was living in California a few decades ago. A friend told him about a workshop in the technique that she’d been to, which had a connection to singer-songwriter Bobby McFerrin, best known for the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” She and Smith gathered together a group to try out those methods themselves.

“It was such a great experience,” Smith said. “Like, ‘Wow, this is just liberating to have that kind of container.’”

It wasn’t long before Smith started facilitating his own improvisational singing groups. Since then, he has led groups at festivals and events like Burning Man, Unifier Festival, the Massachusetts Men’s Gathering and Singing in Love.

“I’ve assembled the finest choir in the land here.”

Glenn Smith, FACILITATOR, vOCAL vOYAGERS

On an evening in June, 11 people gathered in Eastworks to join Smith for a session. They began with an improv exercise that involved passing around an imaginary ball while each choosing a vocalization. One person dribbled it like a basketball; a few others juggled it. Next, Smith had everyone match a pitch, but it wasn’t long before people began to shift into their own notes, creating a series of ethereal harmonies. Smith then added another “instrument” — a shaker made from a bottle of nutritional supplements — and invited everyone to walk around the space in time with the beat.

“I’ve assembled the finest choir in the land here,” Smith said.

After that, he asked each member to sing their name to introduce themselves: “Rih-rih-Ruuustyyy!” “Liiiiiii-saaaa!” The group then repeated each name in turn.

They then moved into a “singing circle.” Smith divided the participants into groups and assigned them a musical phrase to repeat. A group of three women got “see-lay-laaay-ohh-ayy,” while three men nearby sang “ee-ay-ee-ay-ee-ay.” The remaining participants chanted “ooom-bah-eh-ohhh-eh.” They kept the loop going until a few members stepped into the center space one by one to improvise solos over the background music.

A medium like vocal improvisation can be difficult to convey in written text, in part because the music isn’t always made from standard syllables.

“Each person just has to do something very simple, and it all builds on each other, “ Smith said. “It can just be a two-second little melody, a beatbox part or a tone … There’s a lot of easy-access ways to join in.”

When a whole group of people comes together in improvised song, he added, “Pretty amazing creations come out — all these simple parts joining together.”

Participant Eileen Jager said that an advantage of improvisational singing over performing existing songs is that the former is playful. “There is nothing that’s right or wrong. You are just so present in the moment with what’s coming out, and it’s just fun — and we all need more fun in our lives these days,” Jager said.

“It’s really nice to sing in a group,” said Patti McGuinness of Florence. “It’s really nice to sing in community. There’s a sense of connectedness that’s just really nice in our world today. That human connection [is] really special, and there’s something about singing that’s just very joyful.”

“Every time I leave here, I feel physically uplifted, mentally uplifted and I feel like I’m happy to chat with whoever’s in the room,” said Rowan St. John. “When I first come in, I might be a little bit timid, but by the end of the class, somehow, it’s better.”

Both McGuinness and St. John have been involved with Vocal Voyagers for about eight years.

“At the end of the class, I feel like the world’s a better place,” McGuinness said.

Vocal Voyagers will meet next on Aug. 11 and Sept. 8 at Eastworks from 6 to 8 p.m.

For more information about Vocal Voyagers and Glenn Smith, visit soundseeds.com/vocal-voyagers.