In an age prone to technological idolatry and cultural narcissism, where electronic media seems endlessly fascinated with itself, the Gourd Orchestra directly reaffirms their relationship with nature.

While listening to other beings and species, Orchestra members learned from the Gourd the importance of spreading seed-ideas globally. They learned that only when these seed-ideas take root locally do they mature and come to fruition; that music, culture, art and spirituality can be the fruits of carefully and patiently attended gardens and communities.

You will hear musical ideas from around the world transformed and given life from the soil of Virginia. And you will hear sounds from spirits unique to this place.

The idea of a gourd orchestra was planted in the mid 1980's after years of listening to African and other world music, and discovering the varieties of instruments using gourds. Being an avid gardener, I started growing gourds enthusiastically. The joy of seeing 50 ft. vines taking over one side of the house, growing up to the second floor roof line was very exciting. But the gratification of harvesting a few large bushel basket gourds was even greater. While the years passed and the gourds piled up I was busy doing research, investigating forgotten books and records in our public library, then to the college library, then to museums, private collections, and gourd festivals. With much patience, trial and error, gourd musical instruments were finally being constructed. Soon, friends were invited to play the instruments and explore this "new" world of forgotten sounds. The rich history and folklore surrounding the gourd resonated in our music. We spent many hours below ground in the Power Cave [my basement] exploring the exotic sounds of the primitive, but playable instruments.

We finally emerged in 1993, ten members strong, with gourd instruments in hand and gourd hats on our heads. We were well received and inspired to continue the musical journey we started. We went back to the power cave and worked for two years to create more instruments and craft new music. We surfaced again in late 1995 to play before a standing-room-only crowd at the Richmond Public Library. We continued playing various public and private venues including hosting mini-gourd festivals where the orchestra not only played, but seeds and plants were sold, gourds and crafts were displayed and slides of gourds, gardens and festivals were shown. In late 1996 we started recording our music at Cave d'Ave [Dave's basement], located at the edge of the Chickahominy Swamp. We released our first CD Refuge in a Gourd in the spring of '97. And in October we capped off the year by traveling to the "World's Largest Gourd Festival" held annually in Mt. Gilead, Ohio where we played for hundreds of friendly gourdheads.

The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra is currently working on new music that we hope to have available in the fall harvest of 2004.

Arthur Stephens