Sean Shea
Singer-Songwriter, Coach, Teacher
In case you don't know me, I'm Sean.
I've been writing songs most of my life, and singing them even longer.
My musical background
Growing up as a kid in in rural North Carolina, it was common to hear folk music and bluegrass on my neighbors' back porches, and I remember clearly my first concert experience, hearing Pete Seeger in person. The Baroque Classical music of Vivaldi and Bach that were favorites of my parents left a profound impression on me, and I was also exposed to Ravi Shankar at an early age, along with some reggae, jazz and a hodge-podge of different ethnic music from all over the world. And of course, I discovered Rock and Roll. My personal musical style has been influenced by the music of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Simon and Garfunkel, CSNY, the Moody Blues, and the Grateful Dead.
My passion for music was further kindled when I was immersed in traditional West African drumming and Indian Classical vocal music while in college. During this time I also began playing guitar more seriously, especially inspired by fingerstyle artists like Will Ackerman and his "new acoustic" colleagues at Windham Hill, and started writing a few songs of my own.
Underground River Music
— A Brief History —
"The path has crossed the river,
The river has crossed the path,
Which is the elder?
We made the path and found the river:
The river is from long ago,
The river is from the Creator of the universe."
~ traditional Ashanti proverb from Ghana
I was thinking it might be useful to give a little history of Underground River Music, and then it occurred to me that I can only trace its history as far back as I have been traveling on this path. To be completely honest, I would have to acknowledge in humility the preexistence of that primal force of the Underground River that has been a vital current that has been running through not just my musical career, but my whole life from the beginning.
It has inspired the song I wrote in homage to it, the band I named after it, and the music school by the same name.
Underground River - The Song:
I have long been in love with a particular river, the Umpqua River in southern Oregon, in whose vicinity I have spent about half of my life. I was blessed to have lived for many years on a beautiful organic farm and spiritual retreat center overlooking the scenic river. Though the Umpqua is a physical river flowing through the hills to the Pacific Ocean, it was a reminder for me of the current of Life that flows in the depth of our being. That was the inspiration for the song I wrote around 2010, Underground River. These lyrics express much of what I believe about the source of musical creativity that lies within each of us, waiting to be tapped:
There is a river
Flowing under the ground
There’s a stream of of elixir
From the Ocean of Sound
You can tap into the current
if you dig deep down
In your soul
Underground River - The Band
Around 2017, my wife Susie Shea and I were enjoying singing together with a close friend, Juliete Palenshus, so much that we decided we should form a band and share our music with the local community. We needed a name for our group, and “Underground River” fit perfectly. Later, we were joined by another friend, Arnold Arellano on bass. (Lately, the “band” has been just Susie and myself, but our source of inspiration is still the same wellspring.)
Underground River - The Music School
I’ve been teaching music for many years, and found I particularly enjoy coaching people one-on-one. Since retiring from public school teaching, I’ve expanded my schedule of private lessons, and I called my music school Umpqua Valley Guitar Lessons. When the pandemic compelled me to explore teaching online, I was pleasantly surprised to find ways to make it very effective for my students. I realized that I needed a name that was relevant to people beyond my local geographic area. It occurred to me that “Underground River Music,” perfectly reflected my philosophy that we each have a vast reservoir of creative energy within us, and we just need to discover how to tap into that current to open up the floodgates of musical creativity. Facilitating this process of self-discovery is the mission I’ve dedicated my life to.
New Horizons
As much as I love teaching individual lessons and one-on-one coaching, there’s something special about the synergy that can happen in group of people who share an excitement about learning. I also miss some of the excitement of teaching larger groups, so I wanted to create a series of group classes that can complement my private lesson offerings.
The first of these is my flagship songwriting course,
Songs for Soul-Centered Songwriting. The first pilot version of this course launched this month in person in Roseburg, and has been a phenomenal success! I’m excited to see it continue to evolve, expanding from a 4-week mini-workshop, which I've taught several times in person, to a more in-depth 10-week course to be offered soon. I also plan to develop a hybrid virtual version of the course that people can participate in from all over the world. Stay tuned for further information as enrollment in the course opens in the coming weeks! You can learn more about it
here
Sean & Susie Shea
My wife Susie is also my musical partner.
We fell in love while singing together, and music is still an important part of our life together.
Philosophy
I look at music essentially as a subject of the heart.
People are drawn to learning music by an irresistible pull, and what may start as a casual curiosity can grow into a lifelong passion. The mystery of the creative process is more of an art form than a science, with as many different approaches as there are personalities.
In my almost forty years of teaching music, one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of putting myself in the shoes of a learner, listening and being responsive to my students’ interests, needs and strengths. I have a profound respect for each person’s individual musical tastes and styles, and I have an abiding faith in each person’s inner source of inspiration and wisdom. My main goal as a teacher is to help you tap your own creative wellspring and discover your unique talents.
I began teaching acoustic guitar and voice lessons in 1984, also offering harmonium and tabla lessons a few years later. Some of my students approach music mainly for personal enjoyment and deepening their self-identity, while others use the skills they learn in their careers.
I'm grateful for my exposure to the music of different cultures from around the world, from my roots in back-porch American folk music to the fascinating polyrhythms of traditional African drumming and the deeply moving melodies of Indian Classical music. I had the good fortune to study these disciplines intensively with Master Teachers during my time at Dartmouth College, at Wesleyan University, and through independent studies in India. My teacher training at Pacific Oaks College further deepened my appreciation of cultural diversity as well as my sensitivity to different learning styles.
This experience has enriched my own compositions, as well as my ability to connect with learners from diverse cultural backgrounds, and to help guide people in developing a personal style free from artificial boundaries of genre. I never cease to be in awe of the amazing potential that each student brings to the table, and I am grateful for the chance to help people open up their musical gifts.
I'd love to have the opportunity to get to know you, and help you open up your musical gifts to share with the world. If my approach resonates with your goals, reach out and let's talk.
My Love Affair With Rumi
For several years, Indian Classical music was my main musical focus, studying tablas, harmonium and sitar and composing some devotional songs in this vein. Through this experience, I came to appreciate how the traditional discipline of musical instruction is closely akin to the spiritual student-teacher relationship. I also realized that with the right attitude, devotional music and spiritual practice can enhance each other beautifully.
It was around this same time that I first discovered the poetry of Rumi, the 13th Century mystic poet. It struck a resonant chord deep within me, and when I came to later understand more of his spiritual teachings, my love for his poetry grew even deeper. I thought that it would be so wonderful to be able to not only read his words, but to sing them as well.
Rumi's Hidden Music
But how to convey this poetry in the form of a song? Even Rumi expressed how difficult it was to put these ineffable mystical realities into words - and then to try to do justice to them from a second-hand translation, and add music that would suit the mood - it just seemed way beyond my reach!
Then, a few years ago, I discovered a wonderful album, "My Friend Hafiz," by the Levins. Listening to these songs, based on poems by another mystic poet, Hafiz of Shiraz, was a pivotal catalyst for me, and I felt a new wave of inspiration to try writing a few songs based on Rumi's poems.
These Rumi songs seemed to touch people's hearts, and a number of people encouraged me to record some of them. Over a few years, more of these Rumi songs took shape, and when I shared them with some other musician friends, they suggested we make an album together.
Ocean Drops Music
In the Spring of 2014, Ocean Drops Music was born as nine of us gathered at the San Diego Center for the Arts to begin recording "Rumi's Hidden Music."
For some of us, studio recording was a familiar experience. For other band members it was a whole new world with a steep learning curve. For all of us, it was an incredible process of self-discovery, an opportunity to get to know each other in a deeper way, and an amazing combination of love, laughter, tears, surprises, and friendship, and a revelation of some higher Power at work though this music. We hope that this music that has touched us so deeply will also inspire others in a similar way.
Ocean Drops Team
I'm deeply grateful to the wonderful friends and collaborators who have given their talents so generously to help bring this project to fruition. Heartfelt thanks go especially to Jeanette Kangas, Erwin Hoerl, Rachel Currea, Sandi Wilson, Susie Shea, Suzann Gage, Henry Nozuka, and Taj O'Brien,
We hope that this music that has touched us so deeply will also resonate with others in a similar way.