Cayman singers join musicians for global mashup

(CNS): Well known local singers Chuck and Barrie Quappe from the group Sea ‘N B’ joined 123 artists from 110 countries around the world to make the music video mashup “One Human”. The production was a global collaborative project conceived and brought to reality by artist and composer Graham Czach. It was released last week in honor of the UN Nelson Mandela International Day weekend and all proceed will benefit UNICEF.

“Both Chuck and I were thrilled when Graham Czach reached out to us. It has been a monumental task for him and his group to recruit and follow-up with all of these musicians but he has shown us all that it can be done,” Barrie Quappe told CNS. “A very powerful and very meaningful song at this challenging time around the world. We recorded our vocals at our recording studio here in Grand Cayman and then Graham and his team worked their editing magic! We shot our contribution at the oceanside theatre, Dart Park South Sound.”

According to a press release about the song, “One Human” aims to spread a universal message of peace and solidarity, as well as help those in need by supporting UNICEF, the humanitarian organization working globally in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF is working to slow the spread of COVID-19 and minimize its impact on children and communities worldwide.

“One Human” is a call, at a crucial time in history, for the international community to come together and rebuild relationships, diplomacy, and compassion. Through music, it tells the collective story that no matter what our differences are, we must all seek empathy and understanding for each other through the shared bond of co-existence and experiencing the human condition.

Czach specifically composed and arranged the song for a world orchestra. The One Human Orchestra features instruments from a myriad of cultures throughout history including Japanese Taiko drums, Indian sitar and santoor, West African djembe, Latin percussion, Scottish bagpipes, Arabic oud, European hurdy-gurdy and mandolin, as well as all the Western Classical instruments including trumpet, trombone, strings, and more. This is“world music” in the truest sense.

In June of 2020, during the height of the pandemic lockdowns and mass social unrest, Czach set out on a quest to gather contributions from as many countries of the world as possible.In the end, he was able to coordinate collaborations with 111 vocalists/artists from 110 countries and 17 instrumentalists/artists from 11 countries. The sound and feeling achieved with the building of the arrangement, instruments, and voices throughout the song is truly magical, the release stated.

Czach said, “This song and video tell the story of all of us, and creates something special and unique in showing how we are so much stronger and better as a whole.By coming together as one,through compassion and the universal language of music, we can unite in a higher consciousness, as one people, to help solve our many crises in the world.”

He added, “Hopefully this song and video will make you think differently, feel a stir in your soul that inspires you to contribute to the UNICEF fundraiser to help children in need, and reach out to connect with your fellow human beings, regardless of who they are or where they come from. We all are one. One Human.”

See the video of “One Human” below: