Lizzie and Marlowe kindled their friendship singing into the night over a campfire on the beach in Montauk, NY. Marlowe, a classically trained pianist, and Lizzie, a music therapist and rock musician, connected over a belief in the power of music. In 1999, both women became mothers and shared with each other the songs they wrote to soothe their newborns. It was then that The Swingset Mamas was conceived. The first songs were inspired by the rhythm and realities of everyday life. A baby’s first words and steps, new family roles, growth, frustration and separation were translated into kitchen dance songs and naptime lullabies. From the bluesy, “When Daddy comes home” to the Calypso-infused “Colors of the Rainbow”; the Mamas’ songs tap into the most fundamental joys and struggles of parents and their children. The success of the first collection took Lizzie and Marlowe by surprise. Requests for their music came not only from children and their mothers, but also from fathers, grandparents, schools, Mom’s clubs and Community Centers. The songs kept coming, inspired by new children and new life phases. The Mamas realized that writing these songs not only satisfied them as musicians, but also filled a need for creative parenting tools. Common care-giving dilemmas such as buckling kids into seatbelts or applying sunscreen lotion can become less stressful for children and their parents when combined with musical solutions. News of the Swingset Mamas is being spread on playgrounds and in preschools. Groups as diverse as the La Leche League, Texas Children’s Hospital and the Stamford Museum and Nature Center have invited the Mamas to perform live and share their musical folk wisdom. There’s a song in everything! Let the music of the Swingset Mamas help you uncover the music in the day-to-day life of YOUR family and community. Lizzie Swan It was while working as a music specialist at a Connecticut. Nursing Home that Lizzie Swan began to understand the therapeutic power of music. “I started out playing the traditional folk songs and lullabies of the residents’ native lands. Almost immediately residents’ and their family members opened up to me sharing the stories of their lives. The positive effects of the music transferred to everyone in the facility from the patients to the staff to the family members.” Reflecting on these experiences, Lizzie realized how central music is to the lives of all people forging powerful connections and a shared consciousness. These years, leading drum circles, sing-a-longs, and bell choirs have shaped Lizzie’s ability to capture and heal a multi-generational audience through music. Lizzie carried these lessons with her as she continued to pursue her own musical ambitions. In 1997, she linked up with singer song writer Evan Getz to form the band Swivel Chair. Characterized by tight harmonies and catchy pop rock melodies, Swivel Chair is currently playing in support of its second album With Heads Held High available at www.SwivelChairBand.com It was soon after the formation of Swivel Chair that Lizzie met Marlowe Bechmann at a bonfire on the beach. “By the end of the night, we were the only people still singing”. Marlowe and Lizzie, soon found themselves collaborating as songwriters. In 1999, both Lizzie and Marlowe became mothers. With a shared belief in the joy of singing and music making, the two friends decided to record the songs they had written to soothe and connect with their newborns. It was at that moment that the Swingset Mamas were born. Lizzie lives in Stamford CT. with her husband Jim and their two children Noah and Lucie. She can be found playing her guitar, piano, flute, harmonica, and singing with people of all ages at Nursery Schools, Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Clubs, Bars and everywhere music is enjoyed... Marlowe Bechmann Marlowe was a musical time-bomb before the Swingset Mamas were formed. In addition to classical piano, she plays guitar, and has studied clarinet and even oboe! Influenced by Broadway and her mother’s love of opera, the musical theater was a passion from middle school through her college years at Cornell. An accomplished professional in the banking and fashion industries in New York City (her last job was with Picasso’s daughter, Paloma, as marketing manager), Marlowe always found a way to incorporate music into sales events and planning sessions. In her personal life, Marlowe never misses an opportunity to connect with friends through music. Whether at sing-alongs at the beach, jamming sessions at home or personalizing songs for wedding skits, she is often relied upon to bring people together. Marlowe is now a happily married mother of two children living near Dallas. When her oldest daughter was diagnosed with autism, Marlowe came to realize that music can also be a therapeutic learning tool. In making routines and transitions easier with music, her other daughter (and other families too) have benefited greatly. Marlowe is responsible for bringing “National Inclusion Week” to her daughter’s school district and runs an after-school social program that fosters interaction between typical and special needs kids (using music and sign language as a primary medium). She regularly performs at early childhood and Life Skills classes. Marlowe is a nurturing presence to everyone she meets, and The Swingset Mamas has become the best way she knows of to spread her gospel of love.  |