Thank you all for supporting us in our (IMA's) Giving Tuesday fundraiser!
When I got up yesterday I was thinking about this song, and then thought hey! what a perfect way to thank people, with rhythm and the invitation to dance with Joy! I suggest you play this really loud and dance around as you can ... it was hard for me to sit still and compose this video:))

"Lighting the Night" was recorded at IMA in Bodega, CA in 1992, although in truth I started writing it long before that. Probably somewhere in the late 70's when I was in Puerto Rico with Negra Olcese and pal Tony Ramos, and we were hot on the heels of doing a lot of hanging with Irene Cara and Leo Adamian (who played drums on this cut). It's like that - you get a flash, an rhythmic idea and hopefully a melody ... I'm sure the the first thing that came to me was "No need to say it anymore, you got the fire on the floor, just dance - Ooh, Fire." I loved that! And after that the song developed, slowly. Jean and I put our hearts into this recording, with Annette Aguilar on percussion - what percussion! - and Erika Luckett guesting on a "Love Rap." Omg, she was at IMAWest and heard us working on this song, and offered to do some Spanish well, love talk. I can never thank her enough, I think it was just one take. She just had it goin' on, and was one of the musicians/singer-
songwriters I admired the most. Thank you always, Erika. So much Love.

So back to you ~ Thank You! I hope you take me up on my offer to play this really (Extremely!) loud and dance around. You deserve the break!!
xx June

June Millington
Artistic Dir., IMA
www.ima.org