Have you ever encountered a high-pitched bird song while walking through the woods and thought you had wondered onto the set of a Disney musical? Next Tuesday at ALOUD, musician and naturalist Bernie Krause will take us into the world of natural sound and discuss his book The Great Animal Orchestra. Below Krause gives us a sneak listen to an animal tune that will leave you amazed and craving some sunshine and a piña colada.

About 25 years ago, I did an album with all animal sounds called Gorillas in the Mix. Every instrumental voice is actually that of an animal. All the percussion are fish, for instance. Bass is a walrus. Lead instrumental voices are birds, whales or gorillas. The back-up pads are chimps. No synthesizer. No traditional instruments. All real animal sounds. Here’s an off-the-wall taste to get you ready for my sound lecture next week at ALOUD. Click here to listen to a title called Trout from Ipanema. –Bernie Krause

Photo credit: Tim Chapman