Ten minute tea with Afternoon Tea. Spend ten minutes with Afternoon Tea. In the time it takes to boil one kettle, and let one cup of tea steep, we will have your daily art + music fix covered. Take your afternoon tea break with our Afternoon Tea curators.
Today’s tea + soundtrack + visuals curated by Martha Johnson.
Martha Johnson is a founding member and the lead singer of the Canadian art pop
band Martha and the Muffins which formed in 1977. Her career, spanning more
than four decades and 11 albums, has had many highlights. In 2000, Martha was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was eventually forced to stop performing live.
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Martha Johnson and Company‘s “Slow Emotion” began with the suggestion of her neurologist Dr. Fasano at Krembil Research Institute/University Health Network in Toronto. He encouraged Martha to collaborate on a song with another of his patients, songwriter/musician Fabio Dwyer, to show that life and creativity doesn’t end with a diagnosis. Released on April 11th, World Parkinson’s Day, the uplifting anthem was largely performed by musicians and singers with PD.
Stream + share “Slow Emotion” now:
Tea time is often a musical ritual at my house. I have been collaborating on writing songs with other artists/songwriters for years now and it usually begins with a pot of tea and sometimes we listen to a song that is a favourite for each of us. (Green Garden by Laura Mvula.) It really gets things warmed up for a creative session of songwriting. We sit in our kitchen sipping Stash decaf English Breakfast tea, listening to Green Garden while my guests ask who designed and planted our lovely back garden. I tell them that Mark Gane (my partner) is the artist/gardener.
Tea + Me 