May 2013
61 posts
Acoustic Psalms by Ellie Holcomb
Ellie Holcomb is part of a band led by her husband, ‘Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors. They are based in Nashville.
In 2011 she released a solo EP called ‘Magnolia’ with songs mostly based on the Psalms.
She writes, “We’ve released “Magnolia EP” and I couldn’t be more excited. For the most part, the songs on this record came from some time I spent reading through the...
'Hold On (Close to the Broken-Hearted)' by Jason...
Jason French has been a friend for years; and has Oklahoma roots.
Here’s a song he posted today. He writes,
“In light of the devastation many in Oklahoma have faced in the past few days with the tornadoes, this is a song of hope and an encouragement to seek the Lord in this time of tragedy. He’s there to hold on to us. Hold on to Him. Hold on.”
Find more of...
Psalm 82 Genevan Psalter - setting by Claude...
The Genevan Psalter is a collection of metrical psalms created under the supervision of John Calvin for liturgical use by the Reformed churches of the city of Geneva in the sixteenth century.
Before the Protestant Reformation the singing of the Psalms was generally done by a select group of performers, not by the entire congregation. John Calvin understood that the entire congregation was to...
Benefit Album for Tornado-hit Moore, Oklahoma
DFW Collective is a group of musicians in my area. They’ve just released a 23-song album - all benefits for the tornado survivors in Moore, Oklahoma.
“Singer-Songwriters of Dallas Texas and their friends have joined together to support Moore. As artists we have little to offer, but what we DO have is our art, which each of us create for the common good. When faced with the...
'The Gifting of Songs: What We Can Learn from...
‘Dr. Joel Navarro is associate professor of music at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he teaches conducting and directs campus choirs. As the recipient of numerous awards in performance and education in his native Philippines, he is widely known as a conductor, educator, singer, recording artist, composer, arranger, stage actor, record producer, and music consultant. An active...
James Ward's funky rap of the books of the Bible
Here’s a 2007 remix of James Ward’s rap of the books of the Bible that was originally released in 1990 on “Over All the World.”
He writes, “This time we slowed it down, rerecorded a soul groove, and brought youth into the studio to help with the rap and the chorus! If you need a teaching aid for the 66 books, this is made for you! The CD is...
'God, We've Known Such Grief and Anger' hymn text...
Caroline Winfrey Gillette has written many new hymn texts for a multitude of occasions. Here’s one she wrote in the face of disaster.
God, We’ve Known Such Grief and Anger tune: IN BABILONE 8.7.8.7 D (“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”) God, we’ve known such grief and anger as we’ve heard your people cry. We have asked you, “How much...
Psalm 67: jazzy CCM from Holland
Opwekking (Revival Songs’) is a Christian worship ministry in Holland under the umbrella ministry called ‘Revival.’
“In its fifty year history, Revival evolved into an interdenominational organization that is actively involved in preaching the gospel and equipping Christians from all denominations and denominations.” They are based on the Great Commissions (Matthew...
New EP from The Seale Family Singers
Jonathan Seale has been a friend for a few years. As well as producing major music events through Mason Jar Music (NYC), he and his sister Jenni have an informal band of family and friends.
Today they released their newest EP of 4 songs, all of which are common and tied into family happenings. Get it for ‘pay-what-you-like’ and read more about the importance of these songs in their...
Motif Worship: Forthcoming Album + Psalm 61
Motif Worship is a ministry led by my friend Jelani Greenidge, I really appreciate his musical skills, his heart for multicultural worship, and insights into church and culture from the Black perspective.
He’s working on a new album of multicultural worship songs - learn about it here:
Jelani writes:
As the latest in a long line of music ministers, I grew up in an intentionally...
Consumer Worship (Dan Stevers)
When worship becomes all about our experiences, we are on shaky ground. Our bellies may be filled, but we’ve missed true worship by a mile and have become consumers of worship vs. those who are consumed for God’s fame.
This video by Dan Stevers humorously exaggerates the consumer attitude that many have towards worship. How does it make me feel? Does it suit my personal taste? Do I...
'Pentecost' by Shadow Play Puppets
Dan Stevers produces “mini-movies for the creative church.” http://www.danstevers.com/
He’s produced a shadow puppet play to tell the story of Pentecost - video below a short introduction to the artform from Asia.
Shadow play or also known as shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated figures (shadow puppets) to create the...
Congolese Worship by Mike Kalambay -...
Mike Kalambay was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Read his bio in French at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Kalambay/177165702306100?sk=info&filter=12
CISSA sings 'Doom ju Reer' (Prodigal Son, Wolof,...
Bernard Cissa is “a versatile artist: singer, songwriter, and professional pianist” in Senegal.
“Born in 1980 in Dakar, Senegal, CISSA arrived early in life in the world of music. At age 15, after having participated in the choir at the Methodist church, he decided to expand his repertoire. As such, he mastered different singing parts, as well as learning to play the...
1 tag
A Global God for a Global World - Celebrating...
The journal Reformed Worship has numerous articles on celebrating Pentecost Sunday. Here’s links to 5 o them that clearly connect Pentecost with the global Church, multicultural worship and world missions.:
1. ‘From the Cross, through the Church, to the World: Resources for Celebrating Pentecost’ http://www.reformedworship.org/article/march-2011/cross-through-church-world
...
Pentecost Sunday = Whitsunday in UK
Whitsun (also Whitsunday, Whit Sunday or Whit) is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples (Acts of the Apostles chapter 2). In England it took on some characteristics of Beltane, which originated from the pagan celebration of Summer’s Day, the beginning of...
Gina Tuck - 'Hymn to the Holy Spirit'
Here’s another one of the 25-song collection ‘Songs for Pentecost.’ This one’s an original composed by Gina Tuck, who plays piano in this recording. I like the lyrics a lot, which you’ll see after the song.
<a href=”http://cardiphonia.bandcamp.com/track/hymn-to-the-holy-spirit”...
Ruth Naomi Floyd Ensemble performing "Mercy"
I learned about Ruth Naomi Floyd last year and have been enjoying her jazz renditions of Christian songs ever since.
Here’s a live version of the first song from her 1994 album ‘Paradigms for Desolate Times.’
RUTH NAOMI FLOYD is a gifted vocalist-composer who has been at forefront of creating vocal jazz settings that express Christian theology for over 17 years. As a...
Matt Boswell retunes hymn 'God the Spirit' for...
‘Pentecost Hymns’ is a 2011 album, mostly of retuned hymns (old lyrics with new Americana music), that gets it sooo right - for 25 God-blessed songs, gets it right! Kudos to friend Bruce Benedict and his mighty band of tunesmiths.
Every year around this season I’ll highlight a few of the 25 songs. Here’s my favorite one today:
<a...
Pentecost Song: 'Holy Spirit, Living Breath of...
Keith Getty has made this song available as a free mp3 download. Get the link after his song introduction:
“Holy Spirit” is the final hymn I wrote with Stuart Townend as part of the ‘Apostle’s Creed’ album we created in 2005. This collection of songs focuses on the basic tenants of the Christian faith outlined in the ancient creed.
As in much of our songwriting, we wanted to...
Are the Dying Encouraged by our Liturgy?
Here’s a great question, asked and answered at http://theliturgy.org/2013/05/16/are-the-dying-encouraged-by-the-liturgy/
This is a question to which I didn’t really give thought until the unexpected happened. Our long-time and beloved secretary heard three terrifying words from her physician: “You have cancer.”
Upon reflection, I began to wonder, Does the liturgy of the church encourage...
Guide to Pentecost Worship (CICW)
“On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples. Ten days after Christ’s ascension and fifty days after his resurrection, the disciples were together for a Jewish festival also known as the Feast of Weeks, which drew people from many nations back to Jerusalem (Lev. 23:15-21; Deut. 16:16).
Pentecost symbolizes a new beginning, with the unleashing of the Holy Spirit. In celebrating...
'Murder' by John Tibbs
Here’s a song by John Tibbs that I like a lot. First up is the studio version, then some links to an interview and free song downloads, then a video of his solo acoustic version of the same song.
You can read a short interview with John, from Dec 2012, at http://micernest.com/john-tibbs/
John is the worship leader at Madison Park Church in Anderson, Indiana.
Right now he’s giving...
Happy Birthday to the Church! 'O Church Arise' by...
Pentecost is regarded as the birth of the Bride of Christ (the Church).. Here’s a terrific song by Keith and Kristen Getty to help us celebrate the birthday,
O Church Arise by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend O Church Arise and put your armour on Hear the call of Christ our Captain For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given With shield of faith and...
'Power of the Cross' by Joseph Gyebi, Ghana
Pastor Joseph Gyebi, a friend in Accra, Ghana, brings an urban gospel song as a vocal duet with his wife Angela.
Here’s a short video interview with Pastor Joseph, from April 2013.
Job Opening: Associate Professor of Multi-ethnic...
Most information in this post is from http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175740784&Title=Associate%20Professor%20of%20Multi-ethnic%20Music%20and%20Worship
The position is at Liberty University, in Virginia (USA).
Job Summary/Basic Function Teacher of Undergraduate and Graduate Courses in Music and Worship Studies; Applied Lessons in Accompanying; Undergraduate and...
Somlandela ('I Will Follow' from South Africa in...
Somlandela, from South Africa and originally sung in Zulu, has been performed in multiple arrangements. Here’s a few of them, with lyrics below
1. a version with band led by Lionel Petersen with plenty of English
2. slow choral version accompanied by piano with a key change, the South African Gospel Choir of Perth Australia (a multinational choir that looks to be mostly...
'One Church Many Voices' - 13 free global worship...
from http://coh2013.willowcreek.org/overview/
There’s nothing like the voice of the local church.
The voice of the church in worship is a beautiful sound throughout the world. And there’s nothing like the local church to bring harmony to a community by providing sustainable solutions for fighting poverty and injustice. During Celebration of Hope 2013, we highlight our global church partners that...
'My God is Awesome' by Charles Jenkins
A friend says that this song is very popular now at her church. “We do it a bit more congregational style, faster tempo, and without the hip/hop verses.”
That was the ‘remix’ version with numerous guest singers/rappers.
Here’s the original version, in a live performance, more like what you could use in a church service:
Here’s a version recorded at a...
'The Lord's Prayer' (Marvin Gaye, Mahalia Jackson,...
I’m interested in how this prayer is sung and chanted around the world. Here’s 4 versions.
First up: Marvin Gaye, reportedly recorded in Belgium. “You can see him here singing in a small church in Mariakerke, near Ostend on the coast.”
Next up: Mahalia Jackson.
Here’s a recent musical setting sung in Hebrew, composed and recorded by Christine Jackman. More info...
Just a mariachi band serenading a rescued beluga...
We interrupt our irregularly scheduled religious programming to bring you this example of cross-cultural, cross-species musical interaction.
Charles Rouse - "In His Presence Searching" (jazz...
I loved the jazz saxophonist Charlie Rouse (1924-1988) for years as he accompanied one of my life-changing musical inspirations, Thelonious Sphere Monk. He played sax on 21 albums with Monk, from 1959 to 1968. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Rouse
Here’s a cut from Charlie’s 1973 album ‘Two is One.’
The CD version of this album is currently going for $566, so...
"Merci Bon Dieu" - Alex Boye' (Haitian Creole)
Alex Boyé (born 1970) is a British-born singer, dancer, and actor of Nigerian descent. He became a Mormon at age 16, then had a series of unexpected opportunities which vaulted him to quite a bit of fame. He became a US citizen in 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Boye’
He sings professionally in a multitude of music styles and languages. Here’s his brand-new release, billed...
Prayers, Song, Blessing on Mother's Day
This Sunday is Mother’s Day in the USA.
I have become aware that this can be an especially difficult day for some women - some women even avoid church services on this day because of painful feelings that arise.
With this in mind, here are alternative ways to honor women, including mothers. First up is a 2-minute video, then new song lyrics suitable for congregational singing, then a link...
'tune this world to sing your praise'
Here’s a new lyric to a familiar tune: NETTLETON (“Come Thou Fount”) - from the pen of Dr. Stan Nussbaum, staff missiologist at GMI Research services and adjunct professor at Wheaton College:
Come, Messiah, King of glory, tune this world to sing your praise. Ancient mercies, new each morning, call all nations to your grace. May each culture and each language bring its richness...
Retuned Hymns for Ascension Sunday: See the...
My colleague Frank Fortunato composed a new tune for an ascension text from 1862.
“The text throbs with excitement, picturing Jesus riding into heaven as the conquering king, with allusions to Psalm 24 (fling open the gates and let the King of Glory come through). The text also includes us in the ascension, that we are «now» seated with Jesus in the heavenlies, and...
More Songs & Writings meditating on the Ascension
Bruce Benedict has a great post about worship and the Ascension at http://cardiphonia.org/2012/05/22/celebrating-and-singing-the-ascension-of-jesus-christ/
The day is often overlooked in the Christian calendar… but consider these words from Bruce: “Without the Ascension there is no Pentecost, there is no church, there is no application to our lives of the victorious work of the cross...
Song from Ghana based on Psalm 32, by Joseph Gyebi
I met Pastor Joseph Gyebi in Ghana in Fall 2012.
Here’s a funky song from his 2008 album, based on Psalm 32:7,10,11.
Retuned Hymn: 'Rejoice, the Lord is King' by Jeff...
Here’s a recent ‘retuned hymn’ that’s good for Ascension Day: Rejoice the Lord is King.
It’s by my friend Jeff Rakes, with a new tune and added bridge section.
<a href=”http://jeffrakes.bandcamp.com/track/rejoice-the-lord-is-king”...
'O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus' - odd version by...
Jon Green lives in Edinburgh, Scotland and releases retuned hymns and original songs under the moniker of ‘JG Hymns.’
Here’s his new take on the classic hymn. It reminds me of music made by Jon Hassell in the 1980s/90s,
<a href=”http://jghymns.bandcamp.com/track/o-the-deep-deep-love-of-jesus”...
'By Your Side' by Tenth Avenue North: Hula Dance
What a graceful dance of worship this is, pointed out to me by LeAnn. I don’t know anything about the video’s particular context, though one of my previous students was a hula dancer at a church in Hawai’i.
'Hymns for the Ascension' - free album from...
Cardiphonia is a ’fellowship of church songwriters that crowd source worship music for the joy and benefit of the Church.’
Led by friend Bruce Benedict, one of their 2012 releases was this 19-song compilation, “Hymns for the Ascension.”
The songs are composed and recorded by multiple artists. Here’s one of my favorite songs, by Bruce Benedict:
All His Work Is...
Bluesy song of repentance by Jonny Lang: 'Turn...
Jonny Lang, born in 1981, is a Grammy Award-winning American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. Lang’s music is notable for both his unusual voice, which has been compared to that of a 40-year-old blues veteran,and for his guitar solos.
In more than ten years on the road, Lang has toured with the Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, Aerosmith, B.B. King,...
Stuart Townend - 'Across the lands' (for Ascension...
Stuart Townend and Keith Getty composed this great song in 2002. The third verse speaks of the Ascension (see lyrics below the video).
You’re the Word of God the Father, From before the world began; Every star and every planet Has been fashioned by Your hand. All creation holds together By the power of Your voice: Let the skies declare Your glory, Let the land and seas rejoice! You’re the...
'Holy Holy Holy' interpreted by Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan sings a tender, sweet and reverent version.
Thanks to Beth for this find.
Brothers McClurg - You Shine Through
Brothers McClurg is a community of worship leaders from different churches, and we believe that worship, prayerwalks, sharing meals, outreach projects and church unity can literally change a city.
From a legacy that now spans three generations of music and ministry comes the band Brothers McClurg. What started out as two bands fronted by brothers Anthony and Chris Hoisington, has turned into a...
Matt Chandler describes hip hop's influence in the...
Matt Chandler is Lead Pastor of Teaching at The Village Church (in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas), President of Acts 29 Network, a church planting network, and author of The Explicit Gospel.
As he took on the leadership role at Acts 29, he has pointedly spoken up about one of his hopes for the Acts 29 Network: ”…that we might boldly and unapologetically become a radically...
Some Songs for Ascension Day
Did you know that the Church has celebrated Ascension Day on the 40th day after Easter since the time of St. Augustine (and St. Augustine describes it as originating with Jesus’ first followers). The celebration remembering this biblical event has traditionally held the same theological “weight” as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. On this day, we commemorate Jesus’ rising...
Contextual Creativity in Worship: Practices for...
Clara C sings "Wanting What I Need"
I’ve been a fan of Clara C (for ‘Chung’) for several years, introduced to her music by my Korean-American friends. I usually prefer her covers of current pop songs to the original versions, and I like her original compositions as well.
Clara was born in 1987 to parents from South Korea. Although she is currently pursuing music full-time, she also works and teaches children...
