Tag Archives: CD Review

“Shelter Me” – everything you’d expect from two seasoned performers

19 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

When I first heard Hamilton, Ont. guitarist/singer/songwriter Jacob Moon was teaming up with Niagara region keyboardist/singer/songwriter Joel Parisien I was excited about the prospect.

Moon uses looping technology to sound like a one-man band. The video of his cover of Rush’s “Subdivisions” has over half a million hits on YouTube and garnered praise from the trio itself. Parisien had fronted Newworldson, whose CD Rebel Transmission earned four 2012 Covenant Awards including Folk/Roots Album of the Year.

Juggling performance schedules and other projects, the pair performed as the yet-to-be-named band at last year’s Supercrawl in Hamilton, found time to begin recording and started releasing videos of the work in progress. By the end of 2016, The Commissionaires were launched and the band’s debut CD Shelter Me was released.

Shelter Me is everything you’d expect from a band fronted by two seasoned performers

Shelter Me is everything you’d expect from a band fronted by two seasoned performers who have surrounded themselves with solid backup musicians. The CD’s eight songs are a showcase of rhythm and blues/soul/gospel songs from traditional classics like “His Eye is On the Sparrow” to Stevie Wonder’s 1970 hit “Heaven Help Us All.”

Parisien has earned the nickname “Soul Joel” for a reason. While researching some of the tracks on the CD, I happened to come across a YouTube video of singer/songwriter Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free.” Listening to it and then the Commissionaires version back-to-back, I found little difference between the two vocalists.

Two tracks stand out for me:

“None of Us are Free,” an R&B song first recorded by Ray Charles in 1993 which was also covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1997 and Solomon Burke in 2002 (with the Blind Boys of Alabama providing backing vocals).

The title track “Shelter Me” is a perfect opening to the CD showcasing both Moon’s guitar, Parisien’s keyboard and both of their vocals in solo and harmony sections.

I grew up listening to R&B giants like Earth, Wind & Fire, the Commodores, Chicago (all before the days of disco and pop popularity) and, of course, the Blues Brothers who reminded us of the power of the blues and R&B. Listening to Shelter Me takes me back to those days. The only thing that could be added to make the Commissionaires’ debut CD better than it already is, is a horn section.

I’ve always said the sign of a well-produced CD is the number of times I play it. With the Commissionaires Shelter Me, I’ve lost track.

*****************

For more information about the Commissionaires and Shelter Me check https://www.thecommissionaires.band/

For an Arts Connection interview where Jacob Moon talks about the Commissionaires check http://artsconnection.ca/content/arts-connection-monday-october-31-2016-jacob-moon-new-band-commissionaires

Enter the Worship Circle brings fresh sound to worship

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

down-here-and-up-above-cd-coverEnter the Worship Circle’s new EP, Down Here and Up Above, grew from the seeds planted by two music ministries.

High River, Alberta singer/songwriter Karla Adolphe found herself fatigued after surviving the 2013 flood (which severely damaged their new home), taking care of a growing family and meeting the needs of an expanding music ministry. This led to her taking a break from music as she sought God’s direction.

Enter American singer/songwriter Ben Pasley who Adolphe had worked with as part of a previous version of Enter the Worship Circle. Pasley also found himself searching God’s direction and the path of the pair’s spiritual journey led to a new incarnation of Enter the Worship Circle and an EP of worship songs with their roots in the Psalms.

A fresh sound to worship with songs that have lyrics strongly rooted in scripture

Enter the Worship Circle brings a fresh sound to worship with songs that have lyrics strongly rooted in scripture: “Every knee will bow, every tongue confess, both down here and up above” (“Down Here and Up Above”), “bring the robe and bring the ring” (“Tie Me Down”) and “Every hair on my head a number/You’re counting once again” (“You Will Remember”).

What stands out for me is a theological depth in the lyrics that I often find missing in some of today’s worship songs. “Tear the Veil” talks of the things that get in the way, the noise of the world and the voices “that want to be heard,” all of which prevents us from finding a deeper fellowship, leading to the chorus that expresses a heartfelt cry for intimacy: “Tear the veil, reach on through/Take my hand and lead me to/A quiet place with you.” And that’s only one example of the deep places Pasley and Adolphe plumb in this EP.

Musically, Down Here and Up Above is simple without being simplistic. While instrumental arrangements are bare and laid-back they’re exactly what the songs need. This is refreshing because it means small worship teams won’t feel intimidated in trying to incorporate the songs into their sets

There’s also a freshness to the sometimes raw vocals of Adolphe and Pasley, especially in their harmonies. And for music that was recorded in Pasley’s home studio there’s no lack of quality in the production. In fact, it seems to add an ambience to the EP that would be missing if produced in multi-million dollar facility.

Down Here and Up Above, as a six-song EP, is a treasure. I hope it’s also a harbinger of more to come.

*************************************************************

For more about the Down Here and Up Above EP go to: ttp://entertheworshipcircle.com/#down-here-and-up-above

To listen to an Arts Connection interview with Enter the Worship Circle’s Karla Adolphe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/jt5otuj

Singer/songwriter Ali Matthews plumbs the depth of her spiritual experience for new CD

20 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

ali-matthews-so-shall-we-love-cd-cover“I have travelled this road/I have wrestled these fears/I have carried this load/And cried a sea full of tears/Though I may rise, though I may fall/You are my hope, You are my all/Forever this be my song and my story/To God be all of the glory.”

With those touching words, and equally touching keyboard backing, Ali Matthews opens her latest CD: So Shall We Love: Songs of Worship and Faith.

Musically So Shall We Love is a slight departure from Matthews’ previous works, relying more on a ballad style. That’s not to say every song is sombre or slow. An experienced songwriter, Matthews knows how to vary the tempo and timbre of the songs and her ability to match words and music shows a songwriter at the peak of their craft.

Ali Matthews’ ability to match words and music shows a songwriter at the peak of their craft.

On the intro page of the CD’s crowdfunding campaign, Matthews wrote: “My life journey has led me to the top of mountain peaks and the bottom of deepest valleys. Throughout every experience, the glue that kept me together was the ever-constant, faithful presence of God. His grace has blown my heart wide open.” The lyrics of So Shall We Love are a testimony to this:

“I am not my fear/I am not my failure/You tell me that I am a child of grace/Forgiven and loved…” (“Story”)

“Here in the stillness/My heart is at rest/Alone in the silence/That’s where I hear You best/In the rush of the river/Like a song in the breeze/It’s here in the stillness/You speak to me…” (“In the Stillness”)

The two songs which really stand out for me are “We Remember,” which I predict will soon be a standard song used before, during or following communion in many churches, and “I Saw Jesus,” which recounts Matthews’ emotions and experiences during a trip to Ecuador with World Vision.

Matthews also gives her own take on a few traditional songs: “It Is Well” (paired with “No Curse of Life”), “Abide” (which begins with the scratchy, vinyl album sound for the first verse of “Abide With Me”) and “Come Thou Fount.”

In the past, Matthews’ has relied on the strength of her songwriting and simple musical arrangements with a modicum of backing musicians. So Shall We Love producer Andrew Horrocks brings a rich, lush sound to the song arrangements which often feature a host of exceptional musicians, strings and background vocalists. A treat for listeners are the guest musicians Matthews includes: Tim Neufeld (Starfield and Tim Neufeld and the Glory Boys), Jacob Moon, Kevin Pauls, Joel Auge, Dan Macaulay, Matthew Grieve and her daughter, Jo Matthews (on “Love Like You” which they co-wrote).

So Shall We Love is the second CD I’ve heard this year that comes from a musician’s experience of a brokenness which finds solace in God’s grace. Whether this is a trend or not, singer/songwriters seem more willing to plumb the depths of their own spirituality and listeners seem ready to hear about it. No matter where you are on your journey So Shall We Love: Songs of Worship and Faith will be a CD you’ll want to have accompany you the rest of the way.

********************************

To listen to the latest Arts Connection interview with Ali Matthews, where she talks about her new CD, go to http://tinyurl.com/habxcju

For more about Ali Matthews and the So Shall We Love CD, go to http://alimatthews.com/

A CD for anyone who has asked God “why?”

29 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

jaylene-johnson-potter-clay-coverAfter a summer hiatus and a busy beginning to fall, the Arts Connection blog is back with a look at Winnipeg singer/songwriter Jaylene Johnson’s new CD Potter & Clay.

While Johnson’s name may not be recognized by some, she’s been writing and recording music since 1999, received five GMA Covenant Award nominations and a Western Canadian Music Award Nomination.

But, since 2004 she’s faced a number of challenges including a head-on accident on the TransCanada Highway and the near-loss of her voice. Potter & Clay puts into song the lessons she’s learned through those trials and tribulations.

Potter & Clay is probably one of the most introspective CDs I’ve heard in recent days.

It’s probably one of the most introspective CDs I’ve heard in recent days, leading off with lyrics like “There are things I’ve done I never should’ve done/Things I’ve said I never should have said” from the lead track “Fallin’.

The introspection continues with songs like “How Long” (“Who led me to this desert/Was it me or was it You/Am I being punished/For what I did or didn’t do”), “Find Us” (“Find us in our failures/Where we’ve been thrown back to the start/Find us as we question/All the things we used to know”) and “Pray, Pray Again” (“Pray when you’re troubled/Pray when you’re tired/Pray when you’re empty/Sad or uninspired”).

But…underlying this introspection, which I suggest will resonate with most, if not all, of the CD’s listeners, Johnson portrays an overarching sense of hope and trust in God: “Fallin’ into the arms of mercy” (“Fallin'”), “I believe that You are faithful/All-knowing and all-wise/I’ve seen Your mercy moving/Through the corners of my life” (“How Long”), “Find us in the shadows/Find us in the dark/Find us in the corners/Where we don’t think You’d ever go” (“Find Us”) and “We don’t know when/But God’s gonna answer/ Pray, pray again” (“Pray, Pray Again”).

Adding to the beauty of Johnson’s lyrics are production values second to none. Johnson co-produced Potter & Clay with Murray Pulver and created a soundscape that varies from the dulcet tones of “One Tiny Prayer,” “Let the Silence Speak” and “Potter & Clay” to the bluegrass tones of “Pray, Pray Again” and the folk/country of “Fallin'” “How Long” and “This Little Light.”

It’s hard to peg Johnson with any one particular musical style. She has a voice that’s easy on the ears, music that will have you tapping your toes one time and reaching for the tissue the next and lyrics that will touch your soul. Potter & Clay is a CD that will resonate with anyone who has, at any point, looked at their life and asked God “why?”

*********************

For more information on Jaylene Johnson and the Potter & Clay CD go to http://www.jaylenejohnson.com/

To listen to the Arts Connection interview with Jaylene Johnson go to http://artsconnection.ca/content/arts-connection-monday-july-11-2016-jaylene-johnson-potter-clay-cd

Finding a fresh appreciation of the Psalms through word and music

05 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in Book Review, CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

I WIll Not Be Shaken - bookThe I Will Not Be Shaken collection provides an insight a songwriter’s creative process and a whole lot more.

The project has been in the works for a number of years, beginning with conversations between Bell and Jamie Howison – the pastor at St. Benedict’s Table, which Bell attends. An expression of the Anglican Church, St. Benedict’s Table features a strong emphasis on the arts and social justice. I Will Not Be Shaken simmered on the back burner of both men for a while before it finally came together and was released in 2015.

I Will Not Be Shaken has two components. One is a book co-written by Howison and Bell. Each chapter is based on one of Bell’s songs and begins with Howison’s theologicical and personal insights into both the Psalm and the song. While not theologically complex, Howison’s reflections are deep enough to frequently warrant a re-read, so his perspective can take root.

E.g., writing about Psalm 13 (Bell’s song “How Long”), Howison looks at the question of how long God’s people have to suffer:

“How about a direct, miraculous intervention here, Lord?…Maybe this time your blessed grace could be a bit more aggressive,” writes Howison. He answers his own question a number of paragraphs later with the observation: “So yes, the quick fix zapping would be nice, but it would not do a whole lot to deepen us to the reality of the changed circumstances.”

CD/book set provides an insight into how the songs were written and whole lot more

While the reader digests Howison’s offerings, the chapter changes voice and Bell provides an insight writing the song. Here Bell describes a turning point in his spiritual life: “The most profound disappointment of all was the unanswered request for a sense of God’s nearness that others reported, but which I didn’t experience.

“Then I heard a sermon on Psalm 13. The psalm was described as a complaint to God, about God. It staggered me. I didn’t know this could be an acceptable prayer. This song followed…as did the beginning of an adult prayer life.”

I WIll Not Be Shaken - CD coverSpeaking of Bell’s songs, the second component to the I Will Not Be Shaken set is a CD. It  comprises all 17 of the songs Bell has written or co-written that are based on the Psalms. Anyone who’s followed Bell’s career has heard most, if not all of these songs. The only addition is the last song, “Psalm 70:1,” a Taize-style song Bell wrote for a course on contemplative prayer he co-led at Regent College.

My only disappointment with the CD was the lack of musician credits in the lyric booklet (which does note the original album on which the song appeared). This is more of a personal peeve because I’m interested in who was involved in the production of the song (especially when I think I recognize a musician’s style and want to confirm it). I suspect, for many listeners, this won’t affect their enjoyment of the CD.

I found reading Howison’s insights, Bell’s reflections and then listening to the song added to my enjoyment I Will Not Be Shaken. As I suspect Howison and Bell hope, I came away with a fresh appreciation and new understanding of the Psalms. You will too if you give I Will Not Be Shaken a read and a listen.

*******************************

For more information on the I Will Not Be Shaken set, check http://signpostmusic.com/

To listen to an Arts Connection interview with Steve Bell and Jamie Howison, check http://tinyurl.com/zc5u9d6

Spend some quality time listening to “Nudging Forever”

03 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Mike Janzen - Nudging Forever coverI’ve been listening to Mike  Janzen’s Nudging Forever CD fairly steadily since getting a review copy about a month ago. And much of that time has been spent figuring out how to review it.

Because it’s been a challenge to find a way to describe something I find is indescribable.

Nudging Forever combines the beauty of a classical string orchestra with the excitement of the Mike Janzen Trio (Janzen on piano, George Koller on bass and Larnell Lewis on drums), with the occasional mellow tones of Kevin Turcotte’s flugelhorn added in. All of which creates an aural delight for music fans of all genres.

The concept of Nudging Forever took root after a “season of tremendous busyness” says Janzen in the CD’s liner notes. A line from Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of God – “when we play we nudge the border of forever” – stuck with Janzen, as did the dream of a collaboration between a jazz trio and string orchestra.

Nudging Forever is an aural delight for music fans of all genres

The CD has been built around the liturgy of hours used in Benedictine monasteries during the 12th and 13th centuries: Vigil (night watch), Matins (morning prayer), Prime (first hour or around 6 a.m.), Terce (third hour or 9 a.m.), Sext (sixth hour or 12 noon), None (ninth hour or 3 p.m.), Vespers (evening prayer or 6 p.m.) and Compline (night prayer around 9 p.m.).

This seems to have given Janzen a framework with which to compose the songs on Nudging Forever. The pianissimo piano and strings depict the quietness of the night watch found in the opening track of “Vigil” while a livelier pace is set with “Time Painting,” the CD’s sixth track built around the activity of Sext.

Perhaps my personal favorite is “Matins” which starts with the sound of rousing strings before slowing to a more settled pace set by Janzen’s piano – similar to someone waking up and settling into their daily routine. As would be expected in following the liturgy of hours, the last song “Devotion” strikes a meditative tone in completion to the day and the CD.

In the liner notes, Janzen notes the difference between two Greek words used to define time: chronos, or measured time, and kairos, or the quality of time. I suggest you take the chronos time to listen to Nudging Forever because, in the end, it will prove to be well-spent kairos time.

**************************

For more information on Mike Janzen and Nudging Forever check https://mike-janzen.squarespace.com/

To listen to the Arts Connection interview where Mike talks about the Nudging Forever project, check: http://tinyurl.com/zldjat7

Three items you need to add to your must-buy list

19 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in Book Review, CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Welcome back. Yes, I’ve been busy. No, I haven’t posted for a while. And, sorry for not meeting my self-imposed deadlines and keeping up to date with this blog.

But I’m back. While my schedule isn’t completely clear (Meet You at the Manger is in full-blown rehearsal mode and I’m still working on memorizing my lines), I do intend to keep up with the blog on a regular basis.

With this post, I want to catch up on three items that have come to my attention that need to be on everyone’s must-buy list:

SMRTdigipak_template_0.5mmlower_11by17_TEMPLATEKarla Adolphe – Live at the Space

Alberta singer/songwriter Karla Adolphe’s (http://www.karlaadolphe.ca/#!home/mainPage) latest release is a five-song EP recorded live at The Space, a recording studio in Red Deer, Alberta.

Anyone who has heard Adolphe’s previous releases, Honeycomb Tombs and Lingering, along with her work with The Emporiums and Jacob and Lily are familiar with her sweet voice and intricate guitar work. Live at the Space showcases a maturing artist and songwriter through a crisp production, that includes a tight studio band whose accompaniment supports Adolphe without overshadowing her.

The opening track, “Trouble Won’t Go” is probably the most poignant and personal. The song’s opening lines, “Trouble won’t go and peace won’t stay/Oceans roar and levy break,” harken back to the 2013 flood that devastated her home, and hometown, of High River, Alberta. It’s also the only song on the EP Adolphe didn’t write.

My personal favourite is “Child of the King,” the EP’s final song, which presents a joy and hope that juxtaposes the pessimism of “Trouble Won’t Go.”

The only problem with this EP? It’s too short. One can only hope Adolphe is working on more songs and a full-length CD is forthcoming.

********************

Creative Church Handbook – J. Scott McElroy

Creative Church HandbookAnyone thinking about starting an arts ministry in their church, or even those who have started one, needs Creative Church Handbook by J. Scott McElroy, the Indianapolis-based director of the New Renaissance Arts Movement (http://jscottmcelroy.com/).

The book, subtitled Releasing the Power of the Arts in Your Congregation, methodically presents both a biblical and practical rationale for the place of the arts in churches. Through interviews, e-mail conversations and personal experience, McElroy provides real-life examples of individuals and churches making an impact on their congregations and communities through the arts in all its forms.

This isn’t a book where Canadians have twist themselves into knots tying to figure out how American examples can be translated into the Canadian context. McElroy provides examples of Canadian churches releasing the arts and artists for ministry

An added benefit is the myriad of web-based resources McElroy provides, which couldn’t be included in the book.

********************

Seeing the Unseen: Launching and Managing a Church Gallery – Sandra Bowden and Marianne Lettieri

Seeing the Unseen - coverPublished by CIVA (Christians in the Visual Arts http://civa.org/), Seeing the Unseen is a step-by-step handbook for those who want to display art in a church gallery setting. Starting with the basics of defining what kind of gallery program you want to have, the book also explores the details of how to exhibit, hang and light paintings and how to engage viewers.

This comprehensive guide can seem overwhelming, but for churches truly interested in engaging their congregation, and the general public, through art, Seeing the Unseen is book to have.

If this is “just getting started,” Carolyn Arends has a bright future

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

JGSCoverSinger/songwriter Carolyn Arends titled her 20th anniversary retrospective CD Just Getting Started. If Arends is “just getting started” then I can hardly wait to see what the next 20 years of songs will bring.

Arends released her first album, the now out-of-print I Can Hear You, in 1995. Produced by the legendary Brown Bannister it featured “Seize the Day” and garnered the BC artist a Dove Award nomination. Since then she’s produced 11 CDs/albums (which includes 2 Christmas CDs, a parenthood project and a best-of collection).

Just Getting Started: An acoustic reflection on 20 years of music is an homage to both the music that has gone before and a tribute to the fans who have supported Arends for those two decades.

The CD is a fitting retrospective to one of Canada’s best singers/songwriters

The 12-song compilation starts with a new one: the title track “Just Getting Started.” As she has in the past, Arends demonstrates a deft turn of the phrase: “These are but tastes of the banquet before us/The music is great but just wait for the chorus/From delivery rooms to the dearly departed/Just getting started.”

The remaining 11 songs were selected by her fans. Some were songs Arends hadn’t performed for a while (“it was like meeting old friends and getting to know them again”). Others were perennial favourites, such as “Seize the Day” which was reinvented “on piano in a Billy Joel ‘Piano Man’ kind of direction” for the acoustic CD.

Arends’ songwriting forms the backbone of this CD. Adding meat to those bones are Spencer Capier’s intricate accompaniment on a variety of instruments including mandolin, violin and background vocals. Producer Roy Salmond fleshes out the production while also adding musical touches via, among other instruments, accordion, Wurlitzer, lap steel and percussion. The almost unnoticeable touches on background instrumental touches are one of the components that make this CD shine.

Some of my favourite cuts include “Happy,” “New Years Day” and “Father Thy Will be Done.” But each time I listen to the CD (and it’s been practically every day since it was released), I pick up something I like about the other tracks. I’m sure every song will become someone’s favourite.

Just Getting Started: An acoustic reflection on 20 years of music is a fitting retrospective to one of Canada’s best singers/songwriters. And the CD has me looking forward to Arend’s next 20 years of music.

**********

Just Getting Started: An acoustic reflection on 20 years of music is available as a free download from http://20.carolynarends.com/

To listen to an interview where Carolyn Arends talks about this project, check http://artsconnection.ca/content/arts-connection-monday-september-21-2015-carolyn-arends-20th-anniversary-cd-renovare

 

 

 

New CD captures energy, spirit of the Toronto Mass Choir

17 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

TMC - Made for Worship coverThe Toronto Mass Choir hits overdrive with the opening song of its 10th CD, Made for Worship – Special Edition, and doesn’t let up on its energy and vitality throughout.

For almost three decades, the Toronto Mass Choir (TMC) has eloquently translated traditional gospel, contemporary gospel and Caribbean-influenced songs from the music page to hand-clapping, soul-inspiring and life-changing concert experiences. The recently-released 10th CD is, in part, a re-release of its May 2014, Covenant Award-winning limited edition CD/DVD – with new content, arrangements.

Re-release or new, Made for Worship shines. Recorded live, the CD captures the effervescent spirit of the TMC from the rousing “Anthem of Praise” that opens the CD, to the “happy-clappy” (as described by TMC artistic director Karen Burke in an upcoming Arts Connection interview) traditional gospel medley titled “Havin’ Church” to the reggae version of Chris Tomlin’s and Lou Giglio’s “Holy is the Lord.”

Made for Worship captures the effervescent spirit of the Toronto Mass Choir

The CD follows the typical musical peaks and valleys of a traditional gospel concert, with slower tempo numbers like “You Are,” “Your Name,” “Tribute to the King” and “Made to Worship” surrounded by more up-tempo songs. This is where a choir’s energy can flag (something I’ve experienced playing with and listening to brass bands). To the choir’s credit, even at the slower tempos, the TMC members focus as much energy on these numbers as they do the rest.

Rounding out the excellence of the CD are: 1) top-notch musicians including Snarky Puppy’s drummer Larnelle Lewis (who also plays with the Mike Janzen Trio); and 2) excellent production by Corey Butler.

In the liner notes, TMC artistic director Karen Burke states: “We made a very intentional decision to name this project Made for Worship and not Made to Worship. It may seem a subtle change but when we remember that worship is not just something that we do, it was what we were created for…Everything else falls into place.”

With Made for Worship the listener is reminded that we were created for worship through every note and word the TMC sings.

*********************

For more information on the Toronto Mass Choir check: http://tmc.ca/

Trevor Dick Band’s “New World” CD travels physical and musical worlds

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in CD/Music Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

Trevor Dick Band - New World cover

I’ve had my hands on a review copy of the Trevor Dick Band’s debut CD New World for a few months, waiting to be able to review it. Recently, the band released the CD, in digital form, through cdbaby and are in the planning stages a street release/tour this fall.

And it means I can now voice what I’ve been privately telling a few friends: New World is world/jazz/folk fusion at its best.

Trevor and I are friends, having worked together on a few ministry projects. I’ve had the chance to witness the three-year journey he’s taken from the inception of New World to its release. The journey has fraught with challenges but Trevor’s and the band’s devotion to the CD’s music and mission has helped them look past them.

New World might seem like a departure from Trevor’s previous CDs, but anyone who’s seen him live will recognize his signature jazz/fusion stylings. Another key difference: New World is a true collaboration between Trevor and the musicians who have backed him up on previous recordings and during live performances.

New World is world/jazz/folk fusion at its best.

Like any solid ensemble, the Trevor Dick Band is the sum of its parts: Trevor (electric, MIDI and acoustic violin and viola), Tony Lind (electric and acoustic guitar), Will Jarvis (electric and acoustic bass) and Steve Heathcote (drums and percussion). The recording also features keyboard player Brad Toews who’s left for other pursuits. Those parts, individually, are impressive: Will’s performed with everyone from Tito Puente to Amy Sky; Del Shannon to David Clayton-Thomas; Tony’s credits include award-winning works by Ali Mathews, Chris Bray, Jodi Cross, Stephanie Israelson and Deborah Klassen; and Steve’s an award-winning drummer who’s played for Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Rich Little and Bob Newhart.

From the opening track “Perpetuum” to the acoustic reprise of “Schindler’s List” New World travels the physical and musical world. “Ayabanga Village Market,” and “Ifriqiya” have their roots in Trevor’s childhood in Nigeria where his parents were missionaries. Tony’s composition, “Bourbon St. Carnival,” conjures up the sights and sounds of the New Orleans jazz scene. The “East of Sinai Prelude” and “East of Sinai” evoke the turbulence often found in the Middle East.

The Trevor Dick Band also journeys into the world of mainstream music with arrangements of Eric Clapton’s “Change the World,” “Schindler’s List” the theme song from Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning and the title track “New World” which melds the Louis Armstrong hit “What a A Wonderful World” and Anton Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” into a seamless musical narrative.

As I’ve said in other reviews, I judge the quality of a CD by how often it ends up being played on my various devices. If New World were a vinyl LP, the grooves would have long been worn out long ago from being played over and over and over…

From the first time I heard about this project, I expected it to exceed anything Trevor, and, now the Trevor Dick Band, had done before. I haven’t been disappointed. You won’t be either.

**********

For more information on the New World CD, check www.trevordickband.com