The Listening Ear

Christmas Music 3

The third CD I’ve been listening to is one that takes a different approach to Christmas music from the previous two that I have commented on. Tony Bennett’s A Swingin’ Christmas makes no pretense at being religious. It is a compilation of holiday favorites. Even though he’s in his 80’s, Bennett knows how to sing and swing. He is accompanied by the Count Basie Big Band and they sound great together.

This isn’t a deep album—you wouldn’t expect that. Yet it contains some well-crafted big band jazz renditions of classics like I’ll Be Home For Christmas, O Christmas Tree, and Winter Wonderland. If you want to get an idea of what this collection is like, click here and listen to Bennett sing My Favorite Things and O Christmas Tree. For a a very pleasant listening experience, try this one.

Christmas Music 2

Another new CD I have downloaded to my iPod is The Dawn Of Grace, a new offering by Sixpence None The Richer. It is classified as alternative rock, indie pop. The group has had a variety of members, but the heart of the group has always been Matt Slocum and Leigh Nash. The two are back together again after several years working on separate projects.

I really enjoy hearing Nash’s vocals on this album and Slocum’s guitar work and arrangements create interesting interpretations of both traditional carols and new material. A bonus is a guest vocal on Silent Night by David Haseltine of Jars Of Clay.

I like every cut on this CD. The Last Christmas reflects the thoughts of a mother-to-be as she prepares for the birth of her child and compares it to Mary’s expectations. Some Children See Him describes how different cultures and races see Jesus in their own image. Rui, Rui, Rui is a delightful Spanish carol.

If you want to here what this group sounds like, click here to get to their Myspace page.

Christmas Music

Each Advent I like to get at least on new Christmas CD to listen to during the season. This year I’ve actually had several new ones to listen to. My friend, Al Hardy, gave me a new Christmas album by the contemporary Christian group, Casting Crowns called Peace On Earth. I have listened to it several times and enjoy it. Most of the songs are traditional carols even though CC employs untraditional interpretations. 

The first track is a austere version of I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. This seems to fit the mood of this carol as it contrasts the message of ‘peace on earth’ with the way humans often treat each other. Another track that I really like and that was new to me is called Christmas Offering. 

The last cut is a beautiful instrumental version of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. If you want something a bit different in a contemporary Christian style, you might check out this album. If you want more information about the album, take a look at the CC website here.

 

In the next days, I mention a couple more new CDs I’ve been listening to. .

King Of The Blues

I decided that I haven’t had any new tunes to listen to so I download a new album last night. I had read a very positive review of B. B. King’s newly released album called One Kind Favor so I decided I’d give it a try. I haven’t been disappointed.

I have always been a blues fan. One of my all-time favorite albums is Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. When my first copy was accidentally destroyed, I had to get another copy. Over the years I’ve owned a lot of blues records and tape, some that I wish I could still listen to even though they are in formats I’m no longer able to play 

Even though King is 83 years old, he still has what it takes to make a fine recording. I particularly liked the title track, “One Kind Favor.” The first line sets the theme of the recording: “There is one kind favor I ask of youthat you…see that my grave is kept clean.” Another favorite is “How many more years.” But all the tracks are good

If you like the blues, you should like this album.

Jazz On The Point

One of the things I absolutely love about summer is the chance to take in some free outdoor concerts. I get so much pleasure in finding a comfortable spot where I can kick back a listen to a live performance. My musical tastes are pretty eclectic so there are a wide variety of groups I can appreciate (not too excited about country, though). This year I'm even more prepared because Wanda gave me a fold up camping chair.

This afternoon I got to try out my new chair at Jazz at the point, a jazz festival at Village Pointe in west Omaha. I got to hear two groups before our daily shower of rain moved in. Steve Shininger and his orchestra were the first ones I heard. Shininger has a voice that sounds amazingly like Frank Sinatra and his group did a lot of Sinatra standards.

The group I liked best was headed up by Ron Cooley who performs some great jazz guitar. I wish I could have stayed for more, but the rain and the desire to run through tomorrow's sermon one more time sent me home again.

Next weekend the Omaha Summer Arts festival takes place and I just discovered that Vlasis, a fantastic guitarist is performing. I am hoping to be able to catch one of his shows. Its also Treynor Days so there be lots of stuff going on here at well. I am looking forward to it.

After The Concert

Wanda and I had a great time at the concert last night and I think everyone else who went felt the same. I hadn’t really heard Jeremy Camp before and the last time I got to hear Toby Mac live he was still a part of DC Talk. Of course there’s something can’t compare to a live performance. Both parts of the show were filled with energy, especially Toby Mac’s group, the Diverse City Band.

It doesn’t bother me too much that I can’t understand many of the lyrics at concerts like these. Sometimes if the song is familiar, I can pick up the lyrics because I already know them. Other times I just enjoy the music, allowing the voice simply to be another instrument.

If everything else is equal, it prefer a performance where I can easily understand the words to a song. Nevertheless, it was still clear that both of these artists are giving expression to their understanding of the Christian faith. I am glad to see them communicating with youth and young adults.

One thing Jeremy Camp challenged concert-goers with was to read the Scriptures every day. Do that not because you have to or a supposed, he said. Read the Bible to nurture the relationship we have with Christ. That’s the kind of thing I’ve been focusing on with the STOP, LOOK & LISTEN posts.