Tight

So I played with a different band tonight. We were tight! Their regular bass player was on vacation, and they needed a fill-in. A low key presentation of a handful of current tunes during an ordination of a new Free Will Baptist Pastor. I did something unusual. I played bass. Hadn't played a bass for real since November 2006. Just like riding a bike. Turns out I like my Conklin Bass alot more than I remember. Yes, it was expensive, but you get what you pay for (my Les Paul Honeyburst wasn't $399, and my Strat wasn't $149 either).

Anyhow, It was the first time I had every played 'God With Us' by Mercy Me. We hadn't rehearsed it, but the regular band members knew what was going on, so I walked in and played it off the chart, and we NAILED IT! No surprise twists in the song, just follow the chart, and let the song's message speak to the heart God intended it for.

I'm done ranting. Check out the other band

this post will be updated ASAP, and you'll see photos of the band

Jimbo

Whoa! Sunday July 19th, 2008

What a great event. The music was great, the preaching was PHENOMENAL! Thank you Dr. Reeves for an inspiring message about the definition and purpose of worship. Thank You Dr. Scott for leading worship. I always enjoy your performance of ' I am free '.

We did a new arrangement of Blessed Be Your Name this week. Instead of a slow-ish Matt Redman which is our std. bill of fare, we did a Newsong version (nice video here), that reminded me of some of Chris Tomlin's live cuts, the way Daniel Carson ( guitarist) can pull some U2-edge into a modern worship tune. We hit it in a big way, and it was killer! For invitation we played the Tomlin Amazing/Chains tune, cutting short at the end of invitation, and sending the folks out with the last chorus. The tag after the invitation was perfect, and better than 'the usual' by a long shot. Yes, I enjoy the usual, but what Scott pulled off was so much more meaningful.Again, beautiful job Scott. We all felt it, we all loved it. Yes, I know it's not about how WE feel, but how God feels. I hope God got a smile out of seeing us today.

JC

Flow?

We are having a flow problem at church. Medium sized contemporary southern baptists, 500 in one service, 200 in the next. Continuity is just not there.

Here's the old flow

song
meet and greet
end of same song
song 2
song 3
stop for announcements
offertory song and offering taken
song 4
song 5


sermon
invitation song
announce new members/decisions etc

we just switched to this, and I'm not sure it works either

Song
meet and greet
end of same song
song 2
song 3
song 4
announcements ( that really fall flat on their face after the meaningful music. Even the announcer/assoc. pastor is not sure he likes it )
offertory song and offering
Sermon
Invitation Song
announce new members/decisions etc


I'm proposing:
Song
meet/greet
announcements
Song 2
Song 3
Song 4
Song 5

Sermon
Inv. Song
offertory song
announce new members/decisions etc

FYI this is the flow at Second Baptist, or at least how it was in the awesome Sat. nite service a few years ago

We are not sure we can move the offertory to the end of the service. It would be a big change after a few decades of doing things the same way in this church, and since we just lost our pastor, maybe people will want to keep things a little more routine, or something to that effect ( paraphrased from the boss )

your opinions/suggestions please email
( I have also posted this discussion at worshiptogether.com )

Sunday July 6th 2008 Review

(photo from my back yard following a major storm in 2001)

Wow! Today, we didn't play. We didn't sing. We let GOD speak to us, and thru us. It was not about us AT ALL. Normally during prayer times, I'm hooking up, unhooking, adjusting, switching guitars, etc. , but not today. Today during prayer, I actually prayed. It was like we were in church, and not at work. Very special thanks to my buddy John Howland for leading such a wonderful service with music and prayer. We sounded like a band again. ( Usually we sound like an orchestra. Admittedly, a rock orchestra, but a loosely assembled bunch of volunteers that clearly show we don't do this for a living ). Heck, we even played a new song, and with a minor mistake during the first set, we still managed to get the message across, and all stay together. I was really really cool. Yes, I know it's not about us, it's not about cool, it's not about feelings, but: If we felt so good about doing the same ol' thing, how do you think the crowd took it?

One comment was: " That's the best it has ever been"


13 in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice ^(A)accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, "^(B)He indeed is good for His loving kindness is everlasting," ( II Chronicles 5:13 NASB )

Give God all the credit!

JC email

Getting dropped from a record label

I got the following email from


is it just me, or did it seem like back in the '90s, it was a big deal when an artist was dropped by a record label? Today, we barely bat an eye at such news. Has it always been this way?

To me, it's partly explained by the radically changing landscape of the music industry over the last five years. A record label is a business like any other, and if it fails to make ends meet year-to-year, changes have to be made. Dropping an artist is a tough decision, but it's a reality, just like having to fire an employee within a company or even at a church.

Of course, nowadays it's not as critical for an artist to have label support. If their music connects with listeners, independent artists will find ways to carry on. As long as the music is good enough to find its way to the ears of consumers, it really doesn't matter if a record label is supporting it or not.

My question is, shouldn't it matter? I sincerely want the company to succeed as much as the artist, because just as successful artists continue to make good music, successful record labels continue to find good music. That's why it bothers me that record labels today don't have a better track record with introducing new artists.

Unfortunately, there's no foolproof formula for success in music—but I get the sense that some record labels believe there is. Too often it seems as if some labels aren't interested in an artist's potential. Rather than looking ahead to the long-term investment that comes with signing an artist, they become preoccupied with the present ("What's selling now?") and the past ("What's worked before?"). Granted, we can't know what the future holds, but is it any wonder that we find so many short-term artists by focusing only on what's selling at the moment?

Let's face it: the synergy between record label and artist isn't what it used to be. If you look back at least twenty years ago, you'll find a lot of legendary artists who didn't start off strongly, but found their footing with time and artist development. Those are the artists who have graced us with careers lasting ten, twenty, even thirty years.

My favorite record labels are the ones that invest in their artists—breaking bread with them, praying with them, listening to their hopes and ambitions. They're the ones that enter into a long-term partnership after careful consideration, not short-term business deals based on shortsighted marketing data.

Believe me, I'm not trying to blame all the woes of the music industry on record labels—it's not all on their shoulders, and there are lots of factors at work beyond their influence. But much too often, it seems record companies are looking for quick success with a new act, only to drop that artist when the success is fleeting. Are record labels and listeners afraid to invest in the new? Or are we all really this fickle with our music? No easy answers, just something to think about.

Here's my reply

when you speak of an artist that 'developed' I can't help but think of Michael Bolton. He was the original 'Chris Daughtry' in terms of style and talent, but was an unknown rocker forever ( to most of the Gen. Public ) until his 'Dock of the Bay' single in 1988. Currently, he's trying to beat out Michael Buble' in a genre that doesn't fit his voice AT ALL. Regardless, he stuck with what he was good at all those years, and so did the record company, until the point that the style was no longer marketable ( makes me think of Point of Grace - will they ever be successful again? Honestly, I don't miss them a bit.)

As far as record companies investing in their acts, Rob from Pillar once said in the FOTF/Plugged in magazine ( paraphrased as best as I can remember) "People used to buy albums, read all the liner notes, and get to know the band. Now with downloads, it's 'the flavor of the day' ". In my pre-christian days, I could tell you what song was on what side and in what order of every album I owned: Rush, Journey, Kiss, etc. ( I had more free time back then, but really got to KNOW the music ) If the fans arent' willing to invest in an artist, why should the record companies?? Nowadays, I'm lucky to buy 2-3 CDs a year, and they are usually movie soundtracks that I enjoy. One exception is the grammy awarded 'Fingerprints' by Peter Frampton. Quality songwriting, production, and musicianship. Besides, how much should I invest in another CD with all the current bands rehashing the same 3-4 chord worship tunes over and over when most of them play at a college levels?

Thanks for the article !

Jim Cox