Sparks from the Fire

The Accidentals

Last night Christmas and the Holiday season came to NYC in the form of The Accidentals and Julia Wade.  The WFM Listening Room produced its fifth concert in its experimental laboratory.  What has evolved is a dedicated audience coming back again and again to hear good and great music simply presented.

We’re most happy to say that the experiment works.  Two standing ovations last night – the first for The Accidentals and the second for MS Wade – proved that people don’t need all the hoopla that often accompanies the musical performances of the 21^st century.  What they really want is just good music with inspired performances. (more…)

Recently I received a very interesting letter from a listener, one David Ring, regarding the new release of Jenny Burton’s CD entitled Released on Watchfire Music. It was from a fan of the music and asked a number of good questions. I sat down and wrote him back immediately. Later, after responding and reading back my answers, I thought it might be of interest to all of you.

In it, he took issue with some of the sounds on the CD and asked a number of pertinent questions that I found enjoyable to answer.

Here it is, Letter from David Ring, reprinted excerpts with my responses.

On Jul 31, 2009, at 12:35 AM, David Ring wrote:

Dear Peter,
There is some wonderful music here. I will definitely be buying the CD. In the meantime I’d like to give you some feedback on my web experience of this music. I jack the sound through my stereo boom box rather than use headphones. He also later admitted that, “I didn’t mention that (my) boom box is practically an antique with two cassette tape decks.”

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FROM: Joseph, Kenya, Africa

“I think music is a universal language and the Julia’s “Alabado sea Dios” speaks to me very deeply. I don’t understand a word in Spanish, but the music is WOW! I received this CD when my country, Kenya, was undergoing a very unharmonious and unhappy time.

I believe her voice echoing over the seeming chaos has been, and continues to be a most healing effect to this city just as it has soothed and healed me. This particular CD is most profound. I would like to thank Julia again and again and again.

Thanks! Asante sana Julia!”
(signed) Joseph.

How can this be? A CD sung entirely in Spanish finds its way to Kenya, Africa and moves and inspires this gentle man, Joseph, who speaks not a word of Spanish.

What is it about music that touches the heart, fires the imagination, brings us closer to God, reconnects us with our spiritual selves?

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