To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak

Music is a powerful, persuasive, subversive force in human culture, having a capacity 'to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.' Decided recently to have a summer of rediscovered favourite music and newly discovered shouldn't have missed it first time music. So I've added a sidebar called Music Redivivus - the albums there list the music I'm now making time to listen to. My usual stuff includes Baroque, Beethoven, assorted Country - mainly female vocalists, Joan Baez and bits and pieces of other stuff. So I've asked several folk to give me the name of a CD they think would help me recover from my self imposed philistinism and restore a sense of cultural connectedness!! Over the next couple of months I'll occasionally update on my progress on a musical refresher course, curriculum dictated by other people's tastes.

But first, a singer I am revisiting. Several years ago I discovered Carrie Newcomer. Her work was profiled in Sojourners, never a recommendation I'd ignore. I discovered a singer and writer whose major key is hopefulness, who combines faith with justice, and laughter with serious critique of all that makes laughter hard. She tells stories of the hopes and dreams, the struggles and courage of immigrants, single mothers, refugees and others whose place in the world is threatened and whose life chances are made fragile by 'the way it is'. Her songs vibrate with a sense of life's mystery, how frustration mixes with fulfilment, sadness with joyfulness, loss with new possibility. She is a wonderful apologist for music as a deeply formative shaper of moral response and a hopeful worldview. Here's one of her songs from the CD My True Name.

When one door closes another door opens wide
It's hard to believe all of the locked doors I've tried
And you can't pray for what you want or what you'd have instead
You can only offer up your heart and ask that you be led

Life's gonna take you, where you never thought you'd go
When you finally think you've got it down, It isn't so
There are windows and doors, you're not finished with yet
It's not always getting what you want, but wanting what you get
Chorus

It's not gettin' easier, so I'm not going to pretend
That I know this story from it's beginning to it's end
Oh believe me when I tell you, believe me if you can

If I could turn down the noise of my own will and choice
I could hear the truth of my life in a clear voice
I will bow down my head to the wisdom of my heart
Cool my heels and hold on to the best parts

Comments

[Ron H]

Rangers did your lot a huge favour today. I wonder if you'll get further than Dunfermline??

[jim gordon]

Now Ron H - either Rangers were rubbish today or Aberdeen played a far better game - I suspect both, but either way,it's a good day to be an Aberdeen supporter. Further than Dunfermline?? depends whether we can sign Ronaldo, or pip Man United for Hargreaves!!!!!!

[Andy]

I don't know if Martyn Joseph appears on your recommended list but if not may I recommend him. He is hardly trendy but he wrestles honestly with the human condition and the brokenness of the world.

You can download his 'Live in Toronto' album for £6 - here.

http://www.piperecords.co.uk/mp3s_toronto.html

[Jim Gordon]

Thanks Andy - I'll go looking - and listening.

[Andy]

I should have mentioned that you can listen (and watch) a couple of songs on Martyn's website.

http://www.piperecords.co.uk/martynj/