Thanks for checking this blog out, and welcome as I celebrate the release of the first CD in the In HIS Service series. The goal is simple. For the next number of postings, I'd like to give you the background of this CD project (including why we're releasing Volume 3 first.)
The first thoughts about this project came back in my days in Nashville. I was taking part in a CD project with Jimmie Young (a Nashville songwritter, producer and elder in my congregation) and others from Emmanuel - a project that would be called: "Songs for the Masses." Jimmie had a sound in mind that he wanted to capture and anyone who knows him, knows that he moves with a singleness of focus.
During that time, I developed a vision for a different kind of project in mind to pursue. It wasn't a sound I was after, but a concept for filling a gap in the kind of contemporary praise and worship music I was coming across. I wanted a broader base of subjects and themes to choose from as I developed worship services. What came to mind was a series of songs that would use the life and ministry of Christ as a basis and covered the whole church year - all the way from Advent and Christmas through the Pentecost season and finally the end themes of the church year and the final appearing of Christ. I also began to be drawn towards the title: In HIS Service because of the dual theme of music written to be played and sung in the worship services focused on Christ, and because of a desire that every song be written with one purpose in mind - to praise and serve Christ and Christ alone.
It was at this point that I started to focus my writing on songs that would go along with that vision. So from those days until today's release of Volume 3, it's only been a short 8 or 9 years, and since the first tracks were recorded for this CD, a brief 2 years. By the way, the reason for Volume 3 being released before Volumes 1 or 2, is that I wanted to begin with the Lent, Holy Week and Easter themes and in terms of the church year, Volume 3 would be more appropriate. (The plan right now is to release Volume One next - with the seasons of Advent and Christmas.
So there you have it. In tomorrow's blog, I'll give you the background behind calling it Jeff Shanks and the Children of Asaph. After that, I'll move on to giving lyrics and the background behind each of the songs on Volume 3.
The first thoughts about this project came back in my days in Nashville. I was taking part in a CD project with Jimmie Young (a Nashville songwritter, producer and elder in my congregation) and others from Emmanuel - a project that would be called: "Songs for the Masses." Jimmie had a sound in mind that he wanted to capture and anyone who knows him, knows that he moves with a singleness of focus.
During that time, I developed a vision for a different kind of project in mind to pursue. It wasn't a sound I was after, but a concept for filling a gap in the kind of contemporary praise and worship music I was coming across. I wanted a broader base of subjects and themes to choose from as I developed worship services. What came to mind was a series of songs that would use the life and ministry of Christ as a basis and covered the whole church year - all the way from Advent and Christmas through the Pentecost season and finally the end themes of the church year and the final appearing of Christ. I also began to be drawn towards the title: In HIS Service because of the dual theme of music written to be played and sung in the worship services focused on Christ, and because of a desire that every song be written with one purpose in mind - to praise and serve Christ and Christ alone.
It was at this point that I started to focus my writing on songs that would go along with that vision. So from those days until today's release of Volume 3, it's only been a short 8 or 9 years, and since the first tracks were recorded for this CD, a brief 2 years. By the way, the reason for Volume 3 being released before Volumes 1 or 2, is that I wanted to begin with the Lent, Holy Week and Easter themes and in terms of the church year, Volume 3 would be more appropriate. (The plan right now is to release Volume One next - with the seasons of Advent and Christmas.
So there you have it. In tomorrow's blog, I'll give you the background behind calling it Jeff Shanks and the Children of Asaph. After that, I'll move on to giving lyrics and the background behind each of the songs on Volume 3.
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