Roar From Zion
Artist: Paul Wilbur
(https://www.wilburministries.com/)
Length: 14 tracks/1
hour 12 minutes
Roar From Zion
by Paul Wilbur opens with a stately voice narrating Scriptures that
outline Israel’s history and future against a backdrop of strings.
It’s a stirring intro to this live performance at The Pavilion in
Jerusalem recorded on the 70th anniversary of the rebirth
of the nation of Israel.
It’s hard to
imagine a more dynamic start to the thunderous praise in the title
track. It is a powerful invitation for God to act. The roar of the
crowd adds an element of excitement.
Immediately apparent
is a Middle Eastern influence that combines the ancient with the
latest in technology. It’s apparent on the stringed instruments
that include something that sounds like a sitar and the prominence of
congas.
This also features
the sounds of the Nashville String Machine with orchestrations by
Paul Mills. Some may have an aversion to strings but they enhance
rather than detract throughout this recording.
Is it possible to
hear maturity in a voice? Veteran artists like Wilbur, now 68, can
sound more vulnerable with age. I’m not highlighting weakness but
the gentleness that comes with wisdom. Perhaps the song that comes
closest to conveying it is “Days of Elijah 2018.” This is a
remake of one of his most popular songs. From what I remember of the
original this is more acoustic. It sounds more mature. Understating
it adds to its power. This also applies to “Adonai 2018,” another
excellent remake of one of Wilbur’s better known songs.
Wilbur started out
in Harvest, an early Jesus music group whose first two albums,
Harvest (1979) and Morning Sun (1981) include Wilbur.
After leaving he recorded two albums with Israel’s Hope before
beginning his solo career in 1991.
All of his
experience and skill come together on “Your Love is Far Better,”
which beautifully draws Scripture together with a more melancholy
sound that fits with desiring God. It includes a gorgeous violin
interlude.
Hardly a somber
affair on the whole, among many upbeat moments, one of my favorites
comes on “It is Good to Praise the Lord.” Shortly after you think
the song has ended, Wilbur says, “I’m not done yet.” Praising
God on string instruments follows; quick solos on bass, violin and
guitar. It highlights the virtuosity of the musicians.
If this wasn’t a
Hebrew influenced recording, I would think “The King is Coming”
is reggae. It has a rhythm that is common to both.
By the way, some
songs alternate between English and Hebrew lyrics, which makes this
more interesting. The names of God, like Yahweh and Adonai, are
rendered from the Hebrew.
If you enjoy
Messianic worship, or even if you not familiar with it, there is
plenty to appreciate here. Some of the tracks would be right at home
in modern worship recordings. The Hebrew styling is not always
prominent.
Indicative of
Wilbur’s humility is allowing younger voices to take the lead on
some tracks in the last half of the recording. These songs in
particular are less traditional but the Jewish influence is still
there.
I’m not familiar
with most of Wilbur’s work but from the sound of this, my guess is
that this is one of his finest recordings. It’s a wonderful
convergence of old and new sounds and styles.
Jefferson Airplane
and Hot Tuna bass player, Jack Casady, age 75, recently remarked, “I
think that as you grow older, you’ve got more to say and in a
different way.” Paul Wilbur proves that to be true on this release.
