Bob Dylan: The Golden Years 1962-1978

This documentary, covering Dylan’s start in music to his conversion to Christianity, brings two DVDs together into one package: Tales from a Golden Age: Bob Dylan 1941-1966 and After the Crash: Bob Dylan 1966-1978.

Interviews with Dylan, more footage of him performing and the use of Dylan’s own music are the only things that could have made this collection better. But since this is an unauthorized documentary, we only get a few seconds of Dylan performing at the Isle of Wight and with Johnny Cash on the second DVD. The background music sounds like Dylan but is not performed by him.

Aside from these minor drawbacks, Dylan’s life and career are fleshed-out by a variety of music critics, friends and fellow musicians. Hailing from the U.K. and U.S. they provide much more than dry analysis. We get warm reminiscing from people who appreciate Dylan’s work. In addition to showing how vital he was in shaping modern music, we see his humanity and the influences that molded him. The critics expertly dissect his every album.

What intrigues me is how much they see. Their work is utterly fascinating. Like prophets they amplify the message of the songs. This is especially helpful when dealing with a person as mysterious as Bob Dylan, who can keep everyone guessing.

The narration, editing and video of this British production are excellent. You don’t have to be a fan to appreciate the production quality and the insightful analysis. Why Dylan would not contribute and authorize these documentaries is a mystery. He’s not portrayed in a negative light, and this serves as a tribute to a productive career that continues to this day.

This leaves you wanting to know the rest of the story. Let’s hope for more installments.

Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music DVD

This DVD shows Johnny Cash during the heyday of his career in the late sixties. I want to say it shows him "in his prime," but that is a matter of debate. Even though he was not at the height of his powers physically, the series of recordings that he did at the end of his life with producer Rick Rubin is among his best work. This production highlights that phase of his career when he and June Carter Cash were riding the wave of hit songs that made him a household name in country music and beyond.

Raw concert performances of a number of those songs, including "Ring of Fire," "Daddy Sings Bass," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Jackson," are found along with rare recordings of lesser-known songs. This includes a couple of gospel songs and some guest appearances, that include a solo performance by Carl Perkins on "Blue Suede Shoes" and a duet with Bob Dylan. Cash and Dylan clearly warm-up to each other, smiling as the song progresses from opposing microphones. It’s enjoyable throughout the DVD to see a healthy Cash singing in such a strong voice.

Footage of Cash backstage, on the road in a motorhome, and interacting with family and friends is also provided. Cash comes across as a down-to-earth guy who relates well with ordinary people. He doesn’t try to impress, and never postures for the camera. It’s an unadorned look with no narration or graphics.

The music is country with a little bit of folk and gospel. The sound and picture quality is a little more than acceptable, but the content is historic. This is the music that made him famous.
The varied settings—a prison performance, a concert on a reservation, a trip to Wounded Knee, a song sung at home, or in the woods with a wounded crow, provide moving moments in the life of a man, who despite his success was humble and kind to others.

This is a must for the Cash collector and worth exploring for those looking for a mix of documentary and performance from the early life of a music legend.

In an interview on the DVD, Cash says, "Singing seems to help a troubled soul." This DVD provides a glimpse of the many people and the man himself who were helped on their way through the singing of simple songs about everyday life.

Real - Jake Smith

Add Real by Jake Smith to the list of strong debuts on Rocketown Records. Formed in 1996 by Michael W. Smith and Don Donahue, the label has been responsible for the first recordings of Chris Rice, Ginny Owens, Watermark, and Alathea plus some other excellent albums, including Exodus, the worship project that became their best-selling title. This small family-like label has a knack for finding and introducing great talent.

This is equally true on Smith’s impressive offering where he seamlessly fuses a variety of styles (rap, funk, blues, pop, rock, soul) into what the label calls soulful, groove-based pop. It’s an apt description for this New Orleans native who turns tight arrangements, polished production and smooth vocals into a sound of his own that exudes energy and plenty of variety.

"Get Up" the opening song is carried along by a subdued rap that breaks into a joyous chorus that encourages us to get free from what holds us and "get ready for so much more." On "What I Plan to Do," without warning, a shameless piano takes off on a brief excursion through Dixie-land jazz.

In the straight-ahead pop/rock of "Breakdown" Smith addresses a troubled soul: "How can you say it’s better not to speak at all." Holding "it all inside" and saying "you’re fine," when "it’s just pretend." He speaks as a concerned friend when he warns: "You’re headed for a breakdown." The beautiful falsetto and the otherworldly vibe heard on "Run" are reminiscent of Coldplay at their best.

The production combined with excellent vocals and musicianship make it all work together for a cohesive sound.

It’s apparent from the lyrics that Real is full of honest reflections about life from a Christian perspective. The references to God and faith are subtle giving this crossover potential. What makes it rewarding are the optimism and hope that find their way into these songs.

This is a triumph not only for Jake Smith but for Rocketown Records in giving us another great debut.

Stars in the Morning East—A Christmas Meditation

I was glad to discover that Jeff Johnson was releasing another Christmas recording because they are among my favorites of his work. Stars in the Morning East—A Christmas Meditation is the latest in a string of exceptional Christmas offerings that he has either produced or recorded. The list includes, Centerpoint - Poetry & Music for Christmas (1990), The Spirit of the Season (1994), One Wintry Night by Jerry Read Smith & Lisa Maria Smith (1998) and A Quiet Knowing Christmas (2001). As good as the past recordings have been, this surpasses the earlier ones and rivals A Quiet Knowing Christmas.

Stars in the Morning East is similar in sound to its predecessor. Violin, viola, cello, flute, guitar, bass and piano combine with more innovative sounds for a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary styles. The spotlight is on the acoustic instruments that at times are allowed to stand alone or with minimal support. As usual with Johnson’s recordings, the production is outstanding, providing crystal-clear sound.

Though Johnson’s soaring and sweeping keyboards provide background throughout, it’s a delight to hear his gentle piano playing. Nowhere is that more in evidence than on the hauntingly beautiful "Coventry Carol," which is framed at beginning and end by mournful cello solos.

The recording opens with Barry McGovern’s reading of the poem "A Christmas Childhood," where the recording gets its title. The reading segues into one of two original compositions by Johnson and Dunning. The rest of the tracks consist of a few popular ("Sing, We Now Of Christmas," "Morning Has Broken" and "In The Bleak Midwinter") and a number of lesser-known carols.

As in past efforts, the traditional melodies serve as starting points for delightful musical improvisation. Classical-sounding music seamlessly gives way to creative and energetic hybrids of Celtic, folk and alternative sounds.

Jeff Johnson may be at his best when it comes to instrumental Christmas recordings. His ability to produce music that not only inspires but evokes a sense of childlike wonder, awe and mystery has given us a recording that is worthy of the season. Quite simply, it will be hard to find a more beautiful and artistic Christmas offering.

Because He First Loved Us - Cheri Keaggy

Before we last heard from her on Let’s Fly (2001), Cheri Keaggy had become widely know in Christian circles for adult contemporary and inspirational music. She gained immediate attention through her Charlie Peacock produced debut, Child of the Father (1994). Some of her songs fit the praise and worship format, which led to the release of: There is Joy in the Lord: The Worship Songs of Cheri Keaggy (1999). But aside from the Very Best of Cheri Keaggy in 2006, it’s been a long wait for something new.

Where has she been? "Over the last few years I’ve been marinating in all kinds of stuff, just trying to listen to God’s voice and be obedient, trying to parent intentionally and grow in my relationships," said Keaggy. "The Christian life can be quite an adventure! These songs are pieces … of that."

Because He First Loved Us opens with one of the strongest songs. Inspired by John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, "Stay to the Middle" makes a series of contrasts between fear and faith. "Fear creeps in to keep you frozen / Faith says pray and move ahead / Fear says you will always be broken / Faith knows that broken things can mend." Deliverance is found in keeping to the middle of the path.

The music on this song and some others has a slight alternative or rock edge, which adds to the appeal. Producer Tom Hemby does an excellent job of providing a clean, organic sound with a touch of creativity.

Though this is the first release on her own label, Keaggy keeps to the style that has brought her to this place. Fans of her earlier recordings and adult contemporary pop will enjoy some of her best work.

Cheri wrote all the songs with the exception of Carole King’s "You’ve Got A Friend," which is included as a bonus track. This has always been a great song, and here it’s done as a duet with country singer Marty Roe of Diamond Rio.

Uncle-in-law Phil Keaggy contributes a couple of short guitar solos on "This is the Love." As good as he is, he’s not able though to steal the spotlight from Cheri, the Hemby brothers, and the other fine musicians and contributors, including Tom Howard, who adds strings.

Cheri’s songwriting ability is evident throughout. A good example is found in the piano-driven "Restored (The Grindstone Song)." Though it deals with a weighty subject, it has a light, whimsical feel. "I’ve been living against the grindstone / Where nothing is sure but the Lord / For He gives us the treasures of darkness / Where faith’s greatest riches are stored / And in ways that are quite unexpected / I have learned a most humbling truth / That a faith that has never been tested / Is just growth that is long overdue."

The quiet and beautiful, "The Reason I Stand Tall," marvels at God’s love for us as one of a kind individuals. Her Christian perspective is ever in the forefront and God’s love and grace are a constant theme.

Cheri is blessed with a beautiful voice and is an accomplished songwriter. This is a return to the adult contemporary/inspirational music that has defined her career.

The Beautiful Ache - Leigh McLeroy

What is the beautiful ache? In her book, Leigh McLeroy defines it as “that fleeting pang that reminds us of home. Not the home we’ve always known—the home we’ve never seen. The ache pierces and pries open the heart but doesn’t nearly satisfy it. It whets the appetite but doesn’t begin to fill it.”

She elaborates on common desires and their corresponding hardships by weaving together personal stories and Biblical narratives. Each chapter highlights a specific area. The need for belonging, the difficulty of trusting, the hardship of labor, and the pain of grief are just a few of the topics covered.

These insightful and devotion-like thoughts challenge, find humor and move to tears. Her mature and balanced perspective is especially evident in “The Ache for Healing.” She uses a John Piper quote to make her point: “It is fitting that a child ask his father for relief in trouble. And it is fitting that a loving father give His child only what is best. And that he always does: sometimes healing now, sometimes not. But always, always, what is best for us.”

Though this is not a book directed towards single people, I appreciated her perspective, as a single person, in the area of relationships. It’s heartbreaking to see, from a woman’s point of view, the unfulfilled desire for lifelong companionship. In the “Ache of Expecting” she reflects on the advice given by a friend. “It is no small gift to find another who is like you and whose presence is so comforting and right that even the most ordinary moments are enriched by it. Better still is when that one whose presence is life-giving to you comes and means to stay. Emmanuel. God like us. God with us. Forever.”

McLeroy recognizes that longing can enrich our lives. “This is the now and the not yet. Because here we taste only a little of the treasure that is ours. Because it’s the very longing that makes the eventual receiving truly sweet.” Though waiting can be hard, this book finds beauty in it as it points to better things, those that are eternal.

Michelle Tumes

This takes you through Narnia’s wardrobe into a world of enchanting beauty.

At last Michelle Tumes has given us the proper follow-up to her acclaimed first recording. Listen (1999), the Charlie Peacock produced debut, was widely embraced for its creative fusion of pop and classical influences. Her talent for songwriting and layered vocals were also a highlight of the multi-artist Streams (1999) project, which was intended to reach those who suffer from depression. Two subsequent releases on Sparrow records, were a departure from the unique Enya-like music that made Listen so popular. Each of these saw Tumes drifting more into adult contemporary pop/rock, which is often characteristic of artists in the CCM realm.

After releasing Dream (2001), Tumes disappeared from the music scene, until the release of Lost in Wonder: Voices in Worship (2005), a collaboration with Susan Ashton and Christine Denté on contemporary worship songs.

Now with this self-titled release on her own Levantar label, Tumes has given us everything that her first recording was and more. This is Michelle Tumes at her best: excellent songwriting, haunting multi-layered background vocals and plenty of strings that highlight majestic and sweeping music that flows together from song to song. There’s an elegance and beauty that surpasses even what is heard on Listen. It’s this style that sets her apart even from Enya.

In this effort she moves away from guitar-driven adult contemporary pop/rock. Guitars, when heard, are submerged into a mix that highlights piano, strings, and some programmed percussion. A sprinkling of Latin song titles and phrases adds another dimension to her poetic songwriting.

If ever a recording deserved to be associated with the Chronicles of Narnia, this is it. This takes you through the wardrobe into another world. It has that magical quality that evokes the grandeur of mountains, the rolling of thunder, the color of flowers and the beauty of mists that hang over silent and still pasture lands.

Much of that is captured in the lovely "Break Through." In the introduction to the song Tumes writes, "I love the imagery of someone riding through rain and mists to save a heart that has hardened with the burdens of life." This song reminds me again of the elevating power of excellent art. It’s not hard to imagine the hero of a story riding on horseback towards a castle with this as a soundtrack. It’s a pleasure to listen to these moments of inspiring beauty that are scattered throughout this release.

"Lovely Day" matches an upbeat tempo with a cast your cares on God attitude. This is especially good medicine for the melancholy.

Tumes closes with the reflective "Hold Onto Jesus," a song Tumes wrote when she was only 17, but still captures her sentiments today. "When your heart is crying, / your world is dying / You’ve got to hold on to Jesus / When your life has had enough." It’s just Michelle and her piano.

It’s obvious that Michelle’s break from the treadmill of producing recordings each year has rejuvenated her faith and her music. She and husband and co-producer Doug Higgins have given us her best album yet. It was worth the wait to get something that is this excellent.