Here's to life...

This week has been FILLED with music: we started off with a show by Steve Earle doing the material of Townes Van Zandt. This music is an acquired taste for most of us - and I love some of Townes' tunes - and admire a lot of Earle's music and acting. But, sadly, for the most part the show was flat with mushy sound - a real problem for an acoustic set. Still, it was great to support a man I respect and do our part to keep acoustic music in America alive...

Then our band - Between the Banks - finally got back together after an all too long break and started working on a set for Sunday, July 26th. The theme of worship - grounded in the whole "there is NO sacred or secular anymore" theme - will explore how contemporary popular culture helps fill the incarnational whole found in too much public worship. We wrestled with what new music tunes fit best and ended up with five key songs - the newest being Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." It takes some creativity and finesse to workout an essentially acoustic version of this anthem... but we had fun finding a way to do it.

Today I spoke with a friend about helping me make MP3s and videos for YouTube for this worship - he will be recording our practice next week - and worship, too. We have a good thing going - not perfect - but beautiful and soulful and we'll finally be able to share some of it soon.

And then tomorrow - our Sabbath - we're headed out to Arlo Guthrie's place of music and worship - yes, the old Alice's Restaurant - with some friends to hear one of my all time old favorites: Tom Rush! He helped bring Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and others to a wider audience back in the day and helped white boys like me learn to love blues finger picking guitar. I have seen him many times through the years and still get chills when he does "No Regrets/Rockport Sunday."

And then this Sunday we'll do Allison Krausse's version of "I'll Fly Away" in worship AND have a guest musical family on piano, violin and clarinet join us, too. OMG... I pray you blessings like these as your Sabbath comes however you embrace it...