[This is another segment in the Music in the Bible series which begins in Genesis and finishes in Revelation.]
And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound. (1 Kings 1:40)
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In this biblical account, we come to the end of King David's life. As he is about to shed the mortal coil and pass to eternity, it is important for him to name his successor to the throne. Like the wise and loyal king he has always been, he seeks counsel from God and the prophets before officially making the decree that his son, Solomon, should reign after him. This announcement is made with much fanfare, music and merry making because Solomon's reign became the high point of Israel's earthly glory. The terrestrial stretch of the kingdom fulfilled God's promise of reaching from the Euphrates to Egypt and rulers and princes from all over the world came to his courts to marvel at the greatness and wisdom that the Lord bestowed upon his servant and his people. It was truly a concert that changed the world with its message!
This Italian priest makes you an offer you can't refuse
Don Pasquale Ferone hails from a parish in Naples, Italy and is a Catholic charismatic priest who plays some spirited guitar and writes songs unos post alium. Check out his songs and bio HEREand follow this talented and gifted padre on his Facebook page along with thousands of others. CMA is officially an international blog now!
The Good Thieves is the creation of Hugo James from the United Kingdom and is a very eclectic collection of songs that feature instrumental tracks with lyrics that stick closely to Scripture stories. Read more HERE. Business is good at CMA through my fiverr gig and the reviews are all 5 star so praise the Lord for that!
Our new EP is in the works now. Fee Nix is another concept production centered on the idea that our redemption cost has been PAID IN FULL by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. This collection introduces teen singer/songwriter, Katelynn McKinney, who adds a brilliant new, young and energetic dimension to vocals on at least one song so far. We are looking to make it available around Easter. Visit patientchill.com and subscribe if you want to be kept in the calm loop.
Thanks for subscribing to the CMA newsletter and remember: As crazy as things appear on earth these days, all is right in heaven! Just keep calm and listen!
From Italy come the sounds of this amazing guitarist singer/songwriter priest. Enjoy his profile and check out his music!
Don Pasquale
Please tell us about your musical journey in Christ. How long have you been making music?
Don Pasquale is a priest from the province of Naples who loves music and composes songs of Christian inspiration, present on all digital platforms. From an early age he began attending church with his family. At 15 he learned to play the guitar and animate the various celebrations and charismatic prayer meetings in the parish. After receiving the Baptism in the Spirit, at the age of 10 with a group of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, he began to plan to enter the seminary and he became a priest in 1998. As a priest he continues to further cultivate his passion for the guitar and from 2017 he started composing music of Christian inspiration. In the meantime, the singer-songwriter has become parish priest in the province and outskirts of Naples. There are four albums to his credit: Certezza 2017, Confidenza 2018, Come Rock 2019, The Gift of Life 2020, Fediliazione 2020 (Homemade). Don Pasquale has also released the singles: Fiducia 2020 (Homemade), Guarda il Cielo 2020 (Homemade), Gioia immensa will be found in (Homemade) 2020. They are all songs of evangelization and praise and, together with the albums, they are all present on digital and streaming platforms. To stay up to date on all the news regarding Don Pasquale's music, it is advisable to periodically follow his YouTube channel, his Facebook page and the other social channels that are always active. Choose your favorite and follow: https://ffm.to/d1ydwy4
What music inspires you the most (Christian or secular)? Name your favorites.
Christian music. Giuseppe Cionfoli, La Voz del Desierto.
How has making music made a difference in your Christian walk?
It helped me and continues to help me to transmit the Christian faith and to proclaim the Lord and His Gospel together with universal values such as Peace, Brotherhood and Love.
What projects are you working on now? What are your hopes for them?
I am currently waiting for new inspiration and I believe that soon there will be a new piece of Christian inspiration.
Let us know where we can follow you and your music and give us any last words of advice and/or encouragement.
You can follow me and listen to my music on all digital platforms and on social networks; I leave the link here where you can choose your favorite digital platform:
Wishing you all the best in the Lord. I invite you to never be discouraged in daily life and to always get in tune with the Lord. Despite the difficulties, He listens to us and is always close to us. Good life to everyone...
I will feature you or your Christian band of any genre music on my quickly growing blog which averages 5000 views per month. I can also review your music and create a custom promo video of it and I will aggressively promote items on at least six social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and Twitter. I do not accept requests from artists with music that promotes sex, drugs, self mutilation (including transgenderism), suicide, or contain any kind of explicit lyrics or hate speech towards any individual, race, creed or color. I reserve the right to reject proposals based on this criteria or any other Scriptural guidelines for holy living. Send me links to your music before you purchase.
[This is another segment in the Music in the Bible series which begins in Genesis and finishes in Revelation.]
6 Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 7 So the women sang as they danced, and said:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”
8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul eyed David from that day forward. (1 Samuel 18:6-10)
An unhappy King Saul
There are numerous condemnations against envy and jealously mentioned throughout Scripture. It is succinctly forbidden in the Ten Commandments: "Thou shall not covet.". It's one of the hardest and most insidious sins that can worm its way into our Christian walk particularly amongst professional musicians who depend upon recognition for their livelihood.
If I could offer a magic prayer or formula to help us all with this universal flaw in human nature, then I would but I can't. Just remember that envy was also Satan's downfall. He was not content being the most beautiful and powerful of all the angels. He was still envious of God and wanted to usurp His throne out of jealous ambition. So if some spirit like the devil fell victim to jealously, what chance as mere mortals do we have? Thank you Jesus for the blood.
There's a saying about politics that goes something like this: Most people only see the final results of a political proclamation or passage of a law. Sometimes it is palatable and sometimes it is not, but if we could see how it looked in the making, nobody would bite into it.
I used to watch my father making Polish kielbasa in our kitchen when I was a child. The process fascinated me and the ingredients that he stuffed into the animal intestinal casing did not whet my appetite in the least. It was just the effort that he put into it that I admired and found really interesting. When he served that sausage for friends and family at the dinner table, I kept silent as I watched everyone eat with appreciation because it was good and spicy and very palatable. Most of the time. Every so often he would come up with a bad batch but nobody had the heart to tell him and we were none for the worse because making kielbasa was a labor of love for papa.
And so it seems to be as I dig deeper into the music industry. I speak as a novice so if you're a jaded veteran of the biz, you can probably stop reading right now and go check out some of the great musicians I have featured before on this blog here, here or here. Yet after successfully producing, distributing and promoting my band Patient Chill's debut EP which will be played daily for the next 3 months on a major London, England FM station and a popular FM station in Sweden simultaneously, I feel like I've earned a stripe so keep calm and listen.
Even God began with a mess on his hands before taking it into His studio and polishing creation into perfection:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters--Genesis 1:1-2
So (and I say this with reverence), God, the Executive Producer of the cosmos, had a creative score in mind and had to bring all the diverse elements together into a finished product that satisfied Himself before anything or anyone else was satisfied including humanity. Why there was such a mess in the universe before God went to work on it is a subject of scholarly debate and speculation that is beyond the scope of my post here so I won't even fake an attempt at trying to explain and understand it. But some say Satan ruined things and God went right to work making things perfect again but that can't be proven.
Anyhow, the Lord's got this mess that He's got to somehow repackage like sausage ingredients into a casing that looks, smells and sounds superb--beyond perfection--but He would like some players in the band because that's what music is supposed to be about ultimately--a conversation in tempo, lyric and sound between sentient beings. But that bad actor the devil is still lurking around in the studio hallways, envious and ready to muck up the mix. Why God allows this is another serious question for debate that will only be answered beyond the grave probably for believers and unbelievers also, both having different reactions to the same reason.
So the cosmic Maestro, Yahweh as he was called in the Old Testament, masterfully brings it all together creating perfect harmony out of total dissonance and adding countless elements into the mix that no human sound engineer would ever be capable of handling. But God does it all in just six days and takes a break to probably shuffle and repeat and listen and look to what He's accomplished with the work of His mighty hands through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. And He surely decided, in spite of what He knew would happen with the fall of Adam and Eve, that it was all worth it and redeemable and could be (pardon the human expression) remixed and digitally remastered to sound brighter, clearer and more vibrant that anyone or any angel could imagine. But, in sympathy with the apostle Paul, I speak only as a human and it probably all sounds foolish. (Romans 6:19) However, I will keep watching the sausage and the music made behind the scenes and I will produce and serve what I hope is the best possible musical kielbasa to whoever wants to sit at the feast table of the redeemed saints. Yes. I will sing this new song for however long I am required to do so.
So you've got talent and a great new song out on at least Spotify or YouTube through a legitimate distribution network like Distrokid? Now what? Let me share with you some tips that I'm transferring from my work as a former novelist (pre-conversion to Christ) and book promoter.
Tip #1: Grow a thick skin and expect rejection. The truth is that there are zillions of talented artists out there, as you well know, but start looking at them as fellow travelers on what could be an awesome journey but you have to pay your dues as the saying goes.
Tip #2: Keep your wallet closed as much as possible. Sure, it's tempting to want throw some hard earned money at a slick sounding music promoter who cares very little if you're music is any good or not. They are very good at fishing for vanity buyers so keep your head up and your feet on the ground because there is a tremendous amount of leg work you have to be willing to do if you are on a limited budget.
Tip #3. Learn who to trust. Not everyone is a wolf in sheep's clothing and there are some very genuine folks out there who can help you share your music and create a fan base with reviews and shares and other cost effective methods. This calls for discretion.
Tip #4: Invest your royalties, no matter how small, back into your business. The reason? Taxes!
It sounds counterintuitive, but losing money when you're starting out can be a good thing as far as the IRS is concerned. You can write off almost everything related to your music: Internet, phone, software, home studio space, etc. And if you throw a DJ party and feature just one of your songs, you can write off expenses for that too! Believe me, getting a nice tax refund at the end of an unprofitable year helps ease the pain a lot but keep all your records and receipts in proper order! Check on the IRS site on how to create a business profile. This is something that a lot of people overlook who soon expect the dollars to start rolling in miraculously because it just ain't gonna happen!
Tip #5. Social media works! Does it have to be said? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc., are cheap avenues but make sure you have a home, or landing page, to drive people to where you feature and control whatever you want about your business and interest. This page your on is a good example and for $15 dollars a year, it's worth it to buy your own customized domain name.
Tip #6. Keep improving your skills! Try to be engaged almost everyday in some way with your interests. If it's just a few minutes practicing music or learning ever changing DAW skills or connecting on social media, just make it a habit.
Tip #7. Play with other believers. Music is a celestial conversations between souls. Find other like-minded musicians in church or somewhere else where you can dialogue in real time. Not only will it improve your faith in your performance, but it will keep the devil and his doubts at bay. If you're having fun praising the Lord in song, you've won the day against the enemy.
And the best, most important tip of all?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths--Proverbs 3:5-6.
It may sound corny, but if you leave God out of your plans, any of your plans, why would He honor your work especially if you claim to be praising Him with your efforts? Keep connected with your faith groups and with other Christian musicians. Encourage one another as we are instructed to do and build each other up in love. Continually. Ephesians 4:29.
Christian musicians have a fine line to walk between ego and humility.
What I mean is that, although you gotta have some stage presence mentality if you want to promote your music, and if you claim to be doing God's work (which I believe most are), you have that old serpent, Satan, tugging at your flesh constantly to excite and compress that Pride of Life button that he likes to push on believers. How not to be tricked into temptation by all the glitter, glory and fandom? Let's bounce this so you can add to your own mix.
First of all, you have to admit that God is not mocked or fooled.You can't say one thing to Him in public (or in private) and deep in your heart be thinking bling. The Old Testament is full of hypocrites who Jehovah burned to a crisp for doing just that sort of thing, plus Jesus himself was clear on the subject when he said, "You can't serve God and mammon. You will either love or hate the other." (Matt 6:24). But the Son of God talked a lot about money also during his brief earth gig, especially in his parables, so he knew the reality of making ends meet. And if you know what's sinful about collecting royalties for your pure creative efforts, let me know because I just don't see it. However, I'm pretty sure that it's thelove of those royalties and fan sentiments that could be the stumbling block in your walk with God.
In the end, I believe we are all on our own in this matter as I see it falling under the category of 'working out your salvation with fear and trembling' because, if you are a true believer and have been washed clean with the blood and reborn, than the mysterious and super dynamite cosmic power of the Holy Spirit that created the stars, heavens and all things on earth is alive in you. And if you meditate long enough on that either through prayer or music or both, then your Humble FX effect will be snapped to grid just right. But then Clint Eastwood cut it to the quick in his classic flick, Pale Rider, when he, playing an impoverished itinerant preacher who teamed up with some persecuted town people to fight the local evil and greedy business demagogue, shot down the guy's offer to build him a church complete with a congregation. Check it out:
This is the actual bible verse of Luke 2:14, the angels proclaiming: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” We have so many misconceptions about what God's Word says and we have twisted Scripture in order to create a god of our own desires--a universal sky daddy that offers unconditional love to humanity without repentance in the name of Christ.
We are still AT WAR
Acoustic/rocker Tehdi Durham swoops in quite unexpectedly on Christmas Eve to thankfully remind us of the fact that, even though the gift of God the Father to humanity through the birth of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, is a marvelous miracle to behold, the end game as far as the unsaved world is concerned is still not over. Those of us who have been redeemed, who love the brethren (1 John 3:14), must prayerfully continue to be a witness and a testimony to a dying planet that God's gift for salvation is conditional upon calling to the Lord in prayer and repentance or turning from sin with the help of God's grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! JOHN 3:7
Rapper Roman Tilus has a new EP drop out called, Deviant, which I review. It is a collection in hip hop fashion that reminds us we are all 'conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity' (Psalm 51:5) and that it is only by God's mercy and grace that we can inherit the kingdom. Check out some live footage of him performing.
My band, Patient Chill, will be releasing the rest of their EP on Monday, December 28. Click hereto see singer, Anshu Jha, doing some interpretive dance for the title track.
Finally, If you, or anyone you know, wants to be featured on my quickly growing blog, just go to christianmusicianslive.com and follow the signs to submit an interview or music review request on the forms provided. It's that easy! And remember: sharing is caring!
