"6 + One"

We're calling our EP "6 + One."  We had a list going, but when this one came up, we threw the list away.  Reasons vary from deep to shallow. 

Here they are in no order:

 

• Isaiah 61 is where the inspiration for our album came from (see previous post, "Song-spiration").
• We love the number 7!
• We met on July 7th, 2007, we got married 2 years from the day (a Tuesday, so, hardcore), and we're planning on eventually naming one of our kids Seven.  Yes, it's true.
• There are 6 original songs on this album, plus 1 original interlude by Jon Skaggs: 7 tracks total.
• In scripture, 6 is the number of man, 1 is the number of God and beginnings, and 7 symbolizes completeness - the union of earth and heaven.

It's perfect!  How many more reasons do you need?!  
Oh "6 + One" you say?  Funny.  Reeal funny.

A Shout to The "Sound Board"

Sound board, a photo by Adam James Photography © on Flickr.

I had my song-spiration. Now all I had to do was start writing!

After the first day, I felt a bit humbled. "Hmm..wonder how I figured I was s'posed to know what matters to someone besides me if I planned on doing this myself?"
And after the second day, I felt lonely. "Boy...sure wish I had someone to share THIS cool thought with..."
Third day, I was stuck.

Stuck? I couldn't be stuck! "Work it out, P. What'cha gonna do?"

I sent out an email asking five friends and trusted acquaintances to offer feedback on my stuff - lyrics and melodies. I knew I was asking a lot (cause only I knew exactly how regularly I'd write them - just about every day). Each of these folks is the kind not to make commitments unless they can follow through. I gave them a way out and hoped for just one heartfelt "Yes."

To my surprise, they were all on board! I'd found myself one heavy-duty Sound Board!!

My Sound Board is made up of guys and gals, young and mature, and they span the state: a professionally trained vocal coach in Seattle; a local experienced musician, worship director and music store owner; a vocalist from Spokane with extensive musical lineage; a retired gospel recording artist with wisdom; and a special friend who just has that knack of knowing a song is gonna be a hit before it plays on the radio.

You've gotta know, I couldn't have written the songs for this album without my Sound Board. So for them, I want to make sure I give a shout out: "Thank you. Thank you! THANK you!! THANK YOU!!!"

Sweet Song-spiration

In January, I found a note at my folks house that I'd written when I was maybe 10 or 11.  It said:

"If I could invent a color of my very own, I would call it 'Jordan' (my middle name) so that my name would seem pretty.  It would be the most wonderful, graceful, glorious, peace-making color in the world.  It would be kind, yet 'sufistacated'.  Peaceful looking, yet powerful looking...I would be a purple, blue-green color...

I'LL WRITE THIS LATER!!!"  

It made me laugh!  No one was twisting my arm to write about what color I would invent!  When I read it again, though, I realized that, more than describing a color, I was trying to communicate the kind of person I wanted to be.  Then I realized, I still wanted to be that kind of person.  Heck, I still wanted to be that color!  I'd just put purple highlights in my hair!

I thought I'd found a helpful little clue leading me toward more solid song inspiration.  I decided I'd start paying closer attention to those more timeless bits of my character and roll those into my songwriting ideas (profound, I know).   

Days later, an old note I'd made from Isaiah 61 fell out of my Bible, so I read it again:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me 

• to bring good news to the afflicted;
• He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
• to proclaim liberty to the captives, 
• and freedom to the prisoners.
• To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
• and the day of vengeance of our God;
• to comfort all who mourn

...giving them beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of gladness instead of mourning, 

the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. 

So they will be called oaks of righteousness, 

the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."  

I immediately remembered reading this for the first time.  I read it at a corner cafe, eyes wide, because I felt like I was reading something that...well, I might as well have written in my prayer journal!  "Bring good news to the afflicted?  Proclaim liberty and freedom to captives?!  Bind up the brokenhearted?!  Comfort those who mourn...?...That's what I want to do!  This is ME!"
 

"Hmm...I wonder..."  I counted the number of things Isaiah listed.  I'd found a theme for each song on our album.  Sweet song-spiration!