In Action: Laura Berman

With a brand new CD just released, Laura Berman is touring around the US right now, making new friends and catching up with old ones.  Based in the Northwest region, she travels to share inspirational originals and collaborate with other NT circuit artists. 

Laura supports the Georgia-based Center for Positive Aging and also supports the Pixel Project, a global group ending violence against women. And this week, she's fund-raising for Jewish Family Services - Laura is a serious student of Judaism and organizes beautiful events that connect Judaism with New Thought.  

Laura sends shout-outs to CSL Morristown and also to SCLA Atlanta.

More about Laura at www.laurabermanmusic.com. 

Shareables: Taize music for free

 Characterized by candlelight, prayer, and beautiful music, Taize services are more and more popular in New Thought.   Ecumenical, mystical, and contemplative, these services attract a wide range of worshippers, young and old.

Fortunately, the Taize community in Burgundy, France posts its whole library of songs, plus learning tools for each part.  They REALLY want you to be able to sing these pieces. Taize songs come from various global chant traditions and languages including Latin, German, Russian, French, Portugese, Spanish, English, Lithuanian and more.

In Action: Jennifer Ferren

Atlanta-based Jennifer Ferren isn't a show-off, so it takes a while to realize how many distinct superpowers she has.  An accomplished event band leader and frontwoman, producer, music director, singer/songwriter and mom, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience and hip grace to her gigs.   She's well-liked by other artists and leaders for her flexibility, humor, and perspective.

Jennifer supports Red Cross for disaster relief and United Way. She travels in both Unity and CSL circles, but sends special love to Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, as well as Atlanta CSL Midtown and CSL Sarasota.  Learn much more at http://jenniferferren.com/.

Shareables: New Thought Music Director Listing

This list, updated every month has basic contact info for hundreds of music directors from CSL's, Unities, and independent NT ministries all across the nation.  Right now the CSL's are a bit under-represented, so you're encouraged to send in the contact info for your church's program.

"Why should I do this?  Will it mean someone will bother me?  Will I get nuisance email?"  

So far, no, that's not been a problem, but in any case, NT centers in general could do more 'being seen' and less 'hiding out'.   One of the major ways we advance as a movement is through collaboration and networking, so don't skip this very easy way you can support the greater good, just by speaking up and being counted.     

Want another "being seen" easy freebie?   Make sure your church's website has a music ministry page, with contact info easily available for prospective guest artists and volunteers. 

In Action: Chanda Rule

Based in NYC, Chanda Rule brings her soul/jazz voice to diverse venues from the Apollo to Lincoln Center, BAMcafe to Union Theological Seminary, where she was recently awarded one of seven Hough Scholarships from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University to study Interfaith Dialogue through the Arts.  

She also tours the east coast regularly, though right now she's on "mini-maternity leave" and staying close to the NYC metro area.  (Mazeltov!) 

Chanda's outreach includes  BethelAfrica, which serves children in Uganda, and was started by one of her own workshop students.  Shout-outs go to CSL Morristown, as well as CSL North Jersey, and CSL Atlanta.

Learn much more about Chanda and hear lovely clips at http://www.chandarule.com/.

Call for Shareables

You’re strongly encouraged to send materials and suggestions for posting on this blog in the category “Shareables”.

Shareables could mean free original materials you’d like to give away, like your compositions, recordings or articles -- something that would be helpful for New Thought music staff, ministers, artists and seekers.  Or it could be links to libraries or hub sites where leaders and artists can access a wide range of resources all at once, for example a site that represents many different NT artists, or a symposium that will offer a wide variety of networking or professional development opportunities.   

One very important way we grow our music ministries is by seeing other spiritual communities'  services and music, but it's not always easy getting a Sunday off to go visiting.  So if you have links to streamed services and service videos, send those, definitely!    My place has a sweet volunteer who puts up videos on Youtube.   Doesn’t have to be Emmy-winning quality to be really helpful. Send it in!   

In Action: Faith Rivera

Hawaiian treasure Faith Rivera sings, writes, blogs, nurtures, loves, keynotes and teaches all over the US.  One of the first NT artists to regularly give virtual concerts, she’s savvy with tech and social media, while also maintaining a strong reputation for in-person warmth and authenticity.   

She supports many causes, but today highlights education group the Unstoppable Foundation as well as Jana Stanfield’s amazing orphanage project -   She sends special love out to Namaste CSL  in Long Beach, CA and to the Global Truth Center in North Hollywood. 

Learn much more at http://www.faithrivera.com.

Shareables: EmPower Music and Arts

You may know Empower as the sponsor of the Posi Music Festival and the Posi Music Awards, but the website has lots of other goodies, too.  Repertoire boosters, a music rights database, connections to hundreds of musicians, authors, and organizations.  Empower has grown significantly in the past two years, and now has truly national reach.  

This year’s Posi Fest is in Orlando from Jan16-20, with song school, workshops, keynotes, pajama jams, dozens of amazing NT musicians including Daniel Nahmod, Jana Stanfield, FaithRivera, Sloan Wainwright, Robert Anderson, David Roth, JD Martin-Jan Garrett, Karen Drucker, Jami Lula, Amy Steinberg, Laura Berman and many more.    

Empower Music and Arts: www.empowerma.com 

In Action: Jan Garrett and JD Martin

This Colorado duo has provided some of the most beautiful and memorable music on the New Thought circuit including "I Dreamed of Rain", "Living in the Heart of God" and many others. JD and Jan have several outreach causes they love - Colorado Red Cross (in particular now because of the flooding), Habitat for Humanity, and Response: Help for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

They're based in the Central region, but tour extensively. A few of their favorite CSL centers: Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, Center for Spiritual Living Reno, and Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley.

Music, workshop and keynote info, songbooks and karaoke tracks available at www.garrett-martin.com.

Shareables: Freebies, traditionals, and rep indexes

Your NT Artist tab administrator Erin McGaughan has a resource section on her website, with rep indexes, freebie charts, stacks of traditional tunes, surveys and other resources that might be handy for your CSL’s music program. Including:

Rep helpers - Freebies and traditional singalongs

Rep helpers - Searchable lyrics of 300+ singalongs

Program Practices - Four Functions in Orders of Service

Program Practices - Conflicts & Resolutions in MD/Min relationships

Program Practices - 10 Ways to Freshen Up Your Music Ministry

Choral technique files: Warm up - Phonation and Scales.pdf

Voice coaching files - Vocal Health

Visit http://erinmcgaughan.com/links.aspx for much more.

In Action: Daniel Nahmod

The accomplished and multi- award-winning songwriter has served many important causes including Katrina relief, benefit work for humanitarian aid in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and many more. Two to check out today are Cedars Sinai Hospital in LA, and a newer organization called Tiny Sparrow Foundation, providing photographic services to families affected by cancer.

Based: Southwest Region. Daniel visits hundreds of CSL’s all over the country. This month he’s heading to CSL Dallas, after accepting the Grace Note Award from Sound Connections, a conference for NT music professionals at Unity Village.

Visit him at www.danielnahmod.com .   

Shareables: 101 Inspiring Songs: The Ultimate New Thought Fakebook

Charylu Roberts and Doug LeBow created a fakebook (that’s a collection of song charts in condensed format) that every CSL needs in its library. Styles range from mellow to energetic, singalongs, solos, country to funky to balladic, from a truckton of well-known songwriters in the New Thought genre.

Why am I so sure your program needs this book in its repertoire library?  
Check out the table of contents.

Now you can go buy it and know for certain you’re doing a good thing.

In Action: Karen Drucker

Perhaps New Thought’s most widely known singer/songwriter, and now author, speaker and teacher, Karen also embodies compassionate generosity with every breath. Though she just about never stops giving, two of her favorite causes are Marin County Bread and Roses, bringing music to isolated communities, and Khmer Child Foundation, along with Rev. David Ault, supporting children in Cambodia.

Based: Southwest region. While she tours nationally and internationally, today she sends special shout-outs to CSL Santa Rosa and Golden Gate CSL. 

Visit her at www.karendrucker.com  for a good time with a master soul.

 

Shareables: Positive Music Association

Scott Johnson’s well-made website gives easy access to 400+ musicians, with widgets to filter by region and genre, samples and contact info. PMA radio lets you sit back and listen in to a positive mix, and the resource pages point the way to other great listening sites.

 As founder of PMA, Scott is well known throughout the national network of New Thought musicians as a dedicated organizer, skilled leader and talented musician himself.

Catch him organizing the global World Singing Days  and partnering with organizations like Music 2 Life  and The Pixel Project's musical campaigns.

Visit www.positivemusicassociation.com/  for more.

In Action: Marianne Lewis

 A "renaissance artist" – author, speaker, songwriter, filmmaker, actor and singer who crosses genres from traditional hymns to the funkiest contemporary groove, Marianne supports The Birthing Project reducing global infant mortality, as well as His Love Street and others making a difference for those facing poverty and homelessness.

Based: Southwest region. When she is not on board at Agape in CA, she brings her gifts to other CSL’s around the nation. Special shout-out love to New Vision Center in AZ, as well as the Seaside CSL in Encinitas.

Visit her at www.unconditionalmusic.com  for much more.