| |
Description
"Theresa
Thomason and Paul Halley cook up new flavors
for contemporary choral and gospel music."
“Sound
Over All Waters” is a CD with roots in gospel, contemporary jazz and
world music wherein the serendipitous pairing of two diverse talents,
Theresa Thomason, vocalist, and Paul Halley, keyboardist and composer,
results in a musical synergy that is as exciting as it is engaging.
Although from radically different musical backgrounds, Thomason from the
gospel tradition, Halley from classical choral and Anglican traditions,
the feeling of spontaneity and freshness, joy and spirit that emanates
from this album bespeaks a perfect collaboration.
With
texts poetic and sublime, from such luminaries as Antonio Machado, John
Greenleaf Whittier and Wendell Berry, Paul Halley has created new music
that is both lyrical and innovative, rich in harmony, ethnic texture,
and contrapuntal rhythm. “Come Away to the Skies” and “Jubilate Deo”
are brilliant new “blended” songs created by Halley especially for this
recording. In “Freedom Trilogy”, Halley combines South African
folksong, Gregorian chant, and the American hymn “Amazing Grace” over an
instrumental background of world rhythms. “Circles”, an ever spiraling
ascent through the musical “circle of fifths”, is a vocal solo of
penetrating sophistication with jazz subtleties. In “Hold to God’s
Unchanging Hand”, a Halley arrangement of a traditional gospel tune,
Thomason takes Halley into her territory albeit on his terms, while
“Marvellous Error” is a poignant drama in melody, clearly Halley. The
final cut, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, a duet for Thomason and
Halley, is a parting gift that brings the album full circle to the lyric
solo voice of Thomason, offering up a delicate, reverential prayer on a
cloud of organ harmonies by Halley.
The
supporting voices on the CD are those of Keramion, a choir of
professionals hand-picked by Halley, augmented by senior members of
Chorus Angelicus, Halley’s children’s choir, and a quintet from
Thomason’s gospel tour team, Sacred Sounds. The band also comprises a
top line-up of musicians, from newcomers such as the vibrant young Nate
Smith on drums to the well-established and much sought-after studio
guitarist, Chuck Loeb. Of course, all keyboards, (piano, pipe organ and
synth) are in Halley’s hands as is the overall direction and production
of the album. All this comes together under the hands of Grammy
Award-winning producer/engineer Tom Bates, who has recorded and mixed a
diverse array of instruments and voices and woven them into tapestries
that highlight the subtlest nuances and brightest twists of every voice.
Reviews
from Rambles – an online cultural arts magazine
"Renowned organist and
choirmaster Paul Halley teams up with singer Theresa Thomason to produce
“Sound Over All Waters”, a stunning CD of sacred and gospel music. The CD
also features the professional vocal ensemble Kerámion, whose name comes
from the Greek word meaning 'the clay jar".
The serendipitous pairing of these two diverse talents, Thomason’s vocal
artistry and Halley’s compositional brilliance, results in new music that is
as exciting as it is engaging. Although from radically different musical
backgrounds, she from the gospel tradition, he from classical choral and
Anglican traditions, the feeling of joy and spontaneity that emanates from
this album bespeaks a perfect collaboration.
Halley performs on various keyboards and composed much of the music on the
CD, setting poetry and other selections to majestic, graceful melodies and
arrangements. From the first exuberant track, “The Rain Is Over and Gone”
based on verses from the Song of Solomon, to the starkly simple arrangment
of th final song, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” Halley and Thomason
present a seamless unity of passion and praise, blending the old and the new
in a CD replete with respect for the content.
Thomason's vibrant and powerful voice rings with sincere devotion. She is a
versatile performer, interpreting everything from Bible verses to gospel to
the poetry of Wendell Berry and John Greenleaf Whittier with just the right
degree of exquisite expression.
"Hold to God's Unchanging Hand" is a lively gospel style song with a jazzy
undertone while "Sound Over All Waters" has a traditional feel. "Circles," a
poem by Wendell Berry, is moodier, more contemporary, yet it is not out of
place, remaining true to the overall spirit of the CD. "Come Away to the
Skies" has a swinging rolling melody with great rhythmic appeal. The mood
shifts and changes with each song, but there is overall cohesiveness to the
arrangements.
Kerámion's performance meshes beautifully with Thomason' s singing; they
have a clean, clear sound that supports and complements the solo voice
flawlessly. They also get a chance to shine on their own with two familiar
spirituals: "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot."
The penultimate track, "Freedom Trilogy," combines the talents of Thomason,
Kerámion, the Choir of Sacred Sounds and members of Chorus Angelicus, the
children's choir Halley founded. The track begins with the 16th century
"Kyrie," sung in crystal clear harmony, which leads into to rousing South
African hymns "Haleluya! Pelo Tsa Rona" and "Siyahambu." The hymns break off
to a lively percussion bridge, after which Thomason launches into a silk
smooth up-tempo rendition of "Amazing Grace." The choruses and Thomason
combine to bring the selection to a dramatic conclusion, and one might
expect that to be the finale of the album. But the final track of solo voice
and organ reminds us that no matter how we share our worship, faith is
something that comes from each of us alone.
This CD is an enriching experience regardless of your belief system; there
is a universality in the musical expression that transcends denomination.
Thomason's sincerity and enthusiasm shines though on each track. "
- Donna Scanlon
from The American
Organist Magazine
"Sound Over All Waters”, while a complete change of stylistic pace from
“Sacred Feast”, fulfills the preceding disc’s promise of sonic
“perfection”. Here the Cambridge-trained Anglican face of Paul Halley
gives way to his persona of New Age jazz man and international eclectic.
Teamed up with gospel diva Theresa Thomason and a supporting cast that
would do Cecil B. DeMille proud, Halley commands a unique medium
remarkable for its fluidity and emotional power. The performances are
superb, with Thomason wielding the wattage of a pop diva, the sincerity
of the best of the old-time gospel singers, and a diction that many
opera stars could well emulate. Choral and solo deliveries are so clean,
in fact, as to be perfectly intelligible from start to finish against
the background hum of rush hour traffic – a serious test for any
artist’s or engineer’s ability.
On a disc where all the selections are standouts, “Freedom Trilogy”
merits special note. “Trilogy” here refers not to the individual tunes
that are so magically blended, first sequentially and then
simultaneously, but rather to the three sonic worlds that the tunes
represent: Gregorian chant yields to the sounds of Africa before both
are gloriously embraced by “Amazing Grace”. Halley’s vision of a world
without boundaries is powerfully conveyed in a work that will continue
to delight, inspire, and amaze after many repeated auditions.”
- Jennifer Kolmes
Credits
Theresa Thomason
and
Paul Halley
with Keramion
directed by Paul Halley
Theresa Thomason – vocals
Paul Halley – keyboards
Keramion – chorus
Chuck Loeb – guitar
Brian Morgan – guitar
Carl El – bass
Nate Smith – drums
Jamey Haddad – percussion
The Choir of Sacred Sounds
Members of Chorus Angelicus
Produced by Paul Halley, Tom Bates &
Joe Marno
Margaret Race,
Executive Producer
Tom Bates,
Recording Engineer
Nathaniel Rogers and Kate Leigh, Assistant Engineers
Samantha Halley and Vanessa Halley, Production Coordinators
Bruce Fifer, Personnel Coordinator for Keramion
The Reverend J.J. Thomason, Personnel Coordinator for The Choir of Sacred Sounds
Band recorded at Ambient Studios, Stamford, CT
Choral and vocal tracks recorded at Battell Chapel, Norfolk, CT
Kerry Gavin Studio,
Art Design and Production
Margaret Race,
Creative Supervision
Photographs
by Edward Acker Photography, Great Barrington, MA
with additional material by Katherine Griswold, Norfolk, CT
Keramion
Sopranos
Maribeth Diggle
Vanessa Halley
Margaret Race
Rachel Rosales
Martha Sullivan
Emily Werne
Altos
Johnson Flucker
Katie Geissinger
Samantha Halley
Mary Ann Hart
Tenors
Peter Coulianos
John Shankweiler
James Archie Worley
Basses
Kevin Andersen
Bruce Fifer
Nicholas Halley
Robert Osborne
Members of Chorus Angelicus
Elena Barrett
Maribeth Diggle
Samantha Halley
Vanessa Halley
Marie Laser
Celeste Lodevole
Julia Torrant
Emily Werne
The Choir of Sacred Sounds
Brenda Cline
Donna Clyne-Thomas
Carol Cyrus
Mary Davis
Sheila Slappy
Dorinda Thomason
© 1998 Pelagos Incorporated
All Rights Reserved
Made in USA
|
|
