String Quartet recording for Risen! – The Musical
Kirstie Richardson – First Violin – Liz Peskett – Second Violin – Ruth McGibben – Viola – Fiona Murphy – Cello

“Put Your Hand In The Hand of God” – from CD “Precious” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard, with backing vocals from Fiona Poustie – Recorded and produced by Ross Gill.

Thanks so much to Kirstie Robinson , Liz Peskett , Ruth Mc Gibben and Fiona Murphy  and of course Joffy who spent all day recording on Sunday for the Risen!- The Musical double CD.  Joffy had spent hours and hours scoring pieces for the string quartet with Kirstie on first violin, Liz on second violin, Ruth on viola and Fiona on cello. It all sounded great and the album is going to be amazing.  A big thank you also to Global Fire Productions who allowed us to use their studio – www.globalfireproductions.co.uk – thanks very much Ross and co.

Next up is Matt Watling recording some Tuba, Stuart Fowler some trumpet and then we are looking at mixing and mastering at the London College of Music in the last two weeks of November.  So we are getting closer and closer to the CD’s completion. We are also working hard at organising a full Risen!- The Musical stage production for May 2015 – so please continue watching this space.

So no blog this week – should have some more info on  Risen!- The Musical soon – in the meantime here is a song from Lucy Stimpson- Maynard taken from the Mustard Seed album Love is the Way.

it was my great privilege for this to be played at the signing of the register at the recent wedding service at Holy Rood Church of my dear friend and webmaster Peter-John Radcliffe to the lovely  Lorna

“Behind the Stone” featuring  J Marie Cooper (Mary Magdalene) from “Love Beyond – The Concept CD”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” has been running off and on for 43 years; it has some fantastic songs such as the theme tune and the haunting“ I Don’t Know How To Love Him.” However it does not include the Resurrection of Jesus and not many would regard it as telling the story from a Christian perspective.  The musical “Godspell,”   although again missing a definitive resurrection, is much more Christian based – being mostly centred on the parables of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Matthew.  “Godspell” also has had many different productions since 1971. One fantastic version I recently saw was produced by my good friend Paul Clements’ theatrical company Vision Works visionworksmtc.co.uk. There have also been numerous Passion plays such as the one staged in Southampton in 2011 by another friend,  Neil Maddock for  E- Quip Arts Community Project www.e-quiparts.org.uk

However Christian musicals are very much few and far between.  We are of course so excited that our very own “Risen! – The Musical”! is well on its way to having a completed double CD, with a written score in the pipeline and hopefully a full stage production ready for 2015. As I have previously said this is somewhat dependant on funds, hence my reference in recent blogs to our potential fund raiser “Cheerful Giver” which we hope will be launched on Oct 26^th.

Risen! focuses on one relatively small part of the Bible – namely the resurrection appearances of Jesus -a  small  part of the Bible but one which most Christians would regard as the most important – after all St Paul says that if Christ is not raised then our preaching is useless and so is our  faith.

The new musical “Love Beyond”  www.lovebeyondmusical.com  however features the theme of love using illustrations from the whole of the Bible -Genesis through to Revelation.  I had the privilege to see the show last week on the final night of a two day production at the Wembley Arena. The writer and Producer,  Richard Haley who I recently met  (sorry I seem to be name dropping big time today!) told me that he had a dream to create a concept musical some 15 years ago inspired by his progressive music heroes Rick Wakeman and Jeff Wayne. He also had a vision whilst at the Wembley Arena with his son that this would be an ideal venue for dramatising his Christian faith in music. Part of the story behind “Love Beyond” involves Richard meeting with Tabitha Webb when she was currently singing the female lead in “Phantom of the Opera”. Tabitha collaborated with Richard in writing and arranging the music and was instrumental in bringing in many West End performers.

The show richly deserved the accolades it has received – here is one typical of many posted on Facebook;

This was a fantastic evening, splendid, thought-provoking, and richly layered. Awesome choreography, superb use of minimal props and staging, world class performances, and a thoroughly up-lifting and faithful presentation of the greatest love story ever told.

So “Love Beyond”  has proved that a Christian musical can be produced in a top, top venue- can be totally professionally presented and be extremely well received – where “Love Beyond – The Musical” has gone – I hope and pray that “Risen! -The Musical” will follow.

In the next few weeks Joffy is recording a string quartet for the Risen!  CD and backing tracks and Stuart Fowler is returning to add some additional trumpet so until then I am going to take a rest from blog writing and wait until there is more info to share such as the “Cheerful Giver”  fund raising launch.  In the meantime we will post on this blog a Mustard Seed Song each week.

As promised some info on our fund raising plans. We are hoping to launch the Risen! Fundraiser on Oct 26^th which is the day the clocks go back and also the birthday of Darren, the inventor of the fundraiser known as “Cheerful Giver.”

“Cheerful Giver” will work in a similar way to that of a chain letter – I will be sending off invitations by email to people asking them to help fund the completion and manufacture of the Risen! CD – the writing of a musical score and the production of a stage show.  The plan is that each person invited donates £5.00 and then invites three others.  Those that donate receive a free download of one of the tracks from Risen! – “How Great Are His Signs.”

Today’s blog features the promo which will accompany the “Cheerful Giver” email invitation. Please let me know if you would like to be one of the first to be invited – just email me on Ken.shearsmith@ntlworld.com

Thanks so much.  Next week I will give you an update on how the recording of the Risen! CD is progressing.

Mr Mill with his first Tutor Group at Crofton 40th Anniversary/Mr Mill’s Celebration Party

“Love is the Way” from album of same name featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard on vocals and  Ross Gill on guitar

The wedding on Saturday of the Risen! webmaster  Mr Peter-John Radcliffe to his lovely bride Lorna was beautiful . The Vicar Stephen Girling presided over a relaxed and but reverent Service with Curate Steve Marsh giving a humorous and engaging message.  I was so chuffed that Mr and Mrs Radcliffe asked me to read a passage from Scripture – Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12  “If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who has no one to help him up. Also if two lie down together they will keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered two can defend themselves. A chord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  I was also honoured by having two Mustard Seed Songs – “Love is the Way” (featured in today’s blog ) and “Amazing Love” played during the signing of the register. Many congratulations to you both, Mr and Mrs Radcliffe – may your marriage be truly blessed.

That evening there was the 40th Crofton School Anniversary Celebration combined with Mr Mill’s Retirement Party.  This was held at Fareham’s Ferneham Hall. For those who do not know, Mr Mill (Mr Bob Milliken) is the legendary RE Teacher who dedicated his life to the students of Crofton School- this  was indeed his ministry. It was a great evening – some ex – students coming to meet with old friends not seen for 35 years – others to say thank you to Mr Mill and to have their photograph taken with him.

Entertainment was from the School Reunion Band and included live karaoke.  Vocalist for the band was Nicola Hanser (nee Poustie) who has featured predominately in these blogs and who sung the role  of Mary Magdalene for  our Risen! CD

Mr Mill had a great time and of course we wish him the long and happy retirement he so richly deserves.

Next week – it has to be fund raising time!

Mr Mill

“Jesus is my Lord” – Recorded live-  The Mustard Seed Soul Band featuring Lucy-Jane Rutherford

No blog this week as two major events are taking place: Number one -The fantastic Webmaster of the Risen! blog,  Mr Peter – John Radcliffe,  is marrying his lovely bride to be Lorna, this Saturday at Holy Rood Church and I have the honour of reading a passage from Scripture.  Number two – Again on Saturday there is a Party of ex -Crofton School students and staff at The Ferneham Hall to celebrate the retirement of legendary teacher Mr Bob Milliken (known affectionally to all students as Mr Mill) All details, if you can make it, are on www.crofonreunion.org.uk

All at Mustards Seed Songs wish Peter- John and Lorna a wonderfully blessed life together and also Mr Mill’s a fantastic retirement.

See you next week!

Mary wife of Cleopas (Mariatu Conteh) and Mary Mother of Jesus (Jan Moll) rejoice in production of Risen! performed at Holy Rood Church 2013.

We Can Do Anything? featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard -piano and voice and Robbie Richardson – clarinet from album “Precious.” recorded and produced by Ross Gill.

So we are pretty much coming up to date now with this story of the music behind Risen! – The Musical.  When will the double CD be released?  Well  Joffy and I have been working on this project for four years now but we are, I think, on the “final straight.” Joffy  still has lots of work to do before it’s finished, including recording  a string quartet, mixing and mastering.  Although the CD is a “stand alone” project we have a vision for Risen!- to be so much more. We are looking for churches nationally or even internationally to produce Risen! themselves. They could do this either as a full stage production, or in concert form as we did ourselves at Holy Rood church in 2012 and 2014 (see blog May 8th) In order to do this we need a full written score and an “all singing and dancing website.” This of course will cost money and so we are hoping to soon launch a fund raiser entitled “Cheerful Giver” invented by my dear friend Darren Bovis – Coulter (see blog September 4th)  We would also love to put on one more production of Risen! ourselves – the three productions at Holy Rood have only  really been works in progress.-We now have a much revised script which includes the addition of three more characters – Susanna, Judas and James the brother of John.  There are also new songs and I trust the script has fully addressed the helpful and positive criticisms that some made of the 2012 stage production- criticisms for which we are most thankful. I am currently speaking with CWR, the publishers of “Every Day With Jesus” who marketed many of our previous CDs- in the hope that they may be interested in helping us also market Risen!

You may be thinking that it is a bit far -fetched for us to have a vision of Risen! being produced internationally but nothing is impossible with God and He has been behind this project from the very start – in fact He started it by giving me the gift of making  up songs “in my head.” Then look at the talented people He has given me the privilege to work with. Initially  Lucy Stimpson- Maynard, John Hodgkinson, Ross Gill, Lucy Rutherford and now the fantastic Joffy  Girling – who not only plays keys, guitar, sax and drums but who also has  a Degree  First in Sound Engineering and Production at Birmingham University.  In addition to four years of hard work fitting Risen! work into his University commitments Joffy has now given up the last four  months to work on Risen! pretty much  full time.

Then there is the array of brilliant singers we have been blessed to record on the double Risen! CD including  – Ben Morris (Jesus) trained at Mountview  Academy of Theatre Arts and now in “Phantom of the Opera.” Lyndsey Gardiner (Susanna) also trained at Moutview and in “ Phantom.”  Nicola Poustie (Mary Magdalene) also  Mountview  trained who toured with “We Will Rock You.”  Alex Knox (John) with a Degree First from Guildhall School Of Music and Drama.  Paul Clement (Judas) with an MA in Musical Theatre from the Guildford School of Acting. Tom Millen (James) trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts) Chloe Brokenshire (Mary sister of Martha and Lazarus) trained at London Studio Centre. Jan Moll (Mary Mother of Jesus) trained at Dundee University and “Rock Choir” Leader.  Mariatu Conteh (Mary wife of Clopas) BA Hons Contemporary Music at The Academy of Contemporary Music, and member of ACM Gospel Choir.

We have also used professional musicians including  Guitar -Gareth Matthews.  Bass -Gareth Matthews and Greg Taplin.  Drums -Josh Eaves. Trumpet – Stuart Fowler. Saxophone – Robbie Richardson and Tim Downs. Flute – Robbie Richardson.  Violin -Kirstie Richardson and Elizabeth Peskett- – Viola –  Ruth McGibbon and Cello- Fiona Murphy

So what next? The answer is  the fund raiser. As I said we need to raise money to finance the completion of the double CD, which includes mixing, mastering, and replication. Also the writing of a score, production of a website and the production of a full stage production. How “Cheerful Giver”  can do this  I will share with you next week.

“The Season of Singing” featuring Lucy Jane Rutherford – produced by Ross Gill

“The Season of Singing” featuring Lucy Jane Rutherford – produced by Ross Gill

Mustard Seed Songs last album was “The Season of Singing.” It was recorded and produced by Ross Gill and featured vocals by Lucy Stimpson- Maynard, Lucy Rutherford, Harun Kotch, Ross Gill and Helen Joy Rubio.  The CD was produced to raise funds for the charity “House of the Heroes” which was formed by two friends of mine, Craig and Elizabeth Johnson.  Whilst travelling in the Philippines they were so distraught at the plight of street children in Manila that they founded “House of the Heroes” in which abandoned children are housed, fed and educated with a vision for them to become heroes. By visiting www.houseoftheheroes.org you can read what has already been achieved and what is planned. There is also a fantastic video of their work on www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNP0e1eT9BM

In addition to the “Season of Season” album Mustard Seeds have supported “House of the Heroes” by organising three Risen! events – two concerts and one stage production.  You can support them yourself by visiting their website.

Two vocalists appear on a Mustard Seeds album for the first time – Helen Joy Rubio who duets with Ross on “We are Hard Pressed” (featured song on blog March 27th) and “Allow His Loving Arms.” the chorus of which is taken from Daniel 4:3 and 6:26-27)

How great are His signs, how might His wonders, how Kingdom’s eternal and His dominion endures. For He is the living God He humbles and safes He comforts and heals and we can trust in His Name.

In Risen! this chorus is sung by Thomas after he returns from contemplating whether or not his friends could be telling the truth when they said, a week earlier, that they had  seen Jesus resurrected.  Mustard Seeds are in the process of using a fund raiser “invented” by my very good friend Darren Bovis- Coulter – it is called “Cheerful Giver” and we hope to launch it very soon- for those that donate a small amount to the Risen! project a free copy of “How Great are His Signs” can be downloaded free of charge. Darren and his lovely wife Nikki also designed the artwork for our first musical “His Story,” the cover for our CD “Heart and Soul” and countless other promos, posters, tickets etc. Thanks very much BC’s- I love you!  Incidentally Darren co- wrote a song on the “Season of Singing” album “ Because of Your Grace” It is sung by Harun Kotch and is the featured song on blog February 20th- Harun also sings “When You Walk With God”  the chorus of which is again used in Risen! This time by Mary Mother of Jesus when she leads the ensemble in worship at the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16- 20) and the Ascension (Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1: 9-11) Harun sung and played bass with Ross Gill in their band “Replenish” – in “Replenish” another friend, Darren Lewis played drums – Darren also played in our first musical “His Story” and on many of our CDs. The drummer on “Season of Singing” and also Risen! is Josh Eaves who is Darren’s brother in law – small world.

The title song “Season of Singing” is sung by Lucy Rutherford. Yes you have guessed it “The Season of Singing” also features in Risen! This time sung by Susanna (see Luke 8:3)) as Jesus’ disciples and followers stop to camp for the night on their journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem -which is where Jesus , after His resurrection, told them to meet Him. The role of Susanna is sung by Lyndsey Gardiner (see blog August 21^st) who is playing in the West End’s Phantom of the Opera .

One final story re “Season of Singing” – I made the song up whilst on a skiing holiday. On the first day I had damaged my posterior cruciate ligament (and eventually had to be flown home) Whilst  waiting for my friends to return from a day on the snow  I read an “Every Day With Jesus” edition  focused on Selwyn Hughes’ devotion on the “Song of Songs.”  I felt inspired to write a chorus featuring the phrase “Oh thank You Lord the winters past, the rains are now over and there is sun and flowers appear again on earth the season of singing has come.  The lyrics for the song’s verses are taken from Isaiah 53.

So “Season of Singing” was our last album. So when will our next album be released and what will it be called? Well the second question is easy to answer RISEN! – THE MUSICAL. The first question I should be able to answer soon – perhaps even in the next blog !

“Precious” CD front cover

Ken’s mum on her 102nd birthday

“Precious” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from album “Precious” – in thanks for the life of Ken’s mum – Audrey Lillian Shearsmith

My mum, Audrey Lillian Shearsmith, had attended Chapel as young girl and I knew that she said her prayers without fail every single day. However in 1997 I still was not sure how she would react to me telling her that I had become a Christian.  I therefore showed her a little book from the Alpha course entitled “Who is Jesus?” and we had a short chat before she told me to leave it and that she would read it later.

When she was 102 years old and was living in the wonderful Chesterholm Lodge Care Home mum asked me what a Christian was and how you could became one.  I simply said that to become a Christian you ask God to forgive you for all the things you have done in your life that have displeased Him and to ask Jesus to come into your life. She then smiled her special smile and pointed to her bag and nodded for me to look in it. And there it was -the “Who is Jesus? book that I had given her five years before. I told her that there was a prayer in the book that she could say if you wished to become a Christian. Mum immediately read out the prayer aloud. I was sitting on the bed beside her overjoyed, but at the same time almost not believing what was happening, in fact so much so that I told her that just saying the prayer was not enough she had to really mean it; so she said it again, but this time with even more meaning in her voice!  I noticed, Mandy, one of her Carers who worships at my church was outside mum’s room, so I went out to tell her the good news. “Halleluiah” Mandy cried out before telling me that she was not in the least bit surprised because mum had been talking about Christianity for some time. So mum became a Christian at the age of almost 103!

A few days before she died in August 2006 I was with her on my own. She looked at me with so much love, smiled that wonderful smile again and told me that I was precious.

The day after she said “precious” to me I was looking at Psalm 116 and the word “precious” jumped out of the page. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” I read in the concordance that “precious”means, not only highly valued, but also carefully looked after – I can’t tell you how reassuring it was to know that in mum’s last days she was being carefully looked after by God. And she was; all those who were with her will testify to how much at peace she was. She was in no pain whatsoever and was as sharp as always. She left this life in a very gentle and serene way – there is no doubt that she was indeed being carefully looked after and watched over by God.

The day after reading Psalm 116 it was a Sunday and I sat at the back of Holy Rood church with no one on the one seat beside me. Beryl, a retired Curate, came in, which was a bit of a surprise because normally on a Sunday morning she worships at an associate church; coming to Holy Rood for the evening services. Although we are good friends I had not sat with Beryl before, but on that Sunday she asked if she could sit on that one free seat by my side. She knew that my mum was very unwell from the church notice sheet and when she asked me I told her that mum was, in fact dying.

At the end of the service Beryl told me that she had prayed for my mum and me and that during the service God had given her a picture. She had seen a beautiful meadow in which stood a rock- a rock that had been very “precious” to her friends and family. The rock was also “precious” to God. Beryl saw the earth around the rock become disturbed and God taking this “precious” rock up to heaven to be with Him.

Mum died the very next day.

Beryl led mum’s thanksgiving service.

Alex Knox (second from right) playing John in  2013 Stage Production of Risen! at Holy Rood Church- also from left to right – Mariatu Conteh (Mary Wife of Clopas) and Nicola Poustie (Mary Magdalene)

Martin Connor staring with Ken Shearsmith (circa 1930!) in “The Pirates of Portsmouth” at Northern Parade Junior Boys School , Portsmouth

“This Is Not Heaven” sung live by Fiona Poustie during ” His Story”production at Ferneham Hall, Fareham.

I know I said that this week I would tell you about our CD “Precious” and how my mum became a Christian aged 101 but our musical Risen! hit a landmark yesterday and that was when the last of our vocals were recorded; a process that has taken four years!  So I thought this week I best focus on these recordings.

In  the last few weeks Joffy, our MD recording engineer, mixer, arranger and just about everything else  has been working overtime,  re -recording some parts and recording some new material. Ben Morris, who plays Jesus (see blog July 17^th) Nicola Poustie, who plays Mary Magdalene (see blogs May 25^th June 6^th July 17^th )and  Dan Scott, who plays Cleopas all came back to “tweak” their previous recordings.  We also had brand new recordings from Chloe Brokenshire.  Nicola was not available to play the part of Mary Magdalene in the Easter 2014 concert production of Risen! (see blog May 1^st)) as she was getting married to Michael. However Chloe stepped in and did such a fantastic job that we asked her if she would record the part of Mary, Sister of Lazarus and Martha.  Her performances are so moving – I can’t wait for you all to hear them!

We wrote into the script the role of Susanna , who, Luke tells us, was a follower of Jesus and who  supported Him out of her  own means.  Ben Morris recommended a fellow member of the cast of the West End’s “Phantom of the Opera”- Lyndsey Garniner.  She too has a beautiful voice; you can see and hear her sing on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB1_7VTvdjI&sns=em   Incidentally you can also hear Ben Morris sing on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvxpvT0RMlk

Then yesterday Alex Knox came down from London to finish recording the recitative of John “the disciple who Jesus loved” (or more correctly- especially loved) How I met Alex is, I think a lovely story which I thought you might like to hear.

When, at the age of nine  I moved from Gillingham in Kent to Portsmouth I went to the Northern Parade Junior Boys School. I have to say I did not like it at all – the teachers used the cane- something that I had not come across at all in the delightful Forge Lane Mixed School I attended in Gillingham.

Anyway one classroom teacher, Mr Thorpe was keen on amateur dramatics and each year would produce a show,  usually one which he had written himself based on a Gilbert and Sullivan classic. I particularly remember “The Pirates of Portsmouth” in which I played a pirate “Mizzen Mast Martin”  (I’ll let you pick me out in the featured pic) The star was a guy called Martin Connor who was in my class and who had been one of the few people who had been nice to me when I first went to Northern Parade. Martin is stage centre in the pic with a hook for a right hand (only make believe!)

In those ancient times we had to sit the 11 + exam to determine whether you went on to Grammar School or Secondary Modern. In Portsmouth there was also a “half -way house” – the Portsmouth Technical High School.  Well to cut a long story short Martin and I found ourselves both at “The “halfway house”.  We were also in the same form, the infamous 1B.  Martin went on to become Head Boy – I did not.

I knew Martin had gone on from school to pursue a career in acting, but on leaving school I had lost contact with him. When I was looking to cast for the role of John I needed someone who could both act and sing. All of Risen! is sung and I particularly needed someone who was expert in  recitative as this  holds the storyline together. I decided to try to locate Martin to see if he was still in the world of acting so I googled his name (what else!) and there he was m Head of Acting at the Prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.  I knew it was the same Martin as there was a pic of him on the Guildhall’s website and he had not changed a bit. (spit!)

I emailed him and we met up at the “Coach and Horses” pub which is right opposite our old school. We talked and laughed non -stop for hours, picking up on all the old Tech School life as if it were yesterday. Anyway yes Martin did have someone in mind to play the part of John – Alex Knox. Alex had a degree in Music from Manchester University – he also had a Masters in Singing from Guildhall and was now taking the Guildhall’s Masters Acting Degree- he would be perfect. So I took the train up to London to meet him at the Guildhall. I sang Alex the John parts in one of the Guildhall’s studios, so I suppose it could be said that I have sung at the Guildhall School of Music and Theatre!  For a classical trained singer it would not have been normal to learn a part warbled by some PE teacher,  but that is what happened and Alex has now played John  brilliantly in three consecutive Risen! productions and, of course sings the part in our forthcoming Risen! CD. Alex has become  a great friend  and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his amazing efforts for Risen!

With all the continued trouble in the Middle East I thought it appropriate this week to feature a song of hope- “This is not heaven” sung live by Fiona Poustie of the Mustard Seed Soul Band at a production of our first musical “His Story.”

Blog should feature “Precious” next week but knowing me…….