“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 21st) 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 !