{"id":897,"date":"2009-10-07T04:01:13","date_gmt":"2009-10-07T04:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/10\/highest-recommendation-frio-suite-by-jeff-johnson-and-phil-keaggy.html"},"modified":"2009-10-07T04:01:13","modified_gmt":"2009-10-07T04:01:13","slug":"highest-recommendation-frio-suite-by-jeff-johnson-and-phil-keaggy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/10\/highest-recommendation-frio-suite-by-jeff-johnson-and-phil-keaggy.html","title":{"rendered":"Highest Recommendation: Frio Suite by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do I have a recommendation for you! Today marks the full release of an extraordinary album by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy: Frio Suite<\/em><\/a>. This instrumental collection is engaging, inspiring, quieting, even haunting. It is an extraordinary collaboration of two wonderful artists: Phil Keaggy, who is widely considered to be one of the finest guitarists in the world, and Jeff Johnson, a composer, singer, and keyboardist, who has written songs for movies (Gangs of New York<\/em>, King Raven<\/em>) and several Windham Hill, in addition to his own more than twenty albums.
\n<\/a>Frio Suite<\/em> is the providential result of a meeting between Phil Keaggy and Jeff Johnson at Laity Lodge, which sits alongside the Frio River. These two musicians teamed up for a retreat last January. Inspired by the quiet beauty of the Frio Canyon, they decided to make an album together. Added into the mix was Kathy Hastings, a photographic artist who was in residence at Laity Lodge. She contributed artwork for the album, including the strinking cover. This photo of the cliffs along the Frio River has not been substantially altered. That’s how it looks!
\nNow you might think that this recommendation is biased, given the fact that the Frio Suite is an outgrowth of the work of Laity Lodge, my employer. Moreover, Jeff Johnson is a good friend. So, I’d admit that I am biased. But I had a deep appreciation for Jeff’s music years before I met him at Laity Lodge. And I’ve been a fan of Phil Keaggy for more than thirty years, though I’ve never met him. So my bias is based on the facts, just the facts, ma’am.
\nBut if you still aren’t sure you can trust my judgment on matters of music, let me point you to John Diliberto, whose Echoes<\/em> program<\/a> is a favorite on public radio. Diliberto is featuring Frio Suite<\/em> as his CD of the month. Here’s some of what he has to say about the album:<\/p>\n

Johnson and Keaggy\u2019s compositions could be reflecting the landscape of the Frio River in Texas or Hastings\u2019 detailed macro-photos, but they play less as environmental ambiences and more as interior journeys.\u00a0 Take \u201cRide the Stone Waves.\u201d Johnson orchestrates a shifting, textured backdrop that includes gamelan sounds, ghost synthesizers and plaintive piano while Keaggy plays acoustic and electric guitars, deploying his intricate melodies while dropping Pink Floyd-like echoes, fuzz chord punctuations and some sinewy fretless bass.
\nJeff Johnson\u2019s sound design has never been more inventive, with often minimalist loops, Balinese cycles and ephemeral synthesizer scrims.\u00a0 He remains a font of pensive, turning-to-dusk melodies. Within Johnson\u2019s ambiences Phil Keaggy sounds like twenty different guitar players, offering country twang, folky picking, spacey ambiences and jazz-inflected changes. But it all coheres into a chamber orchestra of the imagination.
\nFrom the first piano notes to last guitar strum, Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy have created a nearly perfect album of deeply moving chamber music on Frio Suite.\u00a0 It\u2019s our CD of the Month for October.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you’re still not convinced, you can check out one track of Frio Suite on YouTube, along with photos by Kathy Hastings.
\n[youtube:http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KchWP2RKawI]
\nYou can purchase Frio Suite<\/em> from Amazon.com<\/a>. Of you can download it from iTunes<\/a>. For more music by Jeff Johnson, see his website: ArkMusic<\/a>. Here’s the link for Phil’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Disclosure: I did receive a complimentary, advance copy of Frio Suite<\/em>. Otherwise, I am not being compensated for this review. Also Laity Lodge receives no compensation for albums sold. We are pleased to have inspired this album. That is our compensation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do I have a recommendation for you! Today marks the full release of an extraordinary album by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy: Frio Suite. This instrumental collection is engaging, inspiring, quieting, even haunting. It is an extraordinary collaboration of two wonderful artists: Phil Keaggy, who is widely considered to be one of the finest guitarists…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-laity-lodge","category-recommendations"],"yoast_head":"\nHighest Recommendation: Frio Suite by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}