Dove Award-winners emphasize desire to make a difference

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Songs of praise and testimonies about the message behind the music highlighted the 41st annual Dove Awards, sponsored by the Gospel Music Association.

Singer/songwriter Brandon Heath garnered the Male Vocalist of the Year honor for the second year in a row. He also received a Dove for his participation on the album, Glory Revealed II: The Word of God in Worship, which won Special Event Album of the Year.

“I don’t think that being Male Vocalist of the Year necessarily means being the best singer, but I think it means knowing what you want to say and being given the ability to share that with people,” Heath said. “I’m constantly trying to find a unique way of putting the message of the gospel into songs.

“The goal is for people who wouldn’t normally listen to Christian music to hear a message about the love and grace of God and his life-changing power. That’s what I want to keep writing songs about. I still get e-mails about the lives that are being changed by these songs, and it’s such a driving force to create music that will help lead people into a relationship with Christ.”

At the Dove Awards ceremony, Heath performed with Jars of Clay on the song “Two Hands.” Jars of Clay’s album, The Long Fall Back To Earth, garnered Recorded Music Packaging and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year honors.

“We are humbled to receive these awards, because it is a sign that these songs are connecting with people,” Jars of Clay’s lead singer Dan Haseltine said. “We write songs about things that are hard, true and beautiful. When we’re writing songs, if we feel like something is really connecting and moving us, then there’s a hope that it will move other people. We really want our lyrics to focus on making a difference in the lives of people by reaching out and being the hands and feet of Christ.”

Jars of Clay founded a non-profit organization, Blood:Water Mission, to build clean water wells, support medical facilities and tangibly reduce the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa while addressing the underlying issues of poverty, injustice and oppression.

The band’s first relief effort was the “1,000 Wells Project” with a goal of raising funds to build, rebuild and repair 1,000 wells in urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This year, Jars of Clay will celebrate achieving their goal and bringing clean water to more than 150,000 people.

“It gives weight to the things we talk about in our songs,” Haseltine said. “The songs on this album share about getting our hands dirty, reaching into the lives of people, being engaged and making a difference for eternity. The songs also share messages about suffering and talk about the way that God provides.

“Through the years, we’ve had the privilege to sit down, laugh and cry with people who actually live that out in more tangible ways than we ever have, and they’ve shared amazing stories of what God is doing around the world.”

At the Dove Awards presentation, Artist of the Year recipients Casting Crowns performed their hit song “Until the Whole World Hears” with a 200-voice children’s choir.

Despite a busy touring schedule, Casting Crowns remains committed to serving in local churches and continues to be one of the nation’s top-selling artists across all genres, with their recent album debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.

“Whatever we do in word or deed, we do it for the glory of the Lord,” Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall said.

“Believers have to understand that we’re not the audience of Christ; we’re the body of Christ. That makes all of us artists. God will use people in different areas to point people to him—whether it’s teaching, accounting or building houses. We share the gospel every night during our concerts, and we talk about how to be a believer means to lay your past at Christ’s feet and walk away from your old life. You have to lay each day at his feet, follow him and live in his strength.”

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Jars Of Clay Kicks Off Charity Campaign

The award-winning Christian music group Jars Of Clay has helped the United Methodist Church kick off its “Imagine No Malaria” campaign on World Malaria Day on April 25, in Austin, Texas.

The band was the headlining act in a concert spanning the afternoon held on the steps of the Texas State Capitol. The event was attended by hundreds of very enthusiastic supporters and was broadcast live on the United Methodist Church’s website.

The “Imagine No Malaria” campaign is an awareness raising as well as a fundraising effort to provide thousands of bednets to some of the poorest children in Africa. Children are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of malaria. It is estimated that at least three thousand children die everyday from malaria.

“What I’ve learned about malaria today is that it is a very treatable disease,” said Dan Haseltine, lead vocalist of Jars of Clay. “What makes it such an injustice is that over 1 million children die every year of malaria.”

“It blows my mind there are people dying of this disease,” added guitarist Stephen Mason. “We can do something to stop it. That’s not true of a lot of diseases today.”

For more information on this campaign, visit www.imaginenomalaria.org

Source

Universal Music Publishing Group’s Christian Music Publishing Division, Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Acquires Emack Music, the Christian Music P

LOS ANGELES, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- David Renzer, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Dale Mathews, President, Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, today announced that UMPG has acquired the publishing assets of Emack Music, the publishing arm of Christian label Gotee Records.

The Emack Music catalog includes Relient K, Luna Halo, Grits, Jennifer Knapp, Ayeisha, House of Heroes, B. Reith, and more. The companies will jointly publish future works from the label’s new signings.

Regarding the acquisition, Dale Mathews said, “I have a high regard for the value of this catalog and its artists and songwriters. But getting to work together with Joey Elwood and Toby Mac to help find and develop future talent made this opportunity even more appealing to me.”

Joey Elwood said, “Toby and I felt that our future was better served in a partnership with the resources that Dale and his team provide for our staff and artist writers. We're proud and excited to join the Universal Music Publishing Group/BBMP team and look forward to the future of developing artists, writers and producers with them.”

UMPG is a leader in the contemporary Christian/gospel sector through its ownership of Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing. Brentwood-Benson is also active in the important Praise & Worship market through its GreatWorshipSongs.com imprint.

With over 70,000 copyrights, Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing owns the world's largest Christian music publishing catalogue as well as the second largest evangelically-styled choral music catalog. Its songs have been recorded by virtually every major singer in the Christian music industry as well as by such renowned artists as Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Linda Ronstadt, Amy Grant, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Alicia Keys, Clay Aiken and Trace Adkins.

UMPG's assets in the contemporary Christian/gospel market also include the Lorenz Creative Services catalogues, Reunion Music (whose catalogue includes the Eric Clapton hit "Change The World"), the Sparrow catalogues (containing numerous legendary gospel classics) and RBI Entertainment.

The company's leading artists in the genre include Kirk Franklin, Jars of Clay, Fred Hammond, Joy Williams, Bebo Norman and Day of Fire. Brentwood-Benson also publishes songs recorded by Third Day, Michael W. Smith and Twila Paris.

About Universal Music Publishing Group

With 47 offices in 41 countries worldwide, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the industry's largest global music publishing operation and is part of Universal Music Group. UMPG represents music in every genre from many of the world’s hottest songwriters and catalogs including U2, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Coldplay, Nelly, Ciara, Dave Grohl, Prince, Diana Krall, Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Godsmack, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, No Doubt, 3 Doors Down, Beastie Boys, Anastacia, Robbie Williams, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Paul Simon, Henry Mancini, Christina Aguilera and Linkin Park, among many others. UMPG is also a global leader in the areas of Production Music, Christian and Classical Music. For more information, visit: www.umusicpub.com.

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We are jars of clay

As I sit on my couch writing this commentary, I am enjoying a beautiful spring evening. The doors are open, letting the fresh air in, and I can hear birds chirping. I can also hear my son and his friend, who are outside playing catch. They are yelling and having a good ol’ time. In the kitchen, my other two sons are making dinner and joking around. It’s all very pleasant indeed.

These evenings won’t last long. They’ll be gone in a flash. Next year my eldest son will be a senior, and that year will go quickly. It seems like yesterday I was starring at his wriggling form just after he was born wondering what to do.

The apostle Paul said that “we have this treasure in jars of clay …” The term “jars of clay” describes human beings perfectly. We are here today and gone tomorrow. One day we are a child, the next we day we are graduating from high school. Two days later, we’re retiring and our bodies just aren’t what they used to be. Well, I’m not anywhere close to retiring and my body is not what it used to be!

A church in our town is conducting a class called “A Bucket List for Dying.” The Rev. Terilynn Russ derived the name from the movie “The Bucket List,” starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. In this movie, the two men, who are dying, make a list of everything they want to do before they die. Their adventures get a little crazy, but it’s a great idea. While Russ’ class is not so much about doing everything you want before “kicking the bucket,” so to speak, it is about making preparations before death, such as what kind of care is desired and living wills.

As someone who became a widow before the age of 40, I cannot stress the importance of thinking about death before it is necessary, before emotions are raw, or before an accident happens. I will never forget what it was like to sign a “do not resuscitate” order right in front of my husband minutes after the hospice worker told us that he only had a few days to live.

I will also never forget that one of our last conversations, just a couple of days before cancer stole his voice, was how he wanted his funeral to be conducted. No one thinks that they will go through this kind of thing before they are old, but remember “we have this treasure in jars of clay.” Jars of clay are easily broken. We have to be prepared as much as is humanly possible.

God has given us good things in life. As Christians, we can also look forward to eternity with him, but taking care of those we leave behind is essential. It is the best kind of care and will relieve some of the burden for ourselves and our families.

Source

Jars of Clay to Headline World Malaria Day Celebration in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On World Malaria Day, Sunday, April 25, The United Methodist Church will officially launch Imagine No Malaria, its $75 million initiative to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa. To mark the celebration, a free concert event will take place in Austin, Texas, on the south steps of the State Capitol from 2-5 p.m. (CDT).

Christian rock band Jars of Clay will headline the festivities, which are open to the public. The event will also feature local music, family activities and food from local restaurants.

"United Methodists are taking on the fight against malaria in a big way, and we're excited about the potential impact of this effort," said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. "Malaria is preventable and treatable. It's a fight we can win if we all work together."

Austin is located in the Southwest Texas Annual (regional) Conference of The United Methodist Church, which served as the pilot project for Imagine No Malaria prior to the formal program launch. Although most of the initial support was driven by United Methodist churches, the entire community is invited to the launch event.

The event will also feature live music from Austin's Graham Wilkinson and the Underground Township, the Huston-Tillotson College Choir and a special family area with interactive activities.

"Our entire annual conference embraced the opportunity to lead the way by supporting Imagine No Malaria," said the Rev. James Dorff, bishop of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference. "We are excited to showcase this initiative to the Austin community and to the entire denomination."

For those not able to attend in person, the entire celebration will be broadcast live via streaming video on the Imagine No Malaria Web site at www.ImagineNoMalaria.org.

About Imagine No Malaria

Imagine No Malaria is an extraordinary ministry of the people of The United Methodist Church to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. With a goal of raising $75 million to improve health infrastructure and empower a sustainable victory over the disease, Imagine No Malaria is our opportunity to rethink how we reach beyond our church, opening doors to those who need it most.

Source

Alicia Gossman-Steeves: We are jars of clay

As I sit on my couch writing this commentary, I am enjoying a beautiful spring evening. The doors are open, letting the fresh air in, and I can hear birds chirping. I can also hear my son and his friend, who are outside playing catch. They are yelling and having a good ol’ time. In the kitchen, my other two sons are making dinner and joking around. It’s all very pleasant indeed.

These evenings won’t last long. They’ll be gone in a flash. Next year my eldest son will be a senior, and that year will go quickly. It seems like yesterday I was starring at his wriggling form just after he was born wondering what to do.

The apostle Paul said that “we have this treasure in jars of clay …” The term “jars of clay” describes human beings perfectly. We are here today and gone tomorrow. One day we are a child, the next we day we are graduating from high school. Two days later, we’re retiring and our bodies just aren’t what they used to be. Well, I’m not anywhere close to retiring and my body is not what it used to be!

A church in our town is conducting a class called “A Bucket List for Dying.” The Rev. Terilynn Russ derived the name from the movie “The Bucket List,” starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. In this movie, the two men, who are dying, make a list of everything they want to do before they die. Their adventures get a little crazy, but it’s a great idea. While Russ’ class is not so much about doing everything you want before “kicking the bucket,” so to speak, it is about making preparations before death, such as what kind of care is desired and living wills.

As someone who became a widow before the age of 40, I cannot stress the importance of thinking about death before it is necessary, before emotions are raw, or before an accident happens. I will never forget what it was like to sign a “do not resuscitate” order right in front of my husband minutes after the hospice worker told us that he only had a few days to live.

I will also never forget that one of our last conversations, just a couple of days before cancer stole his voice, was how he wanted his funeral to be conducted. No one thinks that they will go through this kind of thing before they are old, but remember “we have this treasure in jars of clay.” Jars of clay are easily broken. We have to be prepared as much as is humanly possible.

God has given us good things in life. As Christians, we can also look forward to eternity with him, but taking care of those we leave behind is essential. It is the best kind of care and will relieve some of the burden for ourselves and our families.

Source

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Hamilton hosting adoption gala to 'get the word out' UT AD to raise awareness about work in Africa

While sitting in the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, airport last year, University of Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton discovered the meaning of his youngest adopted daughter's name.

An elderly woman told him that "Kalu" in Amharic meant "get the word out." Kalu is 16 months.

"We felt like that was a sign that God was giving to us to help tell the story of the orphan crisis," Hamilton said recently.

Hamilton and his wife, Beth, will host an April 15 gala to raise awareness about orphans and ongoing work in Africa.

The evening will feature performances from Steven Curtis Chapman, a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, and Watoto Children's Choir, an international touring group of Ugandan orphans.

Proceeds from the gala will be split between two ministries, Show Hope and Blood:Water Mission.

Show Hope is Chapman's organization that gives partial grants to help families complete the adoption process.

Blood:Water Mission, founded by Grammy Award-winning band Jars of Clay, works with African communities to combat the HIV/AIDS and water crises. It builds fresh water wells and teaches the community how to service them.

The organization recently constructed a clinic in Marsabit, Kenya, and the hospital's director, Aida Samir, will speak at the gala.

The Hamiltons, who have five adopted children - one from North Carolina, one from Tennessee and three from Ethiopia - have established the Kalu Grace Foundation to fund organizations that are dealing with the world's orphan crisis and efforts relating to domestic and international adoption issues, Mike Hamilton said.

The April 15 gala may spur some participants to adopt, give to organizations or go on short-term mission trips, he said.

"I don't know where God will touch people but our goal is that what's happening in Africa will be seen in a small way and they'll be compelled to reach out," he said.

Lola Alapo may be reached at 865-342-6376.

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Jackson resident one of 20 to cycle on cross-country tour

In less than three months, 20 cyclists will leave San Diego on an eight-week trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chase Livingston of Jackson is one of the riders.

The group will spend about eight hours a day on the road as part of the Ride: Well Southern Tour, a fundraiser for an organization founded by Christian rock band Jars of Clay called Blood: Water Mission.

Its goal is to help underdeveloped communities in Africa build clean wells, latrines and health clinics. Livingston, 28, said this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bicycle across America, covering about 3,100 miles.

The tour is scheduled for June 2 to July 26.

Participants stop in communities and churches along the way to talk about the water and blood crises in Africa and to ask for support, according to the tour's Web site.

A support vehicle carries gear and promotional materials, the Web site says.

Every night the group will either stay in a hotel or with a host church, Livingston said. The cyclists will cover about 75 to 100 miles a day.

In the past two years the Ride: Well Tour has raised about $300,000 to provide clean water, clinics and educational opportunities, according to the Web site.

The route takes cyclists through four mountain ranges, four time zones and nine states across the southern United States, the site says.

Livingston heard about the ride from Christian bloggers and writers such as Donald Miller. He thinks it's a good cause.

"Last year my wife and I moved to Jackson to care for my mother-in-law," he said. "I've not been able to find work, and I've felt bad about that. I saw an opportunity to help with a great need. Why waste my time feeling sorry for myself when I could do this?"

He applied in November and soon did a phone interview with event organizer Venture Expeditions. A week later, he found out he was chosen to go.

Since then, he's been training by riding 25 miles a day, either on a stationary bike or on the road.

"I'm comfortable on the road," he said. "I like main roads and wide open spaces, nothing too curvy. I'll be cycling with others, so I'll be safe. I'm ready."

Source

Jars of Clay walks for clean water in Africa

Tonight, Grammy-winning band Jars of Clay will walk across the Shelby Avenue pedestrian bridge and the Woodland Street bridge with more than 200 supporters, hoping to draw attention and money for Blood:Water Mission, a local nonprofit that works to provide clean blood and clean water for people in sub-Saharan Africa.

At the "Water Walk," participants will meet at the Symphony Hall Fountain at Fourth Avenue at 6 p.m., and walk across the Shelby bridge at 6:15 p.m. At 6:25, they'll collect water on the LP Field side of the Cumberland, and then they'll walk back over the river via the Woodland Street bridge. At 7 p.m., they will conclude the walk at Riverfront Park. Donations will be accepted, which will help water projects through Blood:Water Mission.

Source

Jars Of Clay With Leigh Nash And Matt Wertz

Onlineseats.com is by far your best option for the most complete inventory of Jars Of Clay With Leigh Nash And Matt Wertz tickets. Onlineseats.com is one of largest full service ticket brokerages in the country and we are here to help you with your entertainment needs when you have the last minute urge to see Jars Of Clay With Leigh Nash And Matt Wertz live or just simply to find out more information about them such as tour dates and times. We carry an extensive inventory of tickets for Jars Of Clay With Leigh Nash And Matt Wertz and just about any concert across the country, major golf events, MLB and World Series tickets, Super Bowl tickets, Las Vegas entertainment, Broadway shows and all sporting events. We hope you enjoy your experience with Onlineseats.com, the event specialists of the Midwest and beyond.
   

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Blood:Water Mission

Lead singer Dan Haseltine visited Africa in 2002, which in turn inspired the founding of Blood:Water Mission, a non-profit organization created to raise awareness and money for the poverty and AIDS stricken regions of the continent.[20] The name is derived from, as Haseltine says, "The two things Africa needs most" - clean blood and clean water. The mission has begun the 1000 Wells project, an effort to have a thousand new wells built throughout Africa.[21]

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Jars of Clay Devotional About Overcoming Despair

The emotion of despair can paralyze and debilitate even the strongest of souls. Pressures from every side can be perplexing; persecution can make us feel as though we've been struck down. When life is filled with despair, we must not give up. Instead we can turn to God, our loving Father, and His powerful Word to regain focus.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7 we read about a treasure, but the treasure is kept in a jar of clay. That seems like an odd place for a treasure. Usually we would keep our valuable treasures in a vault, in a safety deposit box, or in a strong, protected place. A jar of clay is fragile, and easily broken. Upon further inspection, this jar of clay reveals flaws, chips, and cracks. It's not a vessel of great worth or monetary value, but rather a common, ordinary vessel.

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Jars Of Clay If I Left The Zoo

If you don't strain your ears hard enough, you might not even know that Jars Of Clay are a true-blue Christian rock band.Just pore over the lyrics on their third studio release,"If I Left The Zoo."For example, on"Goodbye, Goodnight,"they sing:"Say a prayer for recognition, kiss the ones you love / Gather up the ammunition, sigh for all the lost..."The implications are subtle, so if you need further convincing, read the fine print on their CD booklet:"To Jesus for His love and grace."Don't let that put you off, though. After all, superband U2 started off as a humble Christian rock band (well, kind of...), and gospel artists like Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith all have brilliant crossover hits on the pop charts.On"If I Left The Zoo,"every song is very, very listenable -- thanks to the band's melodic tunes and interesting arrangements (check out the orchestral maneuvers in the middle of"Goodbye, Goodnight"). At least two members of Jars Of Clay have looks to swoon over, but that doesn't mean that they are nothing more than a Christian boy band. After releasing their 1995 self-titled debut (featuring the hit"Flood") and the 1997 Grammy-winning follow-up"Much Afraid,"they have gone on to sell over 3 million records. Now, they are continuing on their path of creative songwriting to churn out an even more assured-sounding album than the first two.An outstanding track is"Unforgetful You"(also featured on the"Drive Me Crazy"soundtrack album) which will rock its way to your heart with Dan Haseltine's confident vocals and the band's affinity for good, wholesome fun.

Source

Jars of Clay & Drummer Boy EP

Jars of Clay signed with Essential Records and started recording their first full-length studio album, titled Jars of Clay. King Crimson prog-rocker Adrian Belew heard the band and offered to produce, leading to him producing two songs - "Liquid" and "Flood."[2][3] The band's self-titled debut released in 1995. When the single "Flood" began to climb the charts on mainstream radio stations, Silvertone Records (Essential's parent company) started to heavily promote the song, turning it into one of the biggest mainstream hits ever by a band on a Christian label.[3] The album has since reached multi-platinum certification according to the RIAA.[4]

The band toured in support of other Christian acts, such as PFR, and aside mainstream acts like Matchbox Twenty, Duncan Sheik, and Sting. This resulted in a small backlash from conservative Christian groups.[5] The band released a Christmas EP entitled Drummer Boy at the end of 1995. The EP was re-released in 1997 with a slightly different track listing on Silvertone.

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jomar hilario has invited you to create a Plurk.com account

if you're interested at all in internet marketing for pinoys, plurk is one of the best places to be in now. find out why it's addicting.

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Jars of Clay Wins Myspace IMPACT Award

MySpace.com has announced the winner of their "MySpace Impact Awards" contest for December, 2007: Blood:Water Mission. For those unfamiliar with Blood:Water, the organization was founded by the Jars Of Clay guys several years ago to fight the poverty and sickness in Africa. Also, the winner of "MySpace Impact Awards" receives $10,000 in support. MySpace posted the following on their site:

"Blood: Water Mission is privileged to be a part of two rescues. The first is the tangible rescue from disease and poverty that plagues so many communities in Africa. We do this by supporting Africans as they use their knowledge and wisdom of their people, geography and customs, to create sustainable ways to rise out of poverty. The other rescue is the one that happens in the West: we, the chronically wealthy, being rescued from our trivia. We are helping people become aware of their choices, and how they affect people across oceans. It is an honor to win this award. The MySpace community is a fertile place to grow the seeds of justice, compassion, love and action." 

For more about the contest and to see the runner-up organizations, visit: www.myspace.com/impactawards

Jars Of Clay "Love Came Down At Christmas"

This is from the 2007 Jars of Clay Christmas Album. MTV is dead, long live ipTV!

Love came down at Christmas
Love, a lovely love divine
Love was born at Christmas
Stars and angels gave the sign
Love will be our token
Love be yours, and love be mine
Love from God to all of us
Love for plea and gift a sign
Love for the 10 commandments
Love for the 9 that dress so fine
Love for the 8 that stood at the gate
Love for the 7 who went up to Heaven
Love for the 6 that never got fixed
Love for the 5 that stayed alive
Love for the 4 that stood at the door
Love for the Hebrew children
Love from the little babe, baby

You can also get an amateur Supersonic remix at this site.

New Album: The Essential Jars of Clay

The Essential Jars of Clay (Essential/Legacy/Sony)
Released September 2007
By Russ Breimeier
Sounds like … an artful blend of pop, rock, and folk reminiscent of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sixpence None the Richer, Caedmon's Call, Counting Crows, and Gomez.

At a glance … a comprehensive near-perfect overview of the band's decade-plus career, benefiting from the inclusion of rarities, yet falling short by inexcusably omitting a handful of key tracks.

Track Listing

Disc One:
1. Flood
2. Liquid
3. Worlds Apart
4. Love Song for a Savior
5. Tea and Sympathy
6. Fade to Grey
7. Crazy Times
8. Five Candles (You Were There)
9. Goodbye, Goodnight
10. Grace
11. Cant Erase It
12. Unforgetful You
13. I Need You
14. Fly
15. Silence
16. Revolution
17. Coffee Song
18. New Math

Disc Two:
1. Sunny Days
2. Tonight
3. Shipwrecked
4. Faith Enough
5. Jealous Kind
6. Needful Hands
7. Dig
8. God Will Lift Up Your Head
9. Work
10. Oh My God
11. Dead Man (Carry Me)
12. Mirrors & Smoke
13. This Road
14. The Widowing Field
15. Bethlehem Town
16. Little Drummer Boy

Essential Records promoted 2007 as "The Year of Third Day" through the two Chronology albums celebrating the band's first decade. They could have just as easily billed it as "The Year of Jars of Clay" if that band hadn't parted ways with the label earlier in the year. In addition to their just released live EP Live Monsters and a forthcoming Christmas album comes this long overdue double-disc anthology, The Essential Jars of Clay.

No pun was intended by the title. This album arrives as part of Sony's Legacy series of compilations, which includes everyone from Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen to Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. To be marketed in a brand that focuses on such legendary artists speaks very highly of this band's place in the history of rock. Third Day may have enjoyed more consistent success in the Christian music culture, but Jars of Clay's success has consistently spilled over from the Christian market into the broader mainstream culture.

Thus it's only fitting these guys receive the red carpet treatment as well. As a fan anticipating the inevitable, I saw no way for a single-disc collection to do justice to a band that has amassed close to 20 No. 1 radio hits since their 1995 debut. Thankfully, the labels agreed, and with this set have represented nearly all of the major releases in the Jars discography with four tracks each.

For a comprehensive overview of the band's long string of success, this set comes awfully close to perfection. From the opening punch of "Flood" and "Liquid" to highlights from their acclaimed 2006 album Good Monsters like "Work," "Dead Man (Carry Me)," and "Oh My God," the album truly does live up to the title. (Well, almost. More on that in a bit.) It also acknowledges Jars' concert album Furthermore: From the Studio/From the Stage, their hymns project Redemption Songs, and their Little Drummer Boy Christmas EP along the way.

And it gets even better. Though Jars has no shortage of hits and favorites to fill two discs with, the album producers were generous enough to track down a handful of rarities to include as extra goodies for the devoted fans. Those who have failed to pick up the City on a Hill albums from Essential will appreciate the inclusion of "Bethlehem Town" and "This Road." Fans that haven't found The White Elephant Sessions disc of demos and rarities will find "New Math" and concert favorite "Coffee Song" as well. "Tonight" and "Shipwrecked" come as bonus tracks from Who We Are Instead. Probably the most obscure song unearthed here for the faithful is "The Widowing Field," a somber cut from the When We Were Soldiers soundtrack.

Here's the catch. For a collection titled The Essential Jars of Clay, the song selection sure bungled the If I Left the Zoo album. "Unforgetful You" is present of course, but how on earth were "Goodbye, Goodnight" and "Grace" included over "Collide" and "I'm Alright?" Likewise, why did the labels ignore "Overjoyed" from Much Afraid in favor of "Tea and Sympathy," or leave off "Show You Love" from Who We Are Instead? The biggest shock of all—brace yourself, fans—is that this anthology leaves out "Faith Like a Child," one of the signature songs from the debut. Lest you think I'm being a nitpicky fan, all of those omissions were No. 1 hits that are truly essential to Jars of Clay's repertoire.

The frustrating clincher is that both discs have room for at least two more songs each, so why not follow through on something that comes this close to getting it exactly right? It'd be easier to ignore this if Jars of Clay wasn't the rare band that has not only enough well-known hits to stuff a double-disc compilation with, but also enough rarities to fill a separate disc (perhaps even two). Between the missed songs, the typos in the CD packaging, and the lack of publicity for it, you can't help but wonder how much better this collection would have fared if it wasn't so hastily thrown together.

Still, it's hard to focus on the shortcomings of this release when you fully consider what's gained. The Essential Jars of Clay remains a generally comprehensive overview with one great song after another—offering enough hits to satisfy the casual fan, with enough lost gems to entice the devoted. That's a rarity in itself these days, though only appropriate for this uncommon band that hit the ground sprinting with their debut, and only grew artistically with time. Let's face it; hits albums aren't usually done this well. I'm glad in this case, because it helps cement the legendary status that Jars of Clay deserves.

December Christian Music Events for Manila, Philippines

December Christian Music Events for Manila, Philippines

LOCAL ROCK!!
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1) "Rock Like Peter" - a rock concert
DEC. 5 AT GWEILOS LIBIS

AN EDGE RADIO Fund Raising CONCERT!
TIX at P200

FEAT: BARBIE ALMABIS, ROCKSTEDDY,
IMAGO, HILERA,JEN SOMEONE, BEAUTIFUL
DAY, NINA MARQUEZ, JOURDAN THE DREAMER,
BUSHFIRE, FIG, ICHTUS, RADICAL FAITH,
TRANSITION, R.O.C.K, THUMBS AND BIG
TOES AND MORE!

ALL 8107151 FOR MORE INFO

DANCE!! (FIRsT TIME Ever!)
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2) "Dance Like David" - A dance party
featuring DJs Benjo Marquez, Chip dela Calzada and silverfilter
Friday, Dec. 8 at Absinthe, GB3
Tickets – P200

CALL 8107151 FOR MORE INFO


FOREIGN ROCK/FUNK/DISCO
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3) NewsBoys Go Manila!
Feat the songs "Entertaining Angels", "It Is you", "Breakfast", "Take Me To Your Leader","He Reigns"..more!
Crossroads77. Quezon City. Near Delta.
Tickets at 800 each - with a 20% discount for Hillsong United Concert Tix Holders
Call 633-0596
Dec 11

Video interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3pHy5sFnjA

P.S. Bring Lotsa Breakfast Cereals and throw them into the stage (the band expects it). Not the box, the contents! (Oh and clean up afterwards,. :) ).

Also expect to Worship with the Newsboys

WORSHIP!
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4) Miss the Hillsong United Concert a week ago??? Visit http://pinoychristianmusic.blogspot.com for Pictures, Videos, Reviews and links galore! Add your own!

See you there!