The Way Maker: Nashville Meets Nigeria Meets Indonesia
Or, how I interviewed the songwriter of the ubiquitous Christian worship anthem, "Way Maker" and unashamedly jammed along to her new release — and recorded it!
Music & Meaning episode #13 has dropped!
As always, avail everywhere, but here’s some links for convenience:
Multiple podcast links and show notes available at CT Media Podcasts . . .
Today’s episode is a multicultural studio conversation where my love for West African music finds a harmonious blend with the love and respect I have for my son-in-law Mark Nicholas, as he curates the music of the Christian church around the world. There's more though . . . I'm also in conversation with Gilbert Nanlohy, a gifted A&R director who happens to be the son of Indonesia's most accomplished musical couple in the contemporary gospel music field.
Along with these two music executives, I am honored to have as my special guest, the top female Artist of the Decade in Nigeria, the gracious and hugely talented, SINACH, songwriter and performer of the ubiquitous Christian worship song, “WAY MAKER.”
Many thanks to my amazing guests and the CT Media team for delivering another excellent episode. See show notes HERE.
ALERT: Don’t miss the ending when I improvise (on my Fender Rhodes electric piano) to one of Sinach’s newest songs! Afrobeat jazz in the house—put on your dancin’ shoes. ENJOY!
Thank you for supporting the release of “Sound of the Room” featuring the iconoclastic bassist John Patitucci (Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter). If you haven’t picked up on it yet, this song is the theme for the Music & Meaning podcast. BUT, you only get a hear a tiny bit of the composition on the show. So please, avail yourself of a full listen (many times).
Go straight to “Sound of the Room” at these links (Lossless files avail at TIDAL):
Additionally, here’s a Spotify playlist of CP/John Patitucci collaborations to date.
More buttons for your convenience:
Waymaker has a special place in the hearts of my wife and I. We first heard it at Orphanage Emmanuel in Honduras. At the time (pre-pandemic, when we could still travel there) we were there on a week long mission trip with our church ministering to the kiddos through hugs and service.
Our experience of "Abres Camino" (Spanish) being sung by 400+ children to the one who made a way for them to be sheltered at a loving Christ centered orphanage away from many tragic life stories was one we'll not soon forget. Every time we sing it at church I'm tearing up and clicking on my bookmark to open the Spanish lyrics and sing along. It almost seems unnatural to hear it in English. Thanks to Sinach for sharing with the whole world.
Hey Charlie, I'm so awed that Way Maker came out of Nigeria! We spent time there and lived in West Africa. I have cassettes of 100 West African worship/scripture songs from a gifted singer-songwriter. I'm wanting to share them with someone who could digitalize them for the Mende tribe in West Africa and put them on YouTube for this people group to enjoy them again. As far as I know, all other cassettes were lost during the civil war in Sierra Leone. I know Nate Tasker if that's a helpful connection. Do you have any idea if you or someone else would be interested in listening and digitalizing these songs to gift back to the Mende people group whom we lived with for 7 years?