My first YouTube effort. Never judge a person by their haircut. Isn't that one
of the Commandments?
Second exploration of the combination of alternate tunings & notched capos; the first one was "Waterwheel". this one on my first Taylor about to have its 11th Birthday.
Thirty Eight ways to break your heart, tap your toe, or soothe your soul.
(Adding gradually as more come to mind, and no longer attempting to rate one over another... it's too hard!).
38. Claire Lynch Band, Don Oja Dunaway's "Kennasaw Line"
37. The Barra MacNeils
36. Don Oja-Dunaway, "Paducah"
35. Bob Bennett, "Man Of The Tombs"
34. Andrew Peterson, "The Queen Of Iowa"
33. Fernando Ortega w Turtle Island String Quartet, "The Shadow Of Your Wings"
32. J.S. Bach, "St. Matthew Passion"
31. Kathleen Battle, "Poulenc Gloria", 3rd Movement, Deus Domine
30. Parkening Plays Bach [the entire album]
29. Jill Phillips, "I Am"
28. Gabriel Fauré, "Pavane" 27. Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes, "O Grande Amor"
26. Giovanni Gabrieli, "Canzon septimi toni no. 2" 25. Tomaso Albinoni, "Adagio in G minor for Organ, Violin and Strings" 24. Jay Unger, "Ashoken Farewell" 23. Vangelis, "Hymn" 22. Mark Isham, "Never Cry Wolf" 21. Gustav Holst, Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity from "The Planets Suite", Op. 32 20. Mozart, "Adagio in B minor for Piano", K540 19. Francis Poulenc, 3rd movement-Domine Deus from "Gloria" 18. Claude Debussy, "The Maid With The Flaxen Hair" 17. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Pie Jesu from "Requiem" 16. Henry Purcell, When I Am Laid In Earth from "Dido and Aeneas"performed by Sissel 15. Aaron Copland, "Appalachian Spring" 14. Beethoven, 1st movement Adagio Sostenuto from "Sonata No. 14 ("Moonlight")" 13. Antonin Dvorak, 2nd movement-Largo from "Symphony No. 9
(from The New World)"
12. Johannes Brahms, 2nd movement-Adagio from "Piano Concerto No.1" 11. Beethoven, 2nd movement-Adagio Cantabile from Sonata No. 8 ("Pathétique")
10. Gabriel Fauré, Pie Jesu from "Requiem", Op. 48 09. Chris Rice, "Deep Enough To Dream" 08. Pierce Pettis, "Black Sheep Boy" 07. Ralph Vaughn Williams, "Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis" 06. Joaquin Rodrigo, 2nd movement, Adagio from "Concerto de Aranjuez" 05. Samuel Barber, "Adagio For Strings"
04. Procol Harum, "A Salty Dog"
03. Phil Keaggy, "Let Everything Else Go"
02. Pierce Pettis, "Alabama 1959"
01. G.F. Handel, "Messiah".
John Dowland, Giovanni Gabrieli, Henry Purcell, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, George Fredrick Handel, Ludwig Von Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, Gabriel Fauré, Erik Satie, Antonin Dvorak, Samuel Barber, Gustav Holst, Joaquin Rodrigo, Serge Prokofiev, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Alan Hovahness, Ralph Vaughn Williams, Aaron Copland, Mark Isham, Al Hirt (Dixieland), Richard Stoltzman, Bobby McFerrin, Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Sergio Mendes, Dave Grusin, Larry Carlton, Susan Ashton, Buddy Greene, Jerry Williams/Harvest, Rich Mullins, Twila Paris, Fernando Ortega, Doyle Dykes, Phil Keaggy, Mark Knopfler, Keith Green, Second Chapter Of Acts, John Michael Talbot, Michael Card, Bob Bennett, Chris Rice, Wes King, Iona, Out Of The Grey, Wendy Francisco, Brown Bannister, Wayne Kirkpatrick, David Wilcox, Pierce Pettis, Kelly Joe Phelps, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Jerry Douglas, Claire Lynch Band, Josh Groban, Norah Jones, Dawn Upshaw, Sylvia McNair, Kathleen Battle, Swingle Singers, Maurice André, Sergei Nakariakov, Empire Brass, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell. Gil Shaham, Mike Marshall, Dave Grisman, Chris Thile, LAGQ, Christopher Parkening, guitarist John Williams, Robin & Linda Williams, Hopeful Gospel Quartet, The Beatles, Procol Harum, Poco, Wendy Waldman, Karla Bonoff, Enya, Stephen Bishop, Dan Fogelberg, Jim Messina,
Seals & Crofts, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon. Vangelis, Brendan Nolan, Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone, Patrick Doyle, Windham Hill Artists. Jesus the Christ, John Bunyan, C.S. Lewis, Helen Keller, Victor Hugo, John Eldredge, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, David McCullough, Joe Fish, Janice Buchanan, Vernon Taranto, Dave Brewer, Brent Woody, Rick Powell, Dan Clark, Leilani Clark, Loretta Copple, Mark Copple, Dave Dodge, John Baxter, Shirley Wyckoff, Chris Osborne, Bill Proffitt, Burt Rosenberg, Steve Geyer. Mark Twain, Ken Burns, Roy Blount, Jr., P.G. Wodehouse, James Herriot, Frank Peretti, William Shakespeare, Daniel J. Boorstin, Bill Watterson, Douglas Adams, Garrison Keillor.
This slideshow is of artists I've photographed. Some of them, turns out, are famous *L*. All of them are mortal, but none of them are normal. There is something about "celebrity" that does generate excitement, but I hate the term "idol". Now, there is a real Commandment I remember about that.
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Be Thou My Vision. Gorgeous tune. Not a true from scratch improvisation, but almost. It came together quickly. I really miss having Dan as Dan, my guitar buddy, and Dan as a living example of a man of God.
I stumbled accross this recently looking for something else. Leilani Clark is one of my all-time favorite singers and a beautiful Christian. I had the honor of producing & playing some of the tracks on her "Never Say Goodbye" CD. Though this wasn't one of them, check her out! She's on CD Baby. Here's "I'm Amazed", the first gospel song I ever heard her sing, and one of the best.
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Sounds Like
When I was younger, strangers would sometimes tell me I looked like Paul McCartney, which was nearly true then; of course, I had none of his British charm and personal magnetism... otherwise I would have been successful with girls... and then what kind of mess would I be in? But people still tell me I sound like Phil Keaggy, and he is a hero... however, the PK with all the technical prowess lives in a different universe than I do.
Now, Phil Keaggy loves to emulate the Beatles sound and can sound remarkably like Paul McCartney, but better... so is there a syllogism in this someplace, and am I just tangled up in the equals-sign? ... just the kind of thing we'll care nothing about when we see Jesus face to face, I'd guess... I stumbled on these Phil Keaggy videos tonight and find
him just very honest and refreshing. the url is http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d4a8bd39f54b32f6a157 , but here's a couple right here to watch. Phil, you made my day with that 8-word email!!!
A couple of the songs I took off my jukebox here to make room for others. The images and slideshows are mine as well.
Music Unto The Lord is a collection of original songs, scriptural settings, and instrumentals, written and arranged, played and sung, by a contemporary psalmist... me! It’s my communion with my Creator, conversation with my heavenly Father, meant, so it seems, to be listened-in-on by some of you; God knows who, or why. It’s the expression of gratitude and complaint, Lord knows, a plethora of that, but it’s the honest cry of the psalmist’s heart, a kind of music to God’s spiritual ears. It’s the sorrow oozing out of our low estate and desperate plight, my common-to-man struggle and plea for valor, courage, and the like. It’s rejoicing in the occasional triumph, but praising in the everyday, the always. It’s the trail of crumbs from my larger life, my own Pilgrim’s Progress, my testimony and reflective light before men. Ultimately, it’s my thanksgiving for redemptive love, packaged without the affectation of neon broadway; rather, more the soft blue night-light glow of my own hallway. It’s my untrained, often feeble voice, cringing at its public nakedness, clinging to, and swept along by, instruments with voices of their own, good ones, entrées of various guitars and pianos, seasoned bytes of orchestral and percussive samples, all of it ever hoping to carry something of value some great, unfathomable distance. It’s the indomitable desire for excellence underpinned by Psalm 33:3, “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.“
"In The Balance" is a selection of 15 tracks from the "Music Unto The Lord" recordings.
I'm pleased to say it is available at CD Baby, , and, ultimately, some others. I searched out one site which appears to be in Latvia. You never know. Remember, in "The Muppet Movie", Gonzo headed for Bombay, India to become a movie star.
My dot.mac site has expired, so I am in transition about where to post music, pics, etc. I mean, besides here *L*. I've been working hard at trying to build a website; you know, one of those things that just gradually evolves, and learn how to do it while you do it... it's still at http://www.jamesmadisonthomas.com .
Generally, I am no longer a shy person. I have the ability to go down every rabbit trail in the story and lose the point entirely. I have equal amounts of faith and fear, I guess, but the Lord is, with a certainty, working on me to change this. I have always preferred to be transparent; I just haven't figured out to acknowledge the negative without hanging on to it. I finally am aware nearly every day of the power and necessity of a thankful heart. I hope never to have to eat my words after I've been standing on them so long.
I don't know if this has to be said, but I have not met face to face all the folks listed as Friends below... I have placed their links there because they have either been an inspiration to me, moved my heart with their music, or are someone I've only recently discovered on a MySpace page and want to follow with interest...
I have made a decision about how to approach the "Friends" part of MySpace; I wish they'd call it something other than "Friends" really, because that really doesn't quite peg it... You'll see people I have as Friends that I do not know personally and some bring "celebrity" to the table... I have no desire to be a groupie and see how many Friends I can collect, so this is not going to be a numbers game. These are folks that I have respected and admired for their heart or talent or humility, and know in some way through their work, their art, though they don't necessarily know me. Or the Spirit just tells me I'm safe having their alliance.
I am always bowled over if someone contacts me asking to be a "Friend", but I have decided that if it is a complete stranger and I have had no interaction in any way, no concept of that person's heart, I want to give myself the grace to give it a little time before I add, or yes, even decline them for the moment. Honestly, I respect a humble, Godly person more than just about anyone I can think of, so I am not trying to be arrogant in any whisper of the word by saying "No" to the Add request. I am just having to "clean off my desk" for the moment. I only want God to be honored. At least that's the me that is writing this at this moment. And even if my look at myself is a cloudy deception, God's love for you is clearly stated in His Story to all of us, so much that He will never forsake you or decline your invitation. It's about relationship & He's the one that counts!
I had nothing to do with this UTube video; I just think it's a mesmerizing piece of work and my hat's off to whoever is responsible...
Hello James... that picture you liked was taken on the woods of Canada, driving towards Lake Ontario... it was a beautiful yellow paradise... the river from the Niagara Falls was beneath, flowing with its wide current.... thanks for stoping by.
James Madison Thomas,beautiful: You could hardly realize how happy I'm feeling today after having welcomed you into my circle of musical friends. I had a very interesting time reading out your profile text, that serious conversation of yours with our Lord,and after hearing out your so superb instrumental "Faithful and true", a melody beyond compare, I started to love you, this "Brilliant Stupid Eclectic Old Guy" and your so talented art. Actually that song made me drop a tear and have a real notion of what your person and your music might be. I also fell in love with your 3 miniatures, piano masterpieces and lastly with your "Homecoming Day". I feel myself honored and proud to be here commenting your fantastic wares. If you feel like getting to know some provincial songs of mine,please do so and send me your kind comments. Congratulations and may you always remember me. Please accept a fraternal musical embrace from your Brazilian admirer, ever,
Hi James: It is an honor to be your myspace friend! Faithful and True is so lovely... I will come back and listen again to more. I am coming to Florida this week! blessings, Laurie
Hiya James! I'm glad you found me here! Am so sorry that I didn't get to your phone message in time for you to stop by the other day. We will talk this week and hopefully meet up in Gainesville next weekend. Of course, if we really try, we can hook up in St. Pete, too! :) Have a GREAT weekend!
Just wanted to tell you - I really enjoyed listening to your CD today. I had a bad headache and felt sick most of the day. I knew I needed to relax my mind so I could rest. Well, your CD was the perfect antidote. Thank you again for the wonderful gift. I was very blessed today by it.
We used to go to Grace Covenant Baptist, but now we go to Tabernacle Baptist which is in Lake City. We actually showed our first movie "My Private War" to the church before we left. You can look on our film page at the top of my friends list. Independent Student Films is the title.
Thank you, my friend, for the gift of your annointed music. I am feeling more than blessed; I will write more when I've had a chance to listen more intently. Again, thank you! Godspeed.
Hey, James. Yes, there is information and the concert is open to the public:
Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center Try this: http://www.ticketfusion.com/store/one/index.html?store_id=11813&master_store_id=11813&page_type=ticket&show_id=356452
If that doesn't work, goto www.clairelynch.com and goto my "schedule" page. There is a link on the site for ticket info for Pinellas Park PAC - March 7th. Thanks so very very much for your inquiry, Claire Lynch
James, I just love reading your "About Me" section. You are a very authentic person.
Also, I have been meaning to thank you so very much for bringing your CD's over. We have truly enjoyed your music and message. The other day, while Robby was doing his schoolwork, I was getting ready to put a CD on and Robby requested I put yours in. So we all appreciate you around here and know without a doubt where the credit belongs - Our Lord Jesus Christ.
