Broken, Gazing by Jeff Johnson

Songs and chants for pilgrims composed and performed by vocalist/keyboardist Jeff Johnson with a chamber ensemble featuring Wendy Goodwin (violin), Janet Chvatal (voice), Brian Dunning (flute), Phil Baker (bass), Tim Ellis (guitar), Phil Madeira (accordion & guitar), Trevor Fitzpatrick (cello) and Mike Snyder (percussion).

A review by Gord Wilson –

This is universal music. Not “goes everywhere-- one size fits all”. But somehow timeless and ageless. Universal as in small “c” catholic. Yet particular and peculiar to a certain time and place. Johnson delights in capturing the ambience of a given locale with his mobile recording studio. Nor is it a hodgepodge collage, but a thoughtful and harmonious blend of music stretching the centuries, from the Latin Mass to original pieces by Jack Boyd and John Bell.

On Broken, Gazing, the spirit present as far back as his 1980 vocal album, The Face of the Deep, continues to move over the musical waters. Johnson’s music is all of a piece, and it’s impossible not to find correspondences. The wing on the cover reminds me of the King Raven albums. The boat below suggests Navigatio or The Prayers of St. Brendan. Musically, also, deep calls to deep in whispers and glances. Four pieces on the album reprise earlier instrumental selections with new lyrics, and the album opens with a three part medley.

After forty some albums one may ask, what’s different this time out? Merely the musicality. These seasoned musicians have some years under their belts of playing together, both in concert and on albums, and it shows. And Johnson has gone from singing chants to writing them. The lyrics are simpler, cleaner, and leave room for deftly rendered musical stretches like Wendy Goodwin’s haunting solo in “Water, Bread, and Wine”.

If the players were sailors, one could note the seamless orchestration of the confident crew, their mastery and skill, the sure-footedness that enables them to sail into uncharted waters, bank harder, and ride the tossing prow. And of Johnson the captain, one might fairly ask if all his sailing has left him cynical and jaded, disillusioned and world weary. Broken, Gazing finds him wide-eyed with wonder, wind in his sails, eager to go a-voyaging.

ArkMusic recording artist, composer, producer, and Selah worship leader has released numerous solo recordings and collaborations with the late Irish flutist, Brian Dunning as well as John Van Deusen, David Friesen & Janet Marie Chvatal. His soon to be released SPINNING ON A COSMIC DIME will be his fifth instrumental recording with guitarist, Phil Keaggy.

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