Watch the Annie Moses Band perform live on The 700 Club!

On March 14 at 9:00 ET, the Annie Moses Band will be performing live on The 700 Club! The Band will be premiering the first single, “Blush”, from their new release, Pilgrims and Prodigals. The single will be going live on iTunes after the show, so be sure and be one of the first to download the song!

A February To Remember

Well, we’re at home. Despite several rather serious attacks of bronchitis, pneumonia, and the like, we’re all doing very well. Benjamin is still rather weak but steadily climbing the hill to health. The weather in Nashville on this Monday is very bright and lovely. February and March like to tickle our hopes with false Springs; I hope I’ve learned their tricks by now…. maybe.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of getting to play on FamilyLife’s ‘Love LIke You Mean It’ marriage cruise. It was a ton of fun. Unfortunately, because of cruise rules, Mr. Chubby—otherwise known as David Dupre the cutest, sweetest baby on earth—wasn’t able to come with us. Babies have to be at least 6 months to go aboard. So, to Grandma Robin’s joy, she watched the munchkin while Annie and Scott were away. Annie flew out to make it on the ship, played a concert that night, then flew back to Nashville with Scott the next day when we reached the Bahamas to be reunited with their little joy.

The only problem with this picture was one thing… that we had another concert on the last night of the cruise…. and Annie wouldn’t be there. When I first knew of this plan several weeks ago, my mental picture was of all of us on stage in normal assembly, with one giant hole center front stage.

Do a show without Annie? How could that be???

Thankfully, however, we have a few creative minds in the house. So, to our delight, some friends came with us. Joshua Carswell and Julian Kaplan, two very dear friends who have been part of the Fine Arts Summer Academy for many, many years, are starting a new group. Trust me, it’s one of the most fun vocal—jazz groups I’ve ever heard: it’s an awesome mix of clear, beautiful trumpet (played by Mr. Kaplan), Joshua’s amazing tenor vocals, and really, really fun arrangements of wow-some classics.

So, on the last evening of the cruise, outside with a mild oceanic sky above us, Alex and I pulled out all the stops playing some gypsy fiddle (it was SO much FUN!!), and we all listened as Joshua, Julian, and their awesome band, blew it out of the ballpark. It was a wonderful evening. Plus, the ladies in our entourage got to sing backup to one of their songs written by the Annie Moses Band’s Bill and Robin Wolaver. ‘You Look Good In Love’ is a peppy Diana Krall-ish jingle. A total blast.

In a word, we all had a wonderful time. During the five days of sea freedom, a few of us tried our hand at a little golf…. let’s just say that not all golfers are created equal. We also got a chance to snorkel with a very large school of very colorful fish. I always expect to be gazing at a fish, look up, see a shark, and faint… but it never happens, so I guess I’ll repeat the sequence next time.

It was nice to get away from the rain for a while, but also nice to come back home. Funny how that works, huh? I simply can’t wait for Joshua and Julian to release their first record – and you should be excited too, believe me.

Well, that’s the update for now!

And, one more thing, if you ever have the opportunity to have a crepe with honey and whipped cream – do it!

Gretchen

The Annie Moses Band and the New American Choir and Orchestra make their Carnegie Hall debut!

“Wow,” echoed a voice from the back of the hall. In any other hall, Mr. Hall’s comment would not have been heard, but in the perfect acoustics of Carnegie Hall you can literally hear a pin drop. And as a description of what the debut performance of the Annie Moses Band and the New American Choir and Orchestra at Carnegie Hall was like, Mr. Hall’s exclamation sums up the experience for everyone: “Wow”.

From January 12 through the 15th, four hundred people from every corner of the United States converged on the Sheraton Hotel near Times Square, NYC to prepare a night of outstanding music. Every generation was represented from 12 year old violinists from the Annie Moses Band’s annual Fine Arts Summer Academy to experienced choral vocalists entering their 80th decade. What united everyone was a common goal: to obey the command of the Psalmist to ‘make His praise glorious!’.

Hours of feverish preparations (and two evenings of great fun and fellowship) bonded this wonderful group of musicians and singers into a outstanding choir and orchestra led by the legendary conductor, Camp Kirkland.

Headlining the event were the Juilliard trained performers of the Annie Moses Band in their Carnegie Hall debut. ‘It has been a long journey for us,’ said Robin, the mother and visionary of the Annie Moses Band. ‘I can remember arriving in New York City for the first time in 1999. Even then, the Lord was moving to bring us to this place and time.’

A distinctive calling set this performance apart for the Band and the musicians and vocalists joining them: to send a message to the world that the arts exist to glorify the Creator. “We see this as the first night of many nights to come when the truth of God and the good news of Jesus will be presented with excellence on the most renowned stages in the world,’ said Alex, the Band’s violist. ‘The performers here are on the front line, bringing an artistically and spiritual profound presentation of Jesus’ Kingdom to New York City and the world.’

The concert itself proved spectacular, ending with two encores and a standing ovation. A litany of FASA alumni were also featured in a rollicking medley entitled “FASA Follies” that climaxed in a rousing version of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?”. From the powerful opening song “Glory Giver”, accompanied by full choir and orchestra, to the spell binding Ralph Vaughan Williams inspired “Ancient Paths” to the climactic reprise of the theme song, “Make His Praise Glorious”, the Annie Moses Band and the New American Choir and Orchestra electrified the most legendary hall in music.

Behind the scenes, watching with satisfaction was the indispensable man, Roy Hayes and his team at True North Productions who organized and planned the event. True North Productions exists to bring outstanding talent to outstanding venues in order to edify the Church and bring the Gospel to an ever wider audience. After the rousing performance at Carnegie, everyone could agree: “Mission Accomplished”.