Announcing: Thee Quaker Podcast

I am so pleased to announce, after lots of hard work, that our Quaker podcast is ready to share with the world.

Beginning May 24th, look out for weekly episodes of Thee Quaker Podcast, a show for spiritual seekers, lifelong Quakers, and everyone in between.

I am so pleased to announce, after lots of hard work, that our Quaker podcast is ready to share with the world.

Beginning May 24th, look out for weekly episodes of Thee Quaker Podcast, a show for spiritual seekers, lifelong Quakers, and everyone in between.

Listen to the trailer and subscribe here:

I composed the original music for the trailer, which you can listen to here. I’ll be adding music to that album as I score future episodes.

Live from Philadelphia!

Last winter I was streaming live every week from my studio here in Philadelphia. It was so magical to share that space with you, and to see what happened when we all gathered to listen in my studio. As the weather gets cool again, I find myself reminiscing and missing it a bit! Here is one of my favorites.

Last winter I was streaming live every week from my studio here in Philadelphia. It was so magical to share that space with you, and to see what happened when we all gathered to listen together. As the weather gets cool again, I find myself reminiscing and missing it a bit! Here is one of my favorites.

Cover of Bon Iver: “715 – CR∑∑KS”

Lately I’ve been challenging myself to learn the work of artists who inspire me. After years of living in my head, this piece by Justin Vernon seemed like a good start. Trying to re-create the magic of this song has been a humbling process, as it took me to school in all sorts of ways.

Lately I’ve been challenging myself to learn the work of artists who inspire me. After years of living in my head, this piece by Justin Vernon seemed like a good start. Trying to re-create the magic of this song has been a humbling process, as it took me to school in all sorts of ways.

Deep Breath

I’ve been dealing with a ton of anxiety over the past couple of days, as I’m sure many of us have. Sometimes when I’m anxious I sit at the piano and play something slow just to remind myself of the beauty that naturally unfolds when I wait and listen and focus on my breath.

I hope you are also finding ways to reconnect to beauty today, even amidst the turmoil, and that this music helps you to get back to your breath, even if just for a minute.

I’ve been dealing with a ton of anxiety over the past couple of days, as I’m sure many of us have. Sometimes when I’m anxious I sit at the piano and play something slow just to remind myself of the beauty that naturally unfolds when I wait and listen and focus on my breath.

I hope you are also finding ways to reconnect to beauty today, even amidst the turmoil, and that this music helps you to get back to your breath, even if just for a minute.

It has been an honor to serve Friends as the founder and director of QuakerSpeak. Now I am pleased to announce my next endeavor, a Quaker media project for the modern era. Find out more at TheeQuaker.org

The Candle Suite

Dear Friends,

Please enjoy this new recording, just released today:

“The Candle Suite was completed during a time of not-knowing. It is about venturing deep into the darkness–with all that entails: disorientation, comfort, envelopment, loss of perspective. And it’s about the ways that we emerge, humbled and new. I hope it serves to comfort and give you hope in times of darkness.”

Quaker Epistle, Set to Music!

A few weeks ago a Friend in England Facebooked me to see if I’d put music to an epistle that she had a part in writing. The epistle is the Kabarak Call for Peace and Eco-Justice. Here’s my rendition.

The Kabarak Call for Peace and Eco-Justice

The Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice was approved on 24 April 2012 at the Sixth World Conference Friends, held at Kabarak University near Nakuru, Kenya. It is the culmination of the FWCC World Consultation on Global Change which was held in 2010 and 2011. It is being circulated with the Conference Epistle.

In past times God’s Creation restored itself. Now humanity dominates, our growing population consuming more resources than nature can replace. We must change, we must become careful stewards of all life. Earthcare unites traditional Quaker testimonies: peace, equality, simplicity, love, integrity, and justice. Jesus said, “As you have done unto the least… you have done unto me”. We are called to work for the peaceable Kingdom of God on the whole earth, in right sharing with all peoples. However few our numbers, we are called to be the salt that flavours and preserves, to be a light in the darkness of greed and destruction.
Continue reading “Quaker Epistle, Set to Music!”

How to Play “Walk in the Light” (The George Fox Song)

There’s a Light that is shining in the Heart of a man
It’s the Light that was shining when the world began
There’s a Light that is shining in the Turk and the Jew
There’s a Light that is shining, friend, in me and in you.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been singing this song about George Fox, a man who is widely regarded as the founder of The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

When I became a singer-songwriter and started sharing some of my music with Quakers, I started getting a lot of requests for it. Though I was never a “singalong” musician (I have my own song that I wrote about Fox), I loosened up and learned the chords. If you’re looking to learn how to play the George Fox Song, I’ll post the chords and lyrics just below this video.

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Chords

Verses
C – Am – F – G
C – G – C
C – Am – F – G
C – G – C

Chorus
C – Am – F – G
C – Am – F – G
C – G – Am – G
C – G – C

Lyrics

There’s a Light that is shining in the Heart of a man
It’s the Light that was shining when the world began
There’s a Light that is shining in the Turk and the Jew
There’s a Light that is shining, friend, in me and in you.

*chorus*
Walk in the Light, wherever you may be
Walk in the Light, wherever you may be
With my old leather britches and my shaggy, shaggy locks
I am walking in the glory of the Light, said Fox

With a book and a steeple and a bell and a key
Well they’ll bind you forever, but they can’t, said he
For the book, it will perish and the steeple will fall
And the Light will be shining at the end of it all.

(chorus)

If we give you a pistol, will you fight for the Lord?
But you can’t kill the devil with a gun or a sword.
Will you swear on the Bible? “I will not!” said he,
“For the Truth is more holy than the book to me.”

(chorus)

There’s an ocean of darkness and I drown in the night
Til I come through the darkness to the ocean of Light
and the Light is forever, and the Light it is free
And I walk in the glory of the Light, said he.

(chorus)
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Why You Should Listen to Eyedea

In the year 2000, when I was first getting into underground hip hop, I came across this rapper from Minneapolis who blew my mind.

Edit 12.12: Eyedea was from St. Paul

Eyedea was a master of his craft.

Eyedea was a musical prodigy, beginning to tour at just 16 years old, and already starting to develop his signature style of fast paced delivery with mind-bending lyrics. He released his first work of genius at age 20.


Continue reading “Why You Should Listen to Eyedea”

“Clothe Yourself in Righteousness” Video Song

When I released my new album, “Clothe Yourself in Righteousness”, last Fall, I promised to myself (and to you!) that I would edit all of the footage I had taken during the recording process and turn each song into a videosong.

I got through 8 of these videosongs, and then needed to take a step back and rethink the way I was approaching them. Video editing is an entirely new skill for me, though there are some aspects that are akin to audio.

When I released my new album, Clothe Yourself in Righteousness, last Fall, I promised to myself (and to you!) that I would edit all of the footage I had taken during the recording process and turn each song into a videosong.

I got through 8 of these videosongs, and then decided to take a step back and rethink the way I was approaching them. Video editing is an entirely new skill for me, though there are some aspects that are akin to audio.

Anyway, here I am returning for the last two videos! This is the new and improved Jon-the-filmmaker! Enjoy!