Music

A friend of mine recently drew my attention to an interesting musical project that I want to share with you here. It’s a new album by jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas called Be Still. In this album, Douglas explores a few beloved Christian hymns through the lens of jazz.

Here is a clip of the Dave Douglas Quintet in-studio playing a rendition of ‘Be Still My Soul’:

In my experience, many have tried something similar to this but unfortunately have fallen short of producing that is both artistically compelling and doctrinally sound. Dave Douglas has achieved both with this project. Though I do not know anything about Dave Douglas’ spiritual beliefs, I believe this work is a powerful blending of art and theology, and I pray that we will continue to see more such works for the church to enjoy.

Dave Douglas’ album Be Still is available for purchase here.

How can Christian artists most effectively use their medium to make an impact for Christ? How are Christian artists breaking into the secular marketplace? Why does it matter?

These are just a few of the issues Shai Linne addresses in a recent interview he did for The Advancing, a gospel-focused blog that I contribute to every now and then. I encourage you to check out this interview, especially if you are a follower of Jesus who loves music and other art forms.

Shai Linne is a hip-hop recording artist who uses his talent to exalt Jesus Christ. His gospel-saturated music has proven very useful for helping to build the church, particularly in urban settings. In addition to serving as a recording artist for Lamp Mode Records, Shai writes and speaks regularly, encouraging Christians to faithfully proclaim the gospel in all things, and when possible, to engage in creative and artistic means of doing so.
You can read the complete interview with Shai Linne here.

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Dave Douglas Quintet: New album ‘Be Still My Soul’

Shai Linne on Faith, Art, and the Church