Soteria Music

Last night S:WMD put on a record session inside of Redruth Baptist. Originally this session was to be for James Saldivar to begin recording on his new debut album.

The session was scheduled for 7pm and at 6:25pm I thought everything was in-hand and we were prepared. By half six I found that my camera was broken that meant I quick rush out to my parent’s house in Illogan to borrow one of my Dad’s cameras for the evening. As a consequence of this unexpected trip I was late for picking up the Church keys and Phil Gray! I arrived at Ann Chapple’s house to collect the keys looking slightly out-of-breath when she told me that my rushing around was a bit pointless as James had called her and he was still stuck in Penzance (over half an hour away). I collected the keys, thanked Ann for her help and went to find Phil.

Phil thankfully was waiting on his doorstep for me, and once he was in the car I relayed to his all that had happened in the last half hour. We pulled up outside the Church and called James back to find out what was happening on his end. Eventually it was decided that Phil and I would get things ready and James would catch the next available bus to Redruth. Given that the bus wouldn’t arrive in James’ village for another half hour and then take about 40 mins to arrive in Redruth it was becoming clear that we were not likely to get a huge amount done on this occasion.

We hung up the phone and Phil came up with the idea of using the extra time to work on the other big project of the season, getting more MP3s available on the downloads section. So we could use this time to record some of our back catalogue of songs that have never been heard!

So for the next hour and a bit I stood on RBC’s platform and played though various different songs of the WMD back-catalogue, (this not only includes songs by Phil and I but also my old mates Andy Bryant, Alex Parry and a few others).

After a long time James arrived and after Phil had got him set up and I had made some tea, we were treated to some of the smoothest piano music I’ve ever heard! We kept recording till gone ten by which point everyone was too tired to carry on. James called home for a lift and while we were waiting for the lift to arrive he and I did an impromptu rendition of Phil’s song “Humble Me”. To my amazement James was able to seamlessly just slot into the music and play his piano along with me strumming the guitar with no practice at all! Phil thanked us both and said the he was “humbled”.

So the work has begun. Here we go again then.

God bless you, one and all.

Jon Richards
Exec Producer

When Jon and myself got together again to create Carols in the Cavern, I didn’t think that I would be coming back onto the full time staff of Soteria WMD. But here we are three months later and we have already got our next project in the pipe line. James has an amazing talent and i know Jon and myself are so excited to be working with him. As the recording session gets closer it reminds me of those first shallow steps that we made into the world of audio publishing back in jon’s bedroom. We have come a long way from then and God willing we will carry on improving over the years to come.

Keep playing the sound of salvation

Phil Gray

Technicial Director

I wondered what it might be that God would ask WMD to do next. After the busyness of Christmas and the stress of making “Carols in the Cavern” it was a welcome break to have January with almost nothing to do.

Yet now, only half way through February, the next task has arrived. Last Sunday morning at the end of the Church service I happened to run into James Saldivar, (avid followers of this blog may remember him from Easter last year when we released a live single of his entitled “The Cross of Jesus”), and he told me that he’s finally got his songs ready and would like to get cracking on doing a few recordings. So yesterday Phil and I travelled down to his village, which is near Penzance, and had a chat with him about what he’s got written.

From my past dealings around and about I’ve worked briefly with James before, most notably in that he played at my brother’s wedding, so I knew roughly what style the majority of his work would sound like. At our meeting James played one piece on his piano and it was absolutely stunning. If the rest of his collection is anything as remotely as good as that one we’re going to be in for a real treat when this album launches.

Looks like recording may start as early as next week, so I hope to have the album released by the summer.

Thanks be to God!

Jon Richards
Exec Producer
www.soteriamusic.co.uk

Our heartiest congratulations to Phil Gray and his wife Ruth on the safe delivery of their third baby. We wish all God’s blessings be with the whole family and especially for Ruth and little baby Samuel.

With the large organisational changes going on inside of WMD it is obvious that sooner or later changes and enhancements will be visible from the outside.

Firstly as mentioned in previous entries Phil Gray has returned to the group, this undoubtidly will have a terrific and positive impact on everything we do. There are also more projects had changes comimg along in the next few months. So now while it is quiet Phil and I are making sure we have everything in place and ready for when God  calls us to the next job.

The most recent thing is the WMD website has been upgraded with Spiderpath technology. Hopefully this will make our site easier to find on the internet and with a lot more relevent search criteria. Spiderpath is invisible from a visitor’s point of view, so you should still be able to see and access all the usual very cool material that is stored on our website.

We’ll of course keep you posted for any interesting developments.

For now I’m still very much enjoying the quiet. That does have a very good point come to think of it. It is a very scriptural thing to wait upon the Lord for His instructions in the Christian life, as well as making sure you are ready. This is what Phil and I are doing with S:WMD now, praying seeking, sorting out, tidying up, and generally getting ready for whatever God may want us to do next.

Keep on praying.

God bless you all

Jon Richards

Exec Producer

Soteria:Worship Music Division