Keep Silent: Jennifer Grassman’s Christmas
Vision
By Howie Doyle
Jennifer Grassman was only eleven years old when
her parents gave her an upright piano, but her life
story was written on that day. That was just a
little over half of her life ago, and Jennifer has
spent the second half of her life behind that piano,
or other pianos and keyboard, experiencing the joy
she found in making music.
What a surprise it must have been to her, and her
parents, when she gave voice to her music and it
lifted into the air on the wings of her natural
talent, her songs honeyed and resonant. Since then
she has added six years of piano lessons with an
internationally renowned concert pianist – Timothy
Hester – and she attended Moores School of Music at
the University of Houston as a vocal major. In the
process, she acquired the tools and the confidence
to follow her artistic vision.
Jennifer is intent on making music. Since the
release of her first CD, At the Back of the North
Wind, she has played many venues, major and minor.
Her music has graced churches, art galleries and
coffee houses, and listeners are often surprised by
her powerful voice. At times operatic, at other
times subtle and nuanced, she applied her craft to
original music as well as classical selections, and
sings from the heart. The lyrical content of her
music is spiritual and refers often to her
Christianity, but it is also full of heartstrings
and cinema, pith and poetic allusions; it belies a
timeless wisdom beyond the years of her generation.
Now, with the release of her second CD, she
carries forward a small cadre of believers, and
Jennifer has paid her dues for each fan she has. At
the head of the pack is her husband, Jason
Greenberg, who not only provides encouragement, but
musical accompaniment on guitar on both CDs.
With her latest release, Jennifer chose not to
aim for the mainstream market with three-minute,
radio-friendly selections, but to follow her muse...
into the recesses of ancient music, much of which
has been forgotten over the millennia.
The new CD, consisting of 14 Christmas carols in
classical arrangements is called Keep Silent. Two of
the tracks are new songs that she wrote as she
communed with the spirits of ancient composers
(“John's Song” with its sparing arrangement and
profound lyrics, and the gothic, haunting “Can This
Be So.’’) The oldest of the selections dates from
the 5th century, a part of the Liturgy of St. James
which was translated from Latin. The music she chose
originated in England, Germany, France, Ukraine, and
early America.
Listeners will recognize several familiar,
traditional selections from Keep Silent: “Silent
Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Carol of the
Bells,” “Greensleeves,” and “O Holy Night.” The
music production is professional, the arrangements
uncluttered and balanced. There are more than a few
idiosyncrasies in the mix, including
backwards-tracking, repetitive loops, synthesized
sounds and vocal effects, but they are used only to
add flavor. The chef, music producer Dan Workman of
the independent label TLM Productions, handled the
ingredients subtly and with expertise. One would
expect no less from a producer who has lent his
expertise to artists such as ZZ Top, Destiny's
Child, and Clay Walker. The recording was done at
the storied Sugarhill Recording Studios in Houston,
of which Workman is President, a time-honored
springboard for artists who are going places.
True, Jennifer's art is music, but her vision for
Keep Silent included a specific setting for
performing these songs – in historic churches,
before congregations eager to share the spirit of
Christmas. So she arranged a performance tour that
kicks off in early November at St. Paul's United
Methodist Church at 5501 Main Street in Houston.
From there she travels to Austin, Brenham, Dallas,
and other cities. “The churches became a dream come
true,” Jennifer commented, explaining that they
fulfill her vision for venues that are
architecturally and historically impressive, and
which are not only resonant acoustically, but
resonate spiritually. “I wanted to perform at venues
that would create a powerful atmosphere.”
“I didn't want these concerts to be the sort that
parents felt like they needed to hire a babysitter
in order to attend,” she explained, “or where people
on fixed incomes would have to save up forty dollars
to get a ticket.” All of her performances on the
Keep Silent tour will be played free of charge.
Although artistic success is fickle, it is almost
always occasioned by the pairing of a meaningful
vision and extraordinary talent. Enter Jennifer
Grassman, performing music that glorifies Christ,
from an era when the gifts that were celebrated
during Christmas were not found under a tree, but in
the heart and soul. As she honors history with the
performance of this timeless music, one suspects
that she will also be writing it.
The Keep Silent Christmas Tour of Texas
Monday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m. - Houston
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
5501 Main Street, Houston, Texas, 77004
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. - Austin
Central Christian Church
1110 Guadalupe Street, Austin, Texas, 78701
Saturday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m. - Austin
University Baptist Church
2130 Guadalupe St, Austin, Texas 78705
Sunday, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m. – Brenham
St. Mary, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
701 Church Street, Brenham, Texas 77833
Friday, Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. – Dallas
Landon Winery
101 N. Kentucky Street, McKinney, TX 75069
Additional dates will be announced. Visit
www.jennifergrassman.com and
www.myspace.com/jennifergrassman for show dates
and locations.
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