This recording is contemporary classical music written by a composer whose lineage is of the rare group of classical and jazz composers who have influenced each other - Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, and György Ligeti.  This very personal collection of chamber and solo compositions masterfully reflects a new integration of diverse musical languages in a modern setting. The two very different arrangements of Amazing Grace for string orchestra dedicated to President Barack Obama and the Emmanuel AME nine who lost their lives in Charleston, SC, breathtakingly capture the moment of our times while presenting a traditional sacred song that quintessentially reflects an American reality in a contemporary context.

Both arrangements of “Amazing Grace” were motivated by and dedicated to President Barack Obama, and the nine precious lives taken in Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Charleston, South Carolina. The names of those nine are Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Sen. Clementa Pinckney, Twanza Sanders, Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson.

AMAZING GRACE VERSIONS 1 & 2 STRING ORCHESTRA
Conductor: Grant Gershon
Violin 1: Roger Wilkie (Concertmaster), Susan Chatman, Lesa Terry, Chris Woods
Violin 2: Shalini Vijayan (Principal), Crystal Alforque, Rosalind Darbeau, Shigeru Logan
Viola: Jason Bonham (Principal), Nikki Shorts, Stefan Smith
Cello: Cecilia Tsan (Principal), Chirstopher Ahn, Giovanna Clayton
Bass: Eric Shetzen (Principal), Karl Vincent
Contracting: Nick DePinna and Anthony Parnther

LOOKING ABOVE, THE FAITH OF JOSEPH (2008)
Yegor Shevstov, Piano
Dedicated to Cecil Lytle

ELISHA’S GIFT (2014)
The Lyris String Quartet + Eric Shetzen, Bass
Conducted by Grant Gershon

THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS (2014, REV. 2016)
Daniel Rosenboom, Trumpet
Dedicated to Dr. James Ford III

GETHSEMANE (2009)
Yegor Shevstov, Piano

DOS DANZAS PARA ARPA MVTS. 1 & 2 (1998, REV. 2016)
Alison Bjorkedal, Harp
Dedicated to Lidia Tamayo

MULTICOLORED REFLECTIONS WITHIN THE ORION NEBULA (2015)
Yegor Shevtsov, Piano
Dedicated to Yegor Shevtsov

All Music Composed by James W. Newton Jr. (ASCAP)

Recorded at The Evelyn & Mo Ostin Music Center at the UCLA Herb Alpert School Of Music (2017-2018)
Engineered by Fred Vogler, Carlos Mosquera, and Ethan Carlson
Assistant Engineers: Nicolas Essig, Erik Swanson, José Carrillo
Mixed by Fred Vogler
Mastered by Sergey Parfenov

Produced by James Newton and Nick DePinna

Designed by Eron Rauch

All Music Published by Janew Music (ASCAP)
© James Weldon Newton, Jr.

www.jamesnewtonmusic.com

OREDNA RECORDS 0057