CD Review: Reliquarium by Kemper Crabb and the Servants of the King
Producer: Kemper Crabb (Producer and Arrangements) and Ryan Birsinger (Co-Producer and Engineer)
This is a unique collection of hymns, but to fully grasp the passion behind this CD you need a little background on Kemper Crabb.
This is the 13th release from Kemper Crabb since 1975, which is impressive for any musician to sustain a music career for over 30 years. Kemper Crabb isn’t just another musician trying to sell an album though, this new release “Reliquarium” solely is for the benefit of the non profit missionary organization Servants of the King.
www.servantsoftheking.org
Servants of the King was founded in 1995 by Kemper Crabb and is one of the few missionary organizations that dedicates 100% of all donations to it’s outreach efforts feeding, clothing, supplying medical aid for lepers and AIDS patients, building churches and so much more in several parts across Asia and Africa.
Kemper Crabb is also known as an artist/priest. He was ordained in the Reformed Episcopal Church, and is currently a priest in the Community of Evangelical Episcopal Churches. He spends most of his time speaking, teaching and performing for any local community church in need of his talents and gifts. He also leads worship every Sunday at St. John the Divine Church in Houston, Texas.
Ok well now on to the Album “Reliquarium”, the musicianship is outstanding Kemper Crabb is talented in many instruments almost too many to list here but they range from the guitar, Celtic harp to the more obscure such as the kazoo and electric bagpipes. He is accompanied by fellow musicians each bringing traditional and unique instruments to the recording from double bass, oboe, bowed psaltery, erhu and so many more instruments. See the albums liner notes for a full list of all the talented musicians and instruments that helped Kemper Crabb record this epic project. Each hymn is brilliantly layered mixing contemporary and modern sounds with a taste of mid-evil Celtic flavor.
This album will appeal to both contemporary worship music fans and those who prefer more of a rock n roll taste as well. “Reliquarium” definitely spans several genres and styles of musical influence.
With standard hymns like “Holy, Holy, Holy”, “Nothing But The Blood”, and “Rock Of Ages” that most of the younger generation may recognize this is an amazing album that will please both young and old listeners.
Here is the track listing of all the hymns on “Reliquarium”
This Is My Father’s World
Near The Cross
Holy, Holy, Holy
There Is A Fountain
Rock Of Ages
Just As I Am
O How Firm A Foundation/Perichoresis Reel
Nothing But The Blood
On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand
Come Thou Almighty King
So it’s easy to see there is something for everyone on this amazing CD.
You can listen to streaming samples, download a free song and check out the impressive liner notes of musicians and instruments at www.relquarium.net
You can order the CD for $15.00 U.S. Dollars or purchase the digital download for only $12.00 from the online store at
www.kempercrabb.net
With 100% of the proceeds from each CD and digital download sale going fund the great outreach efforts of the Servants of the King missions you may want to order a couple extra copies for friends and family as gifts since it supports a worthy cause.
