Review

Where have I been this whole time? Living in the Vineyard/Integrity/UK worship strata, I have completely missed a genre that is so absolutely beautiful that I now need to retrace my steps and drink deeply from it. What a magnificent album! Im going to try to convey the essence of it to you, but I dont think my words will be enough. This is an album to experience, one to put on and drift away. Musically powerful, lyrically poignant and spiritually alive, the one who engages this work will not remain unchanged. I wasnt.

Dance With Me-The River 5 is live, spontaneous, prophetic music. Captured and culled from a conference in Kentucky, USA, worship leader/keyboardist Robert Stearns takes us off the printed page, past the standard three minute verse/chorus, into a realm of unbridled joy, heart-rendering submission, and a sense of awe in the presence of God. I hope thats not too many superlatives. I just want to say how excited I am about this project. I know that if youve been listening to this kind of music for a long time, youll chuckle at my wide-eyed exuberance. But I really didnt think I was going to like this. When I first put it on, I had it on in the background and I was very distracted. It was only after getting alone with it in my car that I began to live in it.

There are 66 minutes of music on this CD, but only 4 real songs. By real, I mean songs that were already written. Chris Dupres Dance With Me; Daphne Rademakers Resting Place; Joel Chernoffs Hallelujah and Stephen Jenks March On are woven in and around four other spontaneous songs, on which Stearns, along with the magnificent Joanne McFatter, bring to us the mind and heart of God. Dance With Me opens the album and Stearns melodic keyboard is wonderful. Joanne McFatter adorns the song with her own word picture of the Bride and Bridegroom.

Several times on this live album you can hear the audience addressed with exhortations to come to the Lord. Resting Place is so peaceful, with George Furlow on saxophone. Oh how I wish I would hear this one day on the smooth Jazz station. It has that kind of feel. Perhaps my favorite moment is A Love Like This. Its a duet between Stearns and McFatter; he representing mans cry to God, she speaking prophetically back to him. Not only is the music good, but also the words Oh my, I wish I had the space to just write them all out for you. He begins I want to be close to you, tear down my defensesI go to the mountain and You are there, I try to hide in darkness, even there Your light finds me God replies Ive had my eye on you from the day I formed you I would never give you a place to go that would be out of my sight The song builds as each side declares their love for the other. Then God says, Just so you know, I wouldnt put this craving for Myself in you if I didnt plan to satisfy it I love it!

The last song on the album is Day & Night, Night and Day. Depending on your mood, it will either enthrall you, or youll turn it off. Its a VERY upbeat, rhythmic, chant-like, stream of consciousness addressing the 24/7ness of God. Dont miss it. One last thing I noticed about this album. The tone and theme are not basic entry-level Christianity. By that I mean, this isnt wondering if God exists, or if He loves us. Its not what Christians would call seeker-sensitive. Its outside the camp music. Not for the faint of heart. I was so moved by the participants awareness of the presence of God as they played and sang. This is an album of mountain top experiences. Itll recharge you for your trek through the valleys. I know that we all have our preferences, but I am recommending this album to all of you to shake yourself out of your paradigm. You could go ahead and buy the tried, the true. But this kind of music may just scratch an itch you were only slightly aware of.

Reviewed by John Ausmus