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Ambitious indeed Jumpstart To Eternity features 18 songs many of a very personal
nature. Divided into two virtual sides (Don't flip the CD around) and recorded
in a few different locations this work is a compilation of a large body of
Steve’s work from the early 90's through to 2006.
Produced by Steve and Andrew
MacRae who also engineered Steve had the freedom to be stylistically eclectic
and certainly managed to “explore the studio space”
1) I Believe
One of Steve's earlier compositions I Believe has
a jazzy feel with a positive viewpoint of the future of humanity. This track
has some
great instrumentation including the ripping sax stylings of Omar Bergeson
from Halifax and a dandy bass solo by Saint John’s John Collier.
2) Onto Something
This song has a great groove, tight harmonies and reflects
on Steve’s new relationship with wife Lois Zaat.
3) Heroes For Gold
Originally composed for a leadership award being presented
to film maker Sylvia Hamilton for her movie “Black
Mother, Black Daughter”, Heroes
For Gold quickly
became an often requested song and reflects on the fact
that leadership is a state that many find ourselves receiving and providing
simultaneously, no matter the age. This song has been performed in a number
of schools in New Brunswick including Nashwaaksis and Connaught schools in
Fredericton and Champlain Heights School in Saint John.
4) The Truth Is Waiting
Inspired by the principle that all must encounter
truth through their own investigation this song invites the listener to do
just that. Despite social pressures or charismatic persuasion truth must
be actively sought with lots of questions and an open mind. Oh, by the way
the song is groovy with a nifty acoustic riff and the amazing drumming of
Saint John’s Mathieu Benoit.
5) My Love’s for Real
Steve lets it rip on the guitar with this one. Complex
time signatures earned this song the nickname “The Bastard” at
rehearsal.
6) Joy And Pain
This song was the title cut of an earlier cassette produced
by Steve in the mid 90’s. Originally sung by the now deceased Chad Conrad
and MJ Penton on J&P, Steve arranged the key to suit his vocals and enlisted
the beautiful voice of Karen Lizotte. This song would be at home on a folk
recording and juxtaposes the western sound of acoustic guitar and resophonic
guitar (often called a dobro) with the Persian instrument the Santur played
by the talented Saeed Foroughi.
7) When I Was a Boy
Inspired by the stories of humanity that emerged from
the horrors of war, this song is about a young man reflecting on what he
thought he might grow up to be when he was a boy. Instead of a soldier hunkered
down
in a bunker waiting to move against his enemy the young man recalls playing
with toy guns when the bullets were imaginary but anticipates a world where
the world’s peoples and races are united. This song has been performed
at numerous Rembrance Day ceremonies and features haunting violin work by
the young and brilliant Owen McCausland.
8) Vassals Looking For A King
During a road trip with friend and mentor
John Lam, the two were talking about how the world’s peoples seemed to be
longing for a unifying vision. John said “It’s as if the people of the
kingdom are running around wondering who the king is” and Steve ran
with that concept. Steve and co-producer and engineer Andrew MacRae had fun
with some guitar textures on this number. The most frequent question Steve
gets on this one is “What is a Vassal?”
9) Who Is Writing The Future
At a talk given by then member of the supreme
administrative body of the Bahá’í Faith Douglas Martin, Mr. Martin suggested
that Steve write a song about the recently released document by the Baha'i
International Community called “Who Is Writing The Future”.
Steve‘s heavy metal influences poke through with an incendiary guitar solo and
big riffs. This one doesn‘t make it on a folk record.
10) Low Water Mark
As the title suggests this is a dark moody piece asking some
tough questions to a seemingly indifferent deity. As the lyrics note “...I
can’t hear your answer...or am I not listening?” The guitar solo is
dark and gnarly and the finale is an explosive riff that ends the virtual Side
One
with a bang.
11) A blank track to separate Side One and Side Two
12) Youth Prayer
These next eight songs have a more overt Bahá’í message.
The
youth prayer is well known and this arrangement includes great piano by Graehm
McCausland and the return of Karen Lizotte on vocal harmonies.
13) Not Followed By Night
Founder of the Bahá’í Faith Bahá'u'lláh
claimed of
his religion “This is the day that shall not be followed by night” meaning
that this new religion would not fall into a dogmatic state distorted by history
and vested interests. Psuedo jazz and check out fab rhythm section John and Mathieu.
14) Face To Face
This is one of the most personal tracks on the CD. In 1992
Steve lost his eldest sister to cancer but as he became more spiritually in tune
Steve rediscovered her guiding and inspiring him from her new location. Theresa
Zaat Maloney had a profound effect on many during her life and it was she who
introduced Steve to the Bahá’í Faith. The lyrics came to
Steve on a trip to PEI.
This one doesn’t leave many dry eyes.
15) Teaching Prayer
A nice prayer in E Mixolydian for you music theory buffs.
16) Unity Prayer
The word that most describes the aim of the Bahá’í Faith:
Unity
17) Cry Out
Composed as a singable anthem for Bahá’ís Steve recently
performed this song for over 4000 attendees at a Regional Bahá’í Conference
in
Toronto,
Ontario.
18) Ponder This A While
The persecution of the Bahá’í community in Iran continues
unabated. This song is as much a protest song as a rallying cry for the citizens
of the great county of Iran to ponder why this large innocuous religious minority
is systematically repressed, slandered and attacked by the arbiters of their
affairs.
19) Jumpstart To Eternity
Another personal song, this beautiful and gentle piece
is a memoriam to Noah Bransen Zaat a baby that Steve and Lois lost early in their
marriage. These words from the Bahá’í Writings provided the grieving couple with
much
comfort.
O thou beloved maidservant of God, although the loss of a son is indeed heart-breaking
and beyond the limits of human endurance, yet one who knoweth and understandeth
is assured that the son hath not been lost but, rather, hath stepped from this
world into another, and she will find him in the divine realm. That reunion shall
be for eternity, while in this world separation is inevitable and bringeth with
it a burning grief.
Praise be unto God that thou hast faith, art turning thy face toward the everlasting
Kingdom and believest in the existence of a heavenly world. Therefore be thou
not disconsolate, do not languish, do not sigh, neither wail nor weep; for agitation
and mourning deeply affect his soul in the divine realm.
That beloved child addresseth thee from the hidden world: ‘O thou kind
mother, thank divine Providence that I have been freed from a small and gloomy
cage and, like the birds of the meadows, have soared to the divine world—a
world which is spacious, illumined, and ever gay and jubilant. Therefore, lament
not, O Mother, and be not grieved; I am not of the lost, nor have I been obliterated
and destroyed. I have shaken off the mortal form and have raised my banner in
this spiritual world. Following this separation is everlasting companionship.
Thou shalt find me in the heaven of the Lord, immersed in an ocean of light.
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