Search - David Chevan and Warren Byrd :: Let Us Break Bread Together

"LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER-- Further Explorations of the Afro-Semitic Experience" continues the musical exploration that pianist Warren Byrd and bassist David Chevan began on their critically acclaimed 1998 album, AVADIM HAYINU--Once We Were Slaves (also available on amazon.com). On this new CD, their first studio recording, Chevan and Byrd expand their interpretations and explorations of music from the Jewish and African-American Sacred repertoire. The pieces include classic works such as "Soon I Will Be Done" and Eliyahu HaNavi" along with some more recent compositions from the Gospel and Jewish music worlds including a rollicking version of Dorothy Love Coates' "How Much More" and a haunting rendition of Nurit Hirsch's "Oseh Shalom." The title of this CD, "Let Us Break Bread Together," comes from an African-American spiritual. The idea of breaking bread as a symbol of fellowship and community appears in both the Jewish and African-American sacred traditions. It is also said that this was one of the songs that was used by slaves hoping to escape to freedom and one can think of no more fitting title for this new album. In many ways this recording is a much more fully realized artistic work than its predecessor. Their first album, Avadim Hayinu, marked an early stage in Chevan and Byrd's collaboration and was recorded live in concert without the opportunity for second takes. Since that first recording, the two men have given numerous concerts, workshops, and interfaith services. In the process their repertoire and understanding of these pieces has continued to expand. This new recording is a stronger artistic statement of a kind that can only come out of the experience of numerous live performances. The album includes liner notes by noted scholar and author, Dr. Julius Lester, as well as an historical essay about the pieces on the recording that was compiled and written by David Chevan. Since 1997 David Chevan and Warren Byrd have been giving sacred concerts of Jewish and African-American sacred music throughout the Northeast. Audiences of all faiths and races respond enthusiastically to the spontaneity, wit and intensity of the performances. Raina Goldberg, Director of Regional Student Services, Hillel Council of New England called their performance "a moving, inspiring program" and Dr. Peter S. Zaas, Professor of Religious Studies, Siena College adds that "I would like to indicate my appreciation for the educational quality-not to mention the musical quality-of the selections that David and Warren performed for our event . . . [The] comments before each selection were learned and engagingly presented and provided a striking example of how music can reach the mind as well as the soul."