The Wind and The Wheat

Description

The Wind and The Wheat is the second instrumental album – as well as the tenth solo album overall – by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Phil Keaggy, released on Maranatha! Music in February 1987, manufactured and distributed by Word. Also manufactured and distributed by A&M Records. Released as a part of Maranatha’s Colours Instrumental Series. (This instrumental offering not only netted great critical approval, it earned a Grammy nomination as well.) Most tracks mixed by Jim Scheffler, Phil Keaggy, and Tom Coomes at Whitefield Studios in Santa Ana, California. All songs written by Phil Keaggy except the Laurie Klein worship classic “I Love You Lord”.

The album features session musicians like keyboardists Harlan Rogers (of Koinonia fame) and Smitty Price, as well as percussionists Ron Tutt (of Elvis Presley’s TCB Band fame), Alex Acuna (Weather Report, Koinonia), and Alex MacDougall (The Way, The Richie Furay Band, Daniel Amos).

Phil Keaggy has the talent to express a variety of different emotions – even in one song. For example, in «March Of The Clouds» he starts with a single line, melodic lead which he expands into a rolling, crescendoing, overdubbed double lead. This builds into an explosion of astonishing, rapid fire, ascending leads. Then he follows with gentle volume swells that slowly bring you down as they roll into a classical style of chording and octaves which leads back to the original theme as the song fades.

Since ‘The Master and the Musician‘, many other artists have found a purpose in creating music for reflection, for meditation, or for simple listening and enjoyment. Although I have continued to write that particular type of music, I have mainly concentrated on vocal albums that had only an occasional instrumental voice singing through.

With the encouragement of Maranatha! Music, though, I have created another instrumental album after an eight-year hiatus. Tom Coomes helped me choose the right songs, and the incredible and talented musicians appearing with me on this album have helped me complete ‘The Wind and The Wheat’.

And what we have created is a collage of many musical colors. The musicians have, through their contributions, added depth and richness of various hues to the different pieces. Furthermore, I feel that the Lord was with me in the advice, counsel, and spiritual and artistic integrity of the people I worked with. ‘The Wind and The Wheat’ can therefore take its place among those creative works which form the greater tapestry of music designed to bring glory to the God who gives us life … and music. – Phil Keaggy [A note printed on the back of the album sleeve (of the Maranatha! Music edition)]

As anyone who’s seen him onstage knows, Phil Keaggy is among the most gifted guitarists of our generation. Like Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, and a few others, he crossbreeds styles with ease, blending the best of pop, rock, jazz, and classical traditions into an exciting, lyrical style all his own. His touch is equally superb on electric and acoustic guitars.
– Jas Obrecht, Guitar Player Magazine [A note printed on the back of the album sleeve (of the A&M edition)]

Featured are several pieces of brilliant solo acoustic guitar, and the rest with a small group ensemble. [AMG]

[Bruce A. Brown, CCM, March 1987]

> Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/5iR0VVjjBD0dWYpEk9lvVv)

LP tracklist:

Side Two
A1. “March of the Clouds” – 5:25
A2. “Paradise Dream” – 5:32
A3. “The Wind and the Wheat” – 4:32
A4. “Where Travellers Meet” – 6:32
A5. “From Shore to Shore” – 3:02

Side Two
B1. “Prayer” – 4:21
B2. “The Mission” – 4:58
B3. “The Promise” – 4:30
B4. “The Reunion” – 6:00
B5. “I Love You Lord” – 5:28

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Maranatha! Music. (LP note: Enclosed is Phil’s full discussion on each piece found on this recording. Also available on digitally mastered chrome cassette and Compact Disc (CD).) Distributed to the mainstream music marketplace by A&M Records, featuring a quote from Guitar Player Magazine on the rear tray insert in place of liner notes from Phil that appear on all other releases. As the first in Phil Keaggy’s “Remaster Series” the album was re-issued by Keaggy in 2013 entitled The Remaster Series – The Wind and the Wheat. Available at Bandcamp: https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/the-wind-and-the-wheat-remastered
https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/the-wind-and-the-wheat-seeds-chaff-demos-etc