Walk Across the Water

Description

Walk Across the Water is an album by the American singer, songwriter, and producer Ron Griffen with The Leaven, released on F.E.L. in 1976. (“Eleven new songs for joyous celebration by Ron Griffen. An exclusive F.E.L. recording artist with The Leaven.”) The album was engineered by Dirk Dalton with Ken Canedo producing. Arranged by Ron Griffen and Canedo. All songs written by Ron Griffen.

Ron Griffen and his group Leaven are another fine example of the mid-’70s Catholic folk style. While several outfits followed the liturgical minor-key formula, these folks opted for the happier-sounding “Jesus folk” variety. They began with a sterile unison-singing buncha-guitars-and-a-trumpet “youth group” sound (see entry under The Leaven), but Walk Across The Water fixed all that, placing Griffen in the vocal spotlight, showcasing his own song-writing, trimming down the number of participants, and defining the arrangements with the usual FEL label care. Tunes like «Free To Live», «Sing A Joyful Song», «Come, Follow Me», «Rise Up, Pilgrim» and «I Thank The Lord» all plunk along with the jubilant spirited sound of jangly 12-string guitar, banjo, flute, tambourine and female backing harmonies (i.e., Leaven). One can easily picture these hand-clappers working their way into the young adult folk-worship songbooks. Trumpets still pop up on a couple songs. Also some pleasant ballads including «Wings To Fly» and «Today I Give My Life To You». [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Walk Across The Water” – 3:55
A2. “God’s Love Is You” – 2:37
A3. “Free To Live” – 2:42
A4. “Wings To Fly” – 3:05
A5. “Sing A Joyful Song” – 2:58

Side Two
B1. “Come, Follow Me” – 3:26
B2. “Today I Give My Life To You” – 2:35
B3. “Sing Up To The Lord” – 1:23
B4. “Rise Up, Pilgrim” – 2:23
B5. “Sweet Mary” – 1:25
B6. “I Thank The Lord” – 2:39