The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat

You've heard his songs for nearly two decades, but maybe you didn't know that songwriter, arranger, and producer Tyler Castleton was the man behind the music.

This new 17-track collection album includes some of Tyler’s most requested songs, as well as a few brand-new offerings, performed by Tyler himself.  With performances from the likes of Gladys Knight, Hilary Weeks, Jericho Road, Jenny Phillips, Kenneth Cope, Cherie Call and many others, "When I Can't Speak," features music that closes the gap between heaven and earth.

Playlist:

When I Sing (Tyler Castleton)
When I Can't Speak (Julie Yardley)
Love Will Find You There (John McVey)
Again (April Meservy)
Just Like a Father Would (Mercy River)
I Will Not Be Still (Kenneth Cope)
Blessed Be His Name (Jenny Phillips)
Sometimes He Lets It Rain (Katherine Nelson)
For the Love Of a Woman (Jericho Road)
You Can Change (Julie Yardley)
You Give (Hilary Weeks)
Walk With Me (Tyler Castleton)
I Just Knew (Cherie Call)
Sisters In Christ (Gladys Knight)
Let Him Heal Your Heart (Dave Kimball)
In the Meantime (Jessie Clark Funk)
Shine On (David Osmond)

LDS pianist William Joseph is known for being a protegé of super producer David Foster, and his first two albums have wowed listeners and audiences alike with virtuosic performances.  Now his new release, "Be Still," features an entirely different approach.

Filled with thoughtful, liquid-sounding piano and joined at times by cello and violin, "Be Still," is a collection of reverent interpretations of favorite hymns with a two original pieces which match the mood of the project.  In this audio interview you'll hear samples of the music and William's thoughts on choosing and arranging the pieces.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull.

Whether you're finding an apartment for someone newly homeless, explaining to a foreign refugee what a flush toilet is, or connecting addicts with resources for recovery, the Inner City Project has something nearly anyone can do to fulfill Christ's call to serve "the least of these" right when it matters the most.

Mike and Allene Ross—Elder and Sister Ross right now—are assistant directors for this innovative program which is changing the lives of both recipients and those who serve in downtown Salt Lake City.  In this audio interview they share amazing stories about this program which lets you serve for a number of hours each week while still living at home, sleeping in your own bed, and even before you retire.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull!

She's been writing music for decades, but never loses her enthusiasm for writing for children. Ever wonder what her favorite song is from her catalog? How she combines research and relaxing to create?

In this audio interview about her new album "As a Child of God," Janice Kapp Perry talks about writing for kids, the song that came in a day, balancing life and writing, and answers questions from Facebook fans.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull!

What would you do if you were the only Latter-day Saint you knew in your entire country and the only way to attend sacrament meeting was to get over, around, or through a massive wall meant to keep you and your people out?  And how would you make peace with your situation and learn to forgive?

Sahar Qumsiyeh, a Palestinian from the West Bank town of Bethlehem, found unorthodox ways to attend her meetings for 12 years until a job at a UN agency allowed her to pass through the checkpoints freely.  As Relief Society President in the Jerusalem District, she shares the same responsibilities as her counterparts throughout the world, but with an added challenge of a wall which prevents many of those in her care from ever meeting.  Through it all, she has learned to trust the inspiration and peace of the Holy Ghost, giving her the peace Jesus promised; a peace not of this world.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull—be sure and Click Here to listen.

The popular all-mom trio, Mercy River, is back with a mix of well-known inspirational music and originals that reflect their own life experiences.

In this audio interview Soni, Brooke, and Whitney talk about the usefulness of onstage humiliation, the good things about surrendering and letting go, plus introduce the LDS market to some of the best contemporary Christian songwriting from recent years.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull, be sure and take a listen!

Playlist:
Beautiful Life
Better Than A Hallelujah
It Might Be Hope
With Him We Can
Change In the Making
Love Never Fails
Let Go
Blessings
Beautiful For Me
Surrender
Just Like A Father Would

A video presentation of the audio interview including visuals of all the various works discussed. Click Here to view.

Rita R. Wright, Curator of Art and Artifacts at the Church History Museum walks us through the new exhibit featuring nearly 200 different works in a variety of genres.  Her enthusiasm for art and the gospel is infectious and you'll be glad for a guide who helps you see more deeply into these amazing paintings, sculptures, and yes, even a flannel board story.

In this audio interview you'll hear what kind of support the Church gives to the arts, how learning to understand art an be helpful in understanding the scriptures, and I think you'll especially enjoy hearing Rita Wright get on her soapbox for a moment on the power of art and how it blesses our spirits.

Click here to see a video version of this edition with photos of the exhibits.  And be sure to click here to visit the exhibit page itself and cast your vote for the Visitors Choice award.

That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull.

Utah State Democratic Party Chairman Jim Debakis was delighted with the soaring numbers of LDS Utahns who turned out for the Democratic Party's caucus meetings last Tuesday, and Craig Janis, head of outreach for the newly launched LDS Dems Caucus, talked about the increased interest in the organization just this week.

With The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressing concern over a lack of political participation in the state and amid worries over the ways an increasingly one-party system of government in the state can be harmful to all citizens, Mormon or not, LDS Democrats were impressed to hear the following read over the pulpit in church meetings in a letter from the First Presidency of the Church in recent weeks:

"Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of the various political parties.  We encourage members to attend their precinct caucus meetings."

In addition, the LDS Church directed local congregations to cancel activities on March 13 and 15, allowing church members to attend their Democratic and Republican caucus meetings held those evenings, respectively. The result? Record participation.

That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull.

This new album features masterworks, sacred anthems, a folk hymn, a song from the Broadway stage, and selections from some of the most eminent film composers of our day. Included are jubilant renditions of “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Ennio Morricone’s “Nella Fantasia” from The Mission, and one of the choir's most frequently requested anthems, “The Holy City.”

In this audio interview director Mack Wilberg tells about the music choices, Tenor soloist Stanford Olsen, relates the most humbling aspect of working with the choir, and describes the joy of performing and recording some of the world's most enduring (and difficult!) works for choir and orchestra.

That’s this week on The Cricket and Seagull.