Fri, 28 November 2008  Combining a world-famous choir and orchestra with the world-renowned King's Singers was both a joy and a challenge for Tabernacle Choir director Dr. Mack Wilberg. Besides waving the baton and keeping everyone together, he also did the bulk of the beautiful arrangements on this new holiday release (also available on DVD).Dr. Wilberg shares his approach to arranging for the choir, points out a few musical highlights from this new production, and talks about the privilege of doing the work he does. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 21 November 2008  His range and repertoire make the Josh Groban comparisons unavoidable, but Daniel Beck's debut CD "Love Like That" definitely shows a polished and passionate performer who can stand on his own on any stage or in any recording studio.Dan talks about singing, recording, and finding songs about love that fit right in-between the personal and the religious. The CD is available for download or purchase, plus, he has an upcoming premier concert/benefit performance in Salt Lake City. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 7 November 2008  For her seventh CD, singer/songwriter Hilary Weeks decided not to stress, not to stay awake worrying (and crying) about whether the songs would come, but simply to trust they would and keep moving.It's a nice metaphor for all sorts of experiences which take us to the edge of our worries and weaknesses and ask us to step off—into what? That's what these songs are all about. Plus, a story about 24 yellow roses you won't want to miss. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 31 October 2008  The best thing about radio is that it's free. The best thing about the internet is how it can connect you to people and places and knowledge around the world.This coming Monday morning you'll experience the best of radio and the internet combined when "yourLDSradio.com" starts connecting you, wherever you live, to LDS music and information 24/7 and it's all free! Program Director Sam Payne talks about the concept, the special on-demand features, and the easy-as-pie nuts-and-bolts of how anyone can access yourLDSradio.com online. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 23 October 2008  Obviously not every accomplished LDS musician lives in Salt Lake or Utah counties, but it can be a little harder for those musical luminaries out shining their lights on distant (depending where you are) hills to catch the eye, or ear in this case, of the Saints.This week we called Kansas City, KS, to explore "Hymns Anew," a modern acoustic treatment of LDS hymns by singer/arranger/producer Clayton Pixton and several of his talented siblings who are scattered all over the US. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 17 October 2008  One is from Southern California, another from South Utah County, but that's about as Southern as most of the members of Mountain Blue get. Still, when you hear their new CD "Mountain Blue," you'll know they all made a Southern connection with these hymns and songs.Familiar favorites like "Amazing Grace" get the Mountain Blue treatment as well as less familiar pieces like "Roll Back the Stone," "Gospel Train," and my personal favorite, the gospel standard "Wondrous Love." It's good gospel fun this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 9 October 2008  While some have looked at the map of the entire Western hemisphere and discerned "the land Northward""and "the land Southward" and even the "narrow neck of land" spoken of in The Book of Mormon as self-evident, others have gleaned clues from the text itself which point to a much, much smaller geographical area.Dr. Stephen L. Carr previews a presentation he's giving at an upcoming Book of Mormon Archeological Foundation conference happening in SLC next weekend (www.bmaf.org for info on attending), in which he summarizes 5 of the most recent and best-supported theories of a Meso-American placement for the events of The Book of Mormon, and why thy matter. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 19 September 2008  Some stayed, some evacuated, but all these Latter-day Saints have been affected by Hurricane Ike. Sheriee Staub is busy cooking for the 60 or so Elders sleeping at a nearby stake center by night and cleaning up the community by day. Greg and Sarah Evans headed for San Antonio with their toddler, and the owner of Nauvoo Books in Spring, TX, JoAnn Rapp feels blessed even though it may be quite some time before her bookstore can re-open.Hear their stories in their own words, plus Houston South Stake President Gifford Nielsen (of BYU football and NFL renown) talk about the ability of the church organization to deal with disaster, the need for preparation, and the great support received from the brethren in SLC while many are still without water or power in the Houston area. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 12 September 2008  For 25 years Michael McLean has inspired listeners with his tender songs and candid messages. To commemorate this anniversary, Michael has released a new collection of six albums, sold separately or as a commemorative boxed set, featuring many of the songs you know and love plus several brand-new recordings; the essential McLean anthology.Michael talks about songwriting, the song he (and all writers) keep re-creating over and over, and why anyone would buy an album from a guy who can't sing! That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 4 September 2008  Even with 6,000 children a day (yes, a day!) being orphaned by AIDS world-wide, Kathy Headlee Miner is not discouraged. She talks about the founding of "Mothers Without Borders," not shutting out problems just because they seem overwhelming, and why the term "success" is irrelevant. Always articulate and passionate about what she does, Kathy shares a new painting from Liz Lemon Swindle depicting Christ in Africa and an upcoming concert by Jericho Road which are two ways you can make a difference in the world right now, plus the 2008 fundraiser boutique in Layton, UT—a way to make your Christmas budget reach farther around the world than you'd ever imagined. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 29 August 2008  It must be fun to be Michael Dowdle—to have the musical chops to play anything on the guitar. So when it came time to do an album of anything he wanted, why did he choose a genre that showcases peace over virtuosity, and relaxation over flashiness?Michael talks about being both a soloist and a session player; playing both what you love and what's put in front of you, and turning it all into "A Brighter Day." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 22 August 2008  Besides being a bit hard to spell, the name Dallyn Vail Bayles has long been associated with dramatic vocal, stage, and screen performances. Now this Green River, UT, native returns from his new home in the New York City area with a CD and a live concert simply called "Prayer."Whether it's "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables (he had a starring role in the national broadway touring company) or the album-ending "I Have Seen Him," by LDS composer Ross Boothe, Bayles has chosen each song to reflect some aspect of that most personal communication with God; prayer. Dallyn talks about music, growing up in Green River, raising a family in the Broadway environment, and his upcoming concert at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, UT, on September 5th. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 15 August 2008  Ramona Zabriskie has a great imagination, but when she began editing down Nephi's words in First and Second Nephi fifteen years ago, she didn't imagine the resulting musical "With Mine Own Hand" would be premiering to LDS audiences from around the world at BYU Education Week. Along with Utah composer Becky Alexander, Zabriskie has created a large-cast, full-scale stage musical which has had limited productions in the Portland, OR, area and will soon be the first out-of-state production to appear at Education Week. This week she and her husband Dale, who plays the older Nephi, talk about adapting scriptural accounts, the miracles that brought the production together, and the themes of Nephi's life. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 8 August 2008  Imagine taking "Pride and Prejudice," the best-known, best-loved, and most-filmed of Jane Austen's novels, and turning it into a musical. Where would you begin? What would you cut for the stage while still leaving in the favorite characters and witty dialogue?That's exactly the challenge faced by two LDS composers, Deborah Morris and Ann Kapp Andersen; the premiere run of their new musical theater version of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is currently running at the SCERA theater in Orem and will be appearing later this month at BYU Education Week. We'll include musical excerpts and hear the authors tell about converting this world-renowned literary masterpiece into a 2-hour stage musical. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon, 28 July 2008  Now "Soft Sunday Sounds" is streaming inspirational music via the internet 24/7 from FM100 in Salt Lake City, UT. That means anytime, anyplace, day or night, whatever time zone, whether you live in London or Lindon, Provo or Prague, you can hear inspirational favorites to help set the mood for your day. And it's free!That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed, 16 July 2008  What would you ask Brother Brigham if you could sit down and talk about the trek West, his relationship with Joseph Smith, Johnson's army, or a hundred other topics?Thanks to the expertise and research of actor James Arrington, Salt Lake City broadcaster Joan Peterson and I got to do just that. Hear about the first Pioneer Day celebrations in the canyons and the memorable July 24th when Porter Rockwell rode into the festivities to announce Johnson's army was on its way! That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull... Comments[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 11 July 2008  Ever since these Utah boys made good with a national recording contract, they've been touring their brand of country and folk-based musical mayhem all over America.So how do five LDS RM's fit into the Nashville music scene? Songwriter Ryan Shupe shares his thoughts on everything from "Dream Big" to "Corn Dogs" on their latest release, "Last Man Standing." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 3 July 2008  Celebrate America's 4th with Patriotic Music from Utah's Songwriting SenatorEven with all the years he's served in the US Senate, most of Senator Hatch's constituents are unaware of his penchant to put pen to paper writing hymns, songs, and patriotic music, or that they've been sung at Presidential Inaugurations and even on "Oprah." This week we're celebrating America's Independence Day with music of home and country he's co-written with Janice Kapp Perry. We talked to both of them this week about their favorites and the stories behind the music. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 6 June 2008  From the opening applause you'll know that this is live and that Sam Payne is definitely in his element. Besides the 13 great live songs (including fan favorite "Autumn Leaves") about connections, history, and what gets handed down, this CD includes "the stories" —the in-between set ups and thoughts and humor that make a live show so memorable and give the songs added magic.Whether it's "All Comes Down in a Line" or "These Are My People," Father to Son is a celebration of the mixture of joy and pain that is real life. This album would be great for Dad on Father's Day or for anyone on any day. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 30 May 2008  Thirty-five years after its premiere, "Saturday's Warrior," the LDS cultural phenomenon of the 70's, gets an anniversary performance tour and a bookend in "The White Star," which follows Jimmy Flinders, now James, into fatherhood and a secret wound which pulls him farther and farther from his family and the Lord.Playwright and producer Doug Stewart talks about the development of "Saturday's Warrior," its impact on the culture, and the changes he's seen in the last 35 years of Mormon Art. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 23 May 2008  From the many, many submissions received from LDS musicians, Craig Clifford and Jeff Goldman have compiled a 19-song remembrance of the life and teachings of President Gordon B. Hinckley which is as warm to look at and read as it is to hear.But perhaps the best part of this musical remembrance is that it continues the work Pres. Hinckley began--all net proceeds will go to the Perpetual Education Fund. The compilers tell their experiences, preview the songs, and share a response from Pres. Hinckley's posterity. That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 16 May 2008  Imagine being the editor or the designer of a major newspaper at a time when many print papers are dying as their readership moves to online news media. Joe Cannon, Editor of the Deseret Morning News, and his staff have not only reinvented themselves online at DesNews.com, but have in the process also invented a whole new forum for Latter-day Saint culture and belief—MormonTimes.com.From his office in Salt Lake City, Joe Cannon talks about the paper's tradition, putting MormonTimes.com together and what it hopes to capture, as well as a little bit about his own online feature—no longer anonymous—The Word of the Week. In the newsroom itself, web expert Joe Charbonneau talks about the technical details, what stories are most popular, and the technologies which keep adding features to MormonTimes.com. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 9 May 2008  "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," by Chieko OkazakiWhat a friend we have in Jesus All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Reflecting on these words from a favorite Protestant hymn of her youth, Chieko Okazaki writes with feeling and passion about the relationship each of us can have with the Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking up especially for those who feel disenfranchised and overlooked in the church,Sister Okazaki reminds us to claim the blessings our Savior has in store for us. That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 24 April 2008  We Latter-day Saints believe in becoming better — we work hard at it — but we're also among the most self-critical people. Too often we fail to fully claim the "amazing grace" of the Atonement. How can we help our loved ones — and ourselves — let go of past mistakes? Wendy Ulrich, an experienced psychologist, maps the journey from self blame to self-forgiveness. She shows how the pure doctrines of the restored gospel, coupled with the practical perspectives of psychology, can help us stop harrowing our souls and start planting the seeds of faith, healing, and joy.That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 18 April 2008  "Stones" with LDS Playwright J. Scott BronsonHe's worked onscreen in "Touched by an Angel" and other television and film work, but LDS playwright Scott Bronson's first love is the stage; whether it's writing, directing, or acting. This month he's doing all three at once in his award-winning play "Stones," playing at the Covey Center for the Performing Arts through April 26th of 2008. This powerful work is actually two parallel one-act plays--"Altars" and "Tombs,"--played by the same actors. The first tells the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah, and the second featuring Mary, Jesus, and Joseph. Scott talks about his rules for putting words in the mouth of scriptural characters, the idea of sacrifice, and the human side of doing God's will. I was fascinated by every minute of his thought-provoking conversation and I think you will be too. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 28 March 2008  Ever since his student days at BYU, Mesa, AZ composer Rob Gardner has felt drawn toward the more classical and choral side of music. Over the years, this love has resulted in several large works for choir, orchestra and readers.In April, those in the Salt Lake area can see one of his most moving works, "Joseph Smith the Prophet," live in the Tabernacle with a 300-voice choir and orchestra. And if you're outside the area, you'll be able to see a performance soon on BYUTV. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 21 March 2008
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Fri, 14 March 2008
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Fri, 7 March 2008
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Thu, 28 February 2008
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Fri, 15 February 2008
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Thu, 31 January 2008
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Wed, 23 January 2008
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Fri, 11 January 2008  The fresh young voices are sweet and endearing, the arrangements lively and imaginative, and you won't have to hear more than a stanza or two of the lyrics to know they are trademark Melanie Hoffman.
"Stories of Jesus," the newest release from Hoffman House and Shadow Mountain features 15 delightful and touching songs on the life of Christ which show in even a brief listening why Roger and Melanie Hoffman are among the best-known and best-loved writers of music for children.
That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull...Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 3 January 2008  It may not look exactly like any neighborhood you know, but "Your LDS Neighborhood" is still going to feel pretty familiar once you arrive and start clicking your way around the block. Gaylen Rust and Lauryn Wingate talk about this new LDS-themed resource for books, movies, outlet malls, music, weddings, missionary stuff and more, plus their monthly giveaways. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...
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Thu, 20 December 2007  Merry Christmas 2007!The story this week isn't breaking news even though it's good news. In fact, old or new don't really apply—it's timeless. I hope you'll have a quiet moment to relax and listen to The Christmas Story read from the New Testament, interwoven with some of my favorite Christmas music. Simple, short, and sweet. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu, 6 December 2007  From their unique vantage point in front-row press seats, Meridian
Magazine publisher and editor-in-chief Scot and Maurine Proctor have
been close up witnesses to both the man and the mission."Gordon B. Hinckley - Temple Builder, Up Front and Personal," is a warm and fascinating documentary-style film focused on this remarkable latter-day prophet and his urgent push to bring the temples to the people, no matter where they live. Along with beautiful photography, the Proctors share many personal moments and stories gathered from local Latter-day Saints impacted by the presence of a new temple in their midst in countries around the globe. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri, 30 November 2007  Her first CD, "Clay in His Hands," won 4 Pearl Awards and brought her to the attention of LDS listeners everywhere. "Better Than I" continued in the same vein, and now her third release, "Everything Speaks His Name" lets the strength of Jessie Clark Funk's voice sparkle in a wider variety of styles and settings than ever.Still, as you'll hear in this interview, the themes of atonement, grace, and seeing God's hand in the world around us are constants throughout. After all, "Everything Speaks His Name." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... Comments[0] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
