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The Spark & Echo Band presents their latest development on their 2015 Artist in Residence work: "Cities Project," a song cycle personifying biblical cities from Joshua 6; Ezekiel 16:4-42, 59-63; Micah 5:2; Acts 18:19-21; 19:8-12, 20:16-24; Ephesians 1:1-2, 1:15-17, 6:23-24; Hebrews 13:14; Revelation 2:4; 21; 22:1-5.

Ezekiel 16:4-42

Joshua 6

Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band

The Spark & Echo Band

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Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015

2015

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We are proud to announce the release of Cities, a five-song cycle personifying biblical cities. Each track responds to a specific city in the Bible–Bethlehem, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the “New City” as described in Revelation. They are inspired by specific passages that personify–Bethlehem being told in the book of Micah that “though you are small, out of you will come a great ruler”, and Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16 described as an adulterous wife, for example.

It was composed by Spark+Echo Arts founder Jonathon Roberts, in collaboration with co-founder Emily Clare Zempel, and involved several other musicians who have participated in this project. It was developed in part during a 2015 residency with Spark+Echo Arts. You can listen to the entire album and also purchase the album here.

Spark Notes

The Artist's Reflection

The Spark & Echo Band is a family outfit of songwriting-storytellers led by husband and wife duo Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel. Their music brings forgotten poetry and wild stories from the Bible to life: visions of sparkling wheels in the sky, hunger and thirst, and legends of love as strong as death weave with memorable melodies and captivating rhythms. Drawing from a classical background, influenced by the pianism of Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds, and emulating Paul Simon’s narratival techniques, Spark & Echo sings epic tales of love and adventure.

The duo has collaborated on three full lengths albums (Spark&Echo, Inheritance, Cities Project), one video album (In the Clocktower), in addition to many theatrical collaborations, this very nonprofit, and two children. They live in beautiful Beacon, New York, with all of the above.