CRES, in cooperation with the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, presents a special benefit concert April 18 with the Barclay Martin Ensemble with the world premiere of a new song commissioned by CRES to recognize the wisdom of the world's traditions as we face crises in the environment, in what it means to be a person, and in how society should govern itself. These three themes arise from the Concluding Declaration of the 2001 Gifts of Pluralism interfaith conference. In addition to the new song, the Ensemble will perform from their repertory, and former Council convener David Nelson, will lead the audience and the Ensemble members in discussing some of the lyrics, the music, and the creative process as a spiritual exploration. This concert is designed to appeal to all who love good music, and the unusal format will be especially interesting for young people. Barclay Martin, who won the recent musician of the year award from KC Magazine, has written the music for the soundtrack of a movie documenting work in the Philippines of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging where he helped realize a concert attracting an audience of 10,000 in an extremely poor area of the country with Christians, Muslims, and indigenous folks threatened by terrorism. A pre-release preview of the movie may be shown at the concert.

Martin has appeared on KCUR's "Up to Date" show with Steve Kraske; and articles about him have appeared in The Kansas City Star, Present Magazine, and other publications. The Barclay Martin Ensemble release concert for their latest CD, "Dawn," was held at the Helen F. Spencer at UMKC in June last year. The group has performed at venues such as The Record Bar, Jardines, Bar Natasha, JP Wine Bar, and Blayney's of Westport. They performed last November for an Eid celebration at the Shawnee Civic Center. The Ensemble is composed of Barclay Martin - vocals, guitar, songwriter;  Mark Lowrey - piano; Guiliano Mingucci - drums, percussion; Rick Willoughby - bass, vocals; and Erin McGrane - vocals, percussion. The April 18 Saturday 8 pm concert is held at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 4501 Walnut, Kansas City, MO. We appreciate their generosity in hosting the event which will benefit the Council and CRES.  For information about purchasing tickets ($10 advance, $12 at the door), visit www.cres.org, where other co-sponsors will be listed shortly. Please put the date on your calendar now and tell your friends about this special interfaith event with fantastic music..   Please see column below and links.

Two minutes after I met local singer/songwriter Barclay Martin at a party before I ever heard him play, he was talking about paradox. The logo on his business card is a lion with butterfly wings, a rather paradoxical creature. 
   Paradox, equating things that seem opposite, is found in many religions. For example, the paradox of the incarnation, God become human in Jesus the Christ, is at the heart of Christianity.
   But what did Martin mean by paradox? 
   I listened to his new CD, “Dawn,” and began attending performances of the Barclay Martin Ensemble around town. 
   One paradox is that, like much great art, his folk-jazz-world music transforms the ordinary thud of life, or even its horrors, into beauty and healing. 
   Take his song, “Are You Listening?” One of my friends said it could have been written for President George Bush, but I think it addresses the paradoxical and confused energies in all of us. 
   Except for the musical frame around its text, the song’s questions about the “religion of war” would be too much to bear. It pleads, “Please won’t you say there’s a better way to lead the world to freedom?” and hints at the paradox of “singing hymns” while the world is being destroyed.
      Except for the musical frame around its text, the song’s questions about the “religion of war” would be too much to bear. It pleads, “Please won’t you say there’s a better way to lead the world to freedom?” and hints at the paradox of “singing hymns” while the world is being destroyed.

   Vern Barnet does interfaith work in Kansas City. Reach him at vern@cres.org