I don’t know why I picked it up. I avoided it for a long time. I was biased. Arrogant. I wrote it off as having nothing for me (viewing myself as a sophisticated spiritually-mature Christian?! Yeah, right.). I asked myself again and again, “Why would you buy that?” What does a Charismatic young worship person have to say to you?

Well, apparently LOTS!

I think more than anything I have given a listen in the past three or four years - this music, this strange, wonderful, simple, yet challenging music goes through the auditory nerve straight to the soul. If it is possible - this music wounds AND soothes my soul; and I can’t recall ever having such an experience before.

I had never heard of Jason Upton. I picked up the weird looking cover at a discount bin and then after “googling” him - I wrote it off. In the jury of my mind I tried, judged and concluded: “a person from that tradition has nothing to say to me, that explains it being in the bargain bin. Just simplistic, charismatic fluff.”

Again - what a judgmental, arrogant, snob of the worst kind. Why do we think we can’t learn from one another? Why does the Body of Christ act this way? Why do I act this way? Labels and pigeon holing one another - I guess it helps me feel safe and comfortable? I guess it gives me some bearing knowing the lines, limitations and boundaries that others and I operate from. Of course these labels and lines also serve to separate us. And separated we become so unprepared, so limited and so sterilized in a world needing a BIG, MYSTERIOUS, UNEXPLAINABLE, VOLATILE, expression of God’s mercy, love, greatness and vastness.

Back to Jason Upton. This is what I get from his music - greatness, vastness, mystery and all served with an edge. The edge may be felt from his improvising and spontaneity - but don’t write it off, this isn’t endless noodling - it works. The spontaneous sections of his tunes are meaning-filled and they serve to push the themes and musical ideas in new directions which find me enraptured, transfixed. His music is really intriguing. I have acquired four or five of his (mostly self-produced) recordings. More than once I have put on the first title and haven’t made it past the first or second line of the lyric when I just can’t go on. It strikes me to the core. Powerful stuff. I just get consumed by the striking or odd juxtaposition of the words Upton composes. I haven’t found this type of music before. Really Odd.

I don’t get it either. Just telling you my experience.

I don’t know - does everyone know of this guy? Have I been living under a rock? Seems he has self-produced recordings since 2000.

Anyway I stumbled across this startling music mixing first nation influences (Native American and Celtic) with rootsy acoustic piano based rock and I am on record saying…

“I dig it.”

My recommendation as a starting place?

or his one project on a major label…

*disclaimer I use the word “unlikely” as understood in the context of my story of discovery of Upton’s music.