MP3 Thomas Jones - Peaceful Music For Prayers Of The Heart

A collection of solo acoustic piano interpretations of favorite spiritual and inspirational pieces with which we're all familiar.

16 MP3 Songs
EASY LISTENING: Background Music, EASY LISTENING: Mood Music



Details:
Since 1978, Thomas Jones has thrilled many a river traveler performing his one-man piano show "Riverboat Ragtime" under the persona of "Jazzou Jones" on steamboats and showboats along America's inland waterways. The river has proven to be the perfect performance venue for the wonderful, toe-tapping syncopations of an all-American music form - Ragtime! Not only does he perform in a lively style as handed down to him from his ivory tickling grandparents, but Jones has charmed his audiences with his own rag compositions, "High Water," (1981) and "Paddlewheel Rag," (1998), both included on his CD "Riverboat Ragtime."

But that is just part of the story. Jones lives in a little town in rural Maine where he dedicates his life to church and community, offering musical gifts to God as organist and choir director at a local church, and serving as accompanist for the 180 voices of a local high school's Chorale and Concert Choir. Jones began his affiliation with the high school as an involved parent while his son was a student there and has continued his love of working with young adults for many years.

Thomas Jones's new recording "Peaceful music for prayers OF THE HEART" is a departure from his ragtime style and has been a dream in the making for over six years. Jones has put together a collection of solo piano interpretations of favorite spiritual and inspirational pieces, including such familiar songs and hymns as "On Eagle's Wings," "Prayer of St. Francis," "Be Not Afraid," "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," "Like A Shepherd," and "You Are Near." Included among the sixteen tracks available on both CD and cassette are four original compositions, "Revelation," "Surrender," "Benediction," and the title piece, "Of The Heart."

Raised in the Protestant tradition in a small town in western Massachusetts, Jones has played piano and organ in church since he was a child. He converted to Catholicism in 1975, and he and his family have lived in Maine since 1989. One of the joyful aspects of life on the river, where every other month Jones works as Cruise Director aboard the legendary sternwheeler Delta Queen, is the honor of conducting non-denominational devotion services on Sundays. It is during this quiet time, not far from the razzmatazz of Ragtime and Dixieland Jazz, that Thomas Jones offers another style of music - the peaceful music of his heart.