If you were to run into Geoff Moore on the street and start up a conversation, you would feel as though you’ve known him for years. He possesses a laid back charm that is inviting, comforting and one that you want to be around. One could say that his songs hold those same traits; they draw you in with a warm welcome and keep you company with intriguing conversation and engaging melodies.
Few artists can say that they have had a career in music for nearly three decades, toured the world, and sold over 1.5 million records. Fans of Geoff Moore are well versed in his musical catalog and they will be thrilled to hear that his new album, "Saying Grace", is set to be released independently on August 30, 2011. After a four year hiatus from recording, Geoff is back with his most personal album to date.
Throughout "Saying Grace" one can’t help but hear that Geoff’s voice is soaked with wisdom. The experiences he’s lived through, particularly in the past few years, have had time to settle into his heart and mind, and the result is a perspective that comes only from the grace of time passed, life lived, and a God who blesses those who remain faithful through all manner of difficulty. And just as one steps back to survey their work completed the overall theme woven throughout "Saying Grace" is one of thankfulness.
“The way Geoff sounds on this record, it’s like he’s across the table from you, telling stories, offering reflections, and inviting you into the conversation,” shares producer Don Chaffer. “It’s the way the writing & recording sessions felt too. Really.”
"It's not every day you get to step into the studio with someone who's records inspired you when you were a kid, just beginning to explore music,” shares Jeff Pardo, who co-produced "Saying Grace" with Don Chaffer. “Working with Geoff is one of those things that I never thought would happen, but I'm so glad it has."
"Saying Grace" is actually as real as it seems. During the writing and recording of the album, Geoff (who wrote or co-wrote all the songs on the album) and Don would sit together over meals and talk about their children, and how they hope that the “Story of Love” is the last thing on their kids’ hearts when their parent’s lives are said and done. They unfolded their stories to one another, and marveled at the fact that, in the midst of some of their most painful experiences, when they were at their weakest, their faith seemed the strongest almost despite themselves, and that “The Wonder of Kindness” was woven through it all.
The connection that Geoff shares with his fans through his music can be seen through early sales of "Saying Grace". In March of 2011 Geoff did a soft release of the album in Canada while on tour with Stephen Curtis Chapman where he sold over 5,000 copies of "Saying Grace".
This year also marks Geoff’s 25th anniversary with Compassion International as an advocate for their child sponsorship program where Geoff has directly helped over 50,000 children find sponsors.
“Geoff is as trustworthy as his voice makes him sound, and as peaceful as his songs make you feel,” said Chaffer. “One day after Geoff had left the studio, Billy, (drummer on this album) joked that he wanted to find out whether Geoff would be open to adopting him and his wife. ‘I just want to be around that guy more.’ So, if you have the sensation that maybe, if you could just sit down with Geoff over coffee, you two would really get along, you’re probably right. I bet you would.”
Chaffer shares a heartwarming story regarding the process of writing “Made To Love You.” “It started with a piano part and melody that Geoff and co-writer, Jeff Pardo, had from a writing session, but there were no words. Geoff sat down with me and said, ‘I want to write a song that I can sing to God, and my wife, and my children, all at the same time and…’ he paused. ‘I think it’s about how ‘I was made to love’ them.’
“Over the next couple hours—as the emotions and ideas flowed—the sense of love for God and family was palpable. It’s wonderful when this happens, when everything disappears, and the song becomes a thing unto itself.”
A few days later, on Valentine’s Day, Geoff pulled his wife and daughters into his home office, and gave them each a rose, and said, “I wrote this song for you, and I want to play it for you.” As they listened, the girls cried. The song spoke something to them that’s often difficult to find the words for.
So much of life just scoots by unnoticed. To have these sacred moments together is a gift. Geoff’s moment with his family will now make its way into the hearts of other families. That’s what it’s all about.
