All it takes is a spark, and sometimes they make a big echo. Born of a spark of inspiration that spans from childhood, through adversity and into a beautiful marriage, Spark & Echo’s Inheritance (Spark and Echo Arts) is one of those that leaves a beautiful echoing sound inside you!

Beautifully recorded sounds of instruments from around the world and crossing over a few styles, the music that makes a bed for husband and wife duo Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel’s vocals could stand on it’s own. When you add in the fun and drama that the couple’s harmony brings in, you have an exciting theatrical mix of songwriting that is pretty much unparalleled.

Guitars and cool percussion, brass and strings, flutes and accordions, simple sounds and gorgeous vocals, that’s enough of a challenge with these eclectic songs. Now, add in the subject matter and let it blow your mind.

You see, Inheritance is not just a record but part of a bigger mission to expose and tell the stories of the “Holy Bible” as they have never been examined before. As a youngster, Jonathon wrote a musical based upon the Book of Ruth. It got him in a bit of hot water with a few folks, but his spark to illuminate the books he loved never dimmed.

Having known each other since childhood, going separate ways, being in and out of love, Jonathan and Emily realized their love for each other and this project in an unexpected way. I’ve got to say the fruits of it hit my desk unexpectedly, too and at a perfect time!

The songs here tell stories based around passages of the Bible and some are direct translations of “Psalms,” “Galatians,” “Proverbs,” and other beloved passages. Fitting the prose of the the tome that spans over five thousand years to music has got to be a daunting task, but the skill with which Spark and Echo do it makes me think they were born to.

The songs are fun and quirky, melodic and haunting, and wonderfully lilting all at the right times. They definitely belie the theatrical background of the writers, but are magically listenable even for a die-hard 4/4 rock fan. Influences like Ben Folds and Paul Simon can be heard, but it doesn’t stop there.

When you find yourself needing something completely different and up-lifting, give Inheritance a spin. I’ll be listening to it often!

A bit about the Mission of Spark and Echo:

Spark and Echo Arts is creating the world’s largest multi-disciplinary “illumination” of the Bible. Collaborating with visual, performing and literary artists from New York City and beyond, we are creating a work of art, music, theater, poetry, dance or film in response to every passage of the Bible.

We engage artists from a diversity of styles and backgrounds, working in the top of their field. We seek a balance of artists deeply familiar with the Bible and artists who have not yet explored it, showcasing their work in our online gallery and at live events. http://www.sparkandecho.org/about/

I’ve had a special interest in the works in the Bible since childhood, so this record is a very special treat for me. Thanks for sending it over, guys!