Catherine Feeny has always held space for her audience. Even on grand stages, she keeps audiences enthralled with little more than her voice and a humble ukulele, allowing the listener’s response to be heard and felt, making each concert a communal experience. Now she brings that same sparse intimacy to the worship context with Grafted In, a collection of new hymns with humble presentation yet layered theology, crafted to be shared in any size gathering.
The genesis of Grafted In occurred in a season of deep community for Catherine; singing psalms in iPhone voice notes for an ailing friend, caring for foster children, ministering in an urban church, connecting with a broader faith community. The songs touch on repentance, letting go of self-reliance, meekly approaching the Father and finally sharing in the joy and celebration of true spiritual union. Biblical references span the Israelite’s journey to the holy mountain to the wedding language of Revelation.
Recorded in an old A-frame studio in the Oregon woods, Grafted In‘s production was as communal as its themes. Musical and spiritual companions journeyed from abroad to collaborate. Group vocals were recorded into a single microphone, songs were composed in the moment, single-note melodies were carefully placed for easy translation to any instrument, ample space was left for the melding of voices. The instrumentation and arrangement are intentionally sparse, making them accessible to any church or small group.
Grafted In was produced by Sebastian Rogers and recorded at Cooper Mountain Sound. The album will be released on November 1st, 2024 by Deeper Well Records, with chord charts and lyric sheets freely available.
