Rich Mullins "A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band"
by Chris Well
CCM Magazine November 1993
Much like the Big God who visited us as a tiny baby, Rich Mullins isn't someone you should take one glance at and decide you've seen it all.
Take for instance, his latest, A Litrugy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band. The band Mullins has assembled is alone worth a look: Rick Elias, Jimmy Abegg, Danny O'Lannerty, Chris McHugh, Lee Lundgren, Eric Darken, Billy Crockett and long-time Mullins' collaborator Beaker. Here's a group of guys who, to varying degrees, really deserve larger recognition than they sometimes get on other projects. That Mullins saw their talents and recruited them for his Ragamuffin Band is an immense artistic achievement in and of itself.
The opening words of the album - Elias announcing to the band that he may not be entirely ready - certainly sets the stage for something a little different than "Christian music as usual."
For starters, the album title isn't some cute little designation so you can go out and buy the record - the structure of the album follows the two main ideas through. Roughly, Mullins is using the term "liturgy" to mean the technical and intellectual elements of our worship, the high church stuff, and "legacy" as the more emotional elements, passed to us through tradition and family. Further, the band is termed "ragamuffin" to refer to Brennan Manning's The Ragamuffin Gospel, showing us all as sinners in need of grace. This idea is then woven into the whole project, connecting the other two elements together.
Musically, it's an appealing package to thos who realize that "adult contemporary" doesn't have to mean Sandi Patti or even Michael Bolton; the mix of hammer dulcimer and Irish pop would sound nice in any mix that included, say, Enya or, in Christian music, Iona or Jan Krist. It's literate and compelling music.
But totally and completely worth the whole price of admission, is the rockin' cover of Mark Heard's Ideola track, "How to Grow Up Big and Strong." Thematically following the delicate Christmas song "You Gotta Get Up," which Mullins writes from a child's perspective, the band then lays hard into the downside of losing childlike faith - and, in so doing, losing everything.
Rich Mullins seems at times to be an artist who is always dissatisfied, always itchy to find new and different ways to explore his faith through art. His discoveries are sometimes disturbing, sometimes simple, sometimes shocking - but always worth chewing on. And while they aren't as ragged and world-weart as say, those of Rick Elias - there are moments of Mullins' Ragamuffin Band that also make me say, "hey, I've felt that, too." Which means that a rarity of rarities has happened - an album of unequivocally obvious church music has made me stop and rethink my faith. And I'm the better for it.
Rich Mullins "A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band"
by ??
Cash Box Magazine October 2, 1993
"Merging the rituals of our faith with the perspective of our lives..." Mullins's seventh album is a gift of sorts to his friends and fans. Taking a welcomed departure after The World..couplet, Mullins goes for something altogether different, inviting some old friends to come together and create this project. If you're a fan of Mullins and havetreated your self to one of his ever-eclectic live shows you probably have witnessed various incarna
tions of the Ragamuffin Band in the making.
For the record) the band is Billy Crockett, acoustic guitars; Rick Elias, electric and acoustic guitars; Jimmy A, electric and acoustic
guitars, mandolin; Danny O'Lannerghty, electric and acoustic basses; Chris McHugh, drums; Erick Darken, percussion; Lee Lundgren, squeezebox, hooter
(whatever that is), organ; Mullins, hammered dulcimer, piano. Beaker, lap dulcimer; and Reed Arvin, piano, keys. As you can see, this is not just an album,
this is a tour de force. It's an event.
The album is broken into two parts; Side A, "The Liturgy" and Side B, "The Legacy." Basically, the album is a call to prayer and participation in both life and
faith. Side A tracks 2-7 embodies Mullins' love and respect for liturgy featuring "Creed," a Mullins-ized Apostles' Creed, and a sweet ballad, "Hold Me Jesus,
the first radio single from the album.
Side B tracks 7-12 ismorestandard fare filled with moreissue/story-oriented songs. You'll even find a Christmas song, "You Gotta Get Up." The poignant
favorite on this side, however, is Mullins' cover of Mark Heard's "How To Crow Up Big & Strong."
In marketing this project Reunion Records will partner with Questar/Multnomah Publishers in the re-issue of Brennan Manning's classic and
inspiration for this project. The Raggamuffin Gospel. Mullins will write the forward in the upcoming reprint. Now, that will be something to read.
Leave it to Rich Mullins to try something a tad bit different and, as always, invite us along for the ride. ...Ragamuffin Band is a fun little road trip with lots of familiar faces and landmarks along the way. Rich Mullins has finally gotten his love of the written word, music and friends in one solid, insightful package.
Rich Mullins "A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band"
by Star Special Writer
The Indianapolis Star - March 15, 1994
It's a unique title for a unique artist. Rich Mullins, playing the music only he can write. Mullins uses the title of his latest album to describe the two ele ments ot worship that he sings about. The first half of the album is the "liturgy," the collective, intellectual aspect of worship that is proclamation, praise, confession of sin, affirmation of faith and celebration. The "legacy" Jennifer Montgomery is the second half.
These songs contain thoughts of the emotional heritage trom traditional Ideas and issues in the history of our country. The "ragamuffin" band brings together the best in contemporary Christian music, including Rick Elias, Jimmy Abegg and Billy Crockett. Mullins draws from his Irish roots to blend the hammered dulcimer and Irish pop Into a sound that stirs the soul. Lyrically, he is at his best, reminding us ail of the days when song lyrics were creative and beautifully poetic.
Capturing a playful unreadiness in the band, Elias begins "Here in America" with "I'm barely ready to do this, but let's do it anyway," suggesting this album is not run-of-the-mill Christian music. Conveying emotions With the simple admission that "sometimes my life Just don't make sense at all," Mullins captures the confusion and frustration we all sometimes feel at not knowing where to go or how to get there. It's his ability to tenderly yet powerfully convey the most personal and private emotions that makes Rich Mullins an excellent artist. Shedding the image that popular musicians in the spotlight have life figured out, his attitude is authentic and his need for his God is real. Although he admits it is Hard to be like Jesus, Mullins says ' Carry On when the road is rough and dreams take him far from his home.
This artist, who is always looking for new ways to explore his faith through his music, found what he was searching for with A Liturgy, A Legacy and A Ragamuffin Band. At the same time. Rich Mullins encourages listeners to explore their own faith. It is a journey well worth the time.
