psalterbook

Artist Information

Biography

psalterbook is now in studio recording their 2nd CD: BRIDEGROOM (expected release early 2009)

16th Annual Billboard Songwriting Contest: Honorable Mention for 'Give Me A Song To Sing'

2 songs (Empty Place and He Climbed That Hill) from upcoming CD were Top-Twenty Finalists in the 2008 UNISONG Songwriting Competition.

psalterbook is #4 in CCM Magazine's 'myCCM Top Bands You Should Know' in the 2007 November issue. Also in the top 5?: David Crowder Band, Leeland, Skillet...some great company!

psalterbook has now had 5 songs (Saved By Grace, He Climbed That Hill, Empty Place, You Carry My Heart, and Surely) chosen as Top-Twenty Finalists and 2 more (Lantern and Now The Waiting Is Over) chosen as Honorable Mentions in the UNISONG International Songwriting Competition.

Reviews from major publications are pouring in from around the nation and the world (check out our press section!):

"One of the most intersesting and refreshingly new CDs I've heard in years. I love every note"

"Boldly adventurous."

"Heartfelt, totally cool music"

psaterbook's song Saved By Grace was a Top-Seven Finalist in KCCM's "Song Of The Year" competition.

Formed in 1999, psalterbook gathered a small ensemble of highly skilled players whose sole purpose was to glorify God. But in doing so, they realized they wanted to create "...a group with a difference, not just a Christian-song cover band". Since their humble beginnings, psalterbook is now tickling the ears and catching the fancy of music lovers across the world. Many of psalterbook's members have trained at some of the world's leading conservatories.
Psalterbook's eclecticism has attracted a loyal group of followers who crave something different than the run-of-the-mill contemporary Christian sound. Their songs incorporate everything from "bluegrass-ified" 16th century chant to celtic-fueled pop and appalachian lullabies; from richly-textured lyricism to hair-raising virtuoso instrumentals. But most importantly, their sound is an expression of psalterbook's unique musical vision: no matter what style it incorporates, music that praises the triune God is valuable...from age to age.

On their debut CD 'age to age' (produced by SoundImage Studio's Jay Petach) psalterbook was fortunate to have been joined by world-class guest musicians Deborah Netanel (cello), Miriam Kramer (violin).

Instrumentation

dave matre, guitar and vocals
milan dukic, violin
jeff petach, guitar and mandolin
steve aldredge, keyboards
matt frazer, drums and percussion
leah risma, vocals
isaac gould, percussion and dulcimer
lori mcdonough, flute
christy thomas, harp and vocals

Discography

Album: Bridegroom (release date: early 2009)

Tracks: TBA

Album: age to age (2005)
1. My Soul Rejoices in the Lord
2. Saved By Grace
3. You Are Forever
4. Lantern
5. Surely (Abigail's Lullaby)
6. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
7. You Carry My Heart (For Mother's Day)
8. Now Thank We All Our God
9. Burning Bush (Bachianas Americanas)
10. King's Lullaby (For Emily)
11. On This Hill (Shepherd's Song)
12. Ladder Builder
13. The Hour Draws Near
14. Lord Of My Heart

Official Website

http://www.psalterbook.com/psalterbook_home.html

Audio

• Give Me A Song-Updated 12-08 (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Saved By Grace
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• Bridegroom-Updated (Bridegroom 2009)
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• My Soul Rejoices In The Lord
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• Wide River (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Empty Place (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Burning Bush (Bachianas Americanas)
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• You Are Forever-Updated
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• Ladderbuilder
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• He Climbed That Hill (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Three Kings Revisited (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Lantern
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• Now The Waiting Is Over (Bridegroom 2009)
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• Surely
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Lyrics

• Saved By Grace
• You Carry My Heart
• You Are Forever
• Lantern
• King's Lullaby
• On This Hill
• Wide River
• Bridegroom
• Now The Waiting Is Over
• Give Me A Song
• He Climbed That Hill
• Empty Place
• The Burning Bush

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• One of the most interesting and refreshingly new worship CDs I've heard in years. [+ Show ]
  

  For a moment I thought I’d wandered into an old church, with the sun filtering red, green, amber, an...For a moment I thought I’d wandered into an old church, with the sun filtering red, green, amber, and blue across the exposed beams of the high ceiling, to find a celtic band of free style worshippers singing to God with all they had. Then I came back to reality to enjoy one of the most interesting, refreshingly new worship CDs I’ve heard in years. From the traditional renderings of old hymns to sweet lullabies and original creations, this is a well titled project covering a host of different genres. This doesn’t sound like musicians who pick up instruments and ‘wing it’ either. These sound like classically trained musicians, singers, and performers who’ve studied to ‘show themselves approved.’ I love every note! This is a record that could even get Lutherans excited! (I can say that…I’ve spent quite a bit of life as a Lutheran!) Psalterbook transcends genre and praises God in such a beautiful way, that it leaves me wanting to pick up a hymnbook and find what other treasures are lurking there.
  
  

• Psalterbook refuses to be typecast [+ Show ]
  

  The rise of the praise and worship movement within contemporary Christian music circles has resulted...The rise of the praise and worship movement within contemporary Christian music circles has resulted in the unfortunate (and I believe, unintended) homogenization of worship styles. For every Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and David Crowder there are a couple of dozen artists who sound just like ‘em. How refreshing then, to stumble across Psalterbook, a worship band that doesn’t sound like anybody else – and so far, nobody else sounds like them.
  
  The band is not new. They’ve apparently been around since 1999, but didn’t get around to cutting their debut project, Age to Age, until five years later. It’s only taken two more years for it to find its way to my CD player. All I can say is, ‘It’s about time!’
  This fourteen track collection of spirit infused worship songs refuses to be categorized. They run the gamut from 400 year old hymns, to Appalachian mountain music, to ‘devil-went-down-to-Georgia’ fiddle playin’ bluegrass. And you can forget the loops and synths. The nine members of Psalterbook play all the instruments themselves, and they play them magnificently...
  ...Age to Age is reminiscent of the early days of the Jesus Movement when folks like Ernie & Debbie Retino, Honeytree, and LoveSong were making honest, heartfelt, and totally cool music. Best cuts include a gorgeous version of “You Are Forever,” a very sweet version of the classic hymn, “Come Thou Fount,” and a juicy, neo-bluegrass instrumental called, “Burning Bush.” Trust me, it’s cool.

• Music For The Soul [+ Show ]
  

  The nine musicians of Psalterbook sway and move to the almost-frantic strains of violin, acoustic gu...The nine musicians of Psalterbook sway and move to the almost-frantic strains of violin, acoustic guitar, bass guitar and drums as the band's leader directs from a piano bench.
  "We are saved by grace; we are saved by grace alone. No matter how darkened the stain of my sin, the gift of His grace will atone, " Dave Matre sings earnestly during rehearsal. The song, an original by Psalterbook pianist Steve Aldredge and bassist Jeff Garrett, was written to fit the band's eclectic style that mixes bluegrass, Celtic, folk and contemporary worship.
  What was born out of necessity has brought Aldredge and Garrett national recognition for their songwriting skills. The two were honored this summer as finalists in the Unisong International Songwriting Contest in the Gospel/Contemporary Christian category for the song, "Saved By Grace," and another, "Surely." They received an Honorable Mention for a third song, "Lantern."
  In recent months, the band has been honored by American Idol Underground radio (where listeners rate songs on a Web site), and has received positive reviews from several music publications. "It's validation on a big scale. You expect your friends and family to say, 'I like that,' but to have it on that kind of stage is really affirming and gratifying," said Aldredge.
  Garrett, 26, a creative writing student at Miami University, said being honored among the 4,000 (Unisong) entries was humbling. "To go from writing in a little notebook, and then it becomes this, and then to record it and have it on the Web and in front of you, it's a great blessing," said Garrett, of Oxford.
  "Saved by Grace" has its roots in a Reformation Sunday service, where most Protestant churches celebrate the anniversary of Martin Luther's start of the Reformation in 1517. Luther contended that salvation came through God's grace, not deeds.
  "There are things we wanted to say that we couldn't find in most contemporary music," Aldredge said.
  Aldredge, a pianist who is also a doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and an adjunct professor of piano at Wright State University, is eager to begin the next album with rearrangements of old hymns, reinvented classical pieces and original songs.
  Alan Roy Scott, co-founder of the Unisong contest, said earning three honors is not unusual for good writers. "It tends to be that songwriters who are doing real quality work, have more than one song in the finalist groups," he said. "It takes the perfect storm of craft and talent and work. It takes research and work at your craft. And success comes down to how much sweat you're putting into getting it right."
  "We just hope that other churches will pick up on our music and be interested in it," Aldredge said. "And we want White Oak (Presbyterian), who was so kind to us, to benefit. They were incredible soil for this tiny seed of an idea."
  
  
  

• Too Good To Miss [+ Show ]
  

  ...A very unique, diversified, and talented praise band that could one day equal the popularity of C......A very unique, diversified, and talented praise band that could one day equal the popularity of Casting Crowns.
  

• I am blown away by this CD [+ Show ]
  

  “I am blown away and captivated with this CD. The gifted saturation of sound and talent is…Incredibl...“I am blown away and captivated with this CD. The gifted saturation of sound and talent is…Incredible!”
  Crystal Clear,
  C.E.O., Whitedove Radio

• Boldly adventurous [+ Show ]
  

  First of all, although I have classed this album as Celtic, to be honest it could fit under almost a...First of all, although I have classed this album as Celtic, to be honest it could fit under almost any category going.[...] As you might expect given the classical background and training of many of the nine (yes nine!) band members the musicianship throughout is of the highest order and the band are already beginning to get recognition, airplay and awards Stateside. For me the mixture of quite so many styles doesn't always work but for a debut CD this is certainly boldly adventurous.

Setlist

1. My Soul Rejoices in the Lord
2. Saved By Grace
3. Give Me A Song To Sing
4. Lantern
5. Surely (Abigail's Lullaby)
6. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
7. Wide River
8. Now Thank We All Our God
9. Burning Bush (Bachianas Americanas)

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10. We Have Come To Join In Worship
11. He Climbed That Hill
12. Ladder Builder
13. The Hour Draws Near
14. Light Of The World Is Jesus
15. Guide My Family
16. Now The Waiting Is Over
17. Three Kings Revisiyed
18. Be Thou My Vision

There are 10-15 other songs that we can play to mix together for additional set lists.

Basic Requirements

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