LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Jars of Clay: Bands
built 193 days ago
Multi-platinum and GRAMMY Award winning band, Jars of Clay, won another GRAMMY recently during "The 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards" held Feb. 23, 2003. Receiving the award from the Recording Academy for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album" for its fourth and critically acclaimed 2002 release, The Eleventh Hour, this achievement marks the band's third consecutive GRAMMY. The band ... garnered its first American Music Award nomination recently in the Contemporary Inspirational Category. Jars of Clay's self-produced and critically acclaimed cd, The Eleventh Hour (March 2002), produced two No.1 singles "I Need You" and "Fly" and has been covered by several national media outlets including the CBS Early Show, CNN's "Music on the Road" and "Headline News." Jars is set to release its fifth project, Furthermore- From The Studio: From The Stage, on Feb. 4. Jars has 15 No. 1 singles to its credit. The Jars' 1995 self-titled album, with sales of 1.8 million copies, is the biggest selling debut pop album in the history of Christian contemporary music.
Source:
While celebrated for its music and writing, Jars of Clay is most concerned with the needs in Africa. Compelled to make a difference, Dan, Charlie, Stephen, and Matt founded Blood:Water Mission in early 2002. The first effort of this non-profit was the “1000 Wells Project” with a goal of raising funds to build, rebuild and repair 1000 wells in urban and rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. To date, over 300 projects have been constructed bringing clean water to more than 100,000 people. Throughout the years, Jars of Clay has proven to not only be talented musicians, but a multifaceted band that has the ability to evolve along side the music industry, and follow passions that help others across the world.
Source:
{^Jar of Gems} is a hodgepodge of new, old, and remixed material from {$Jars of Clay}. Disc One features some highlights from the band's first three albums (including defining tracks like {&"Flood"} and {&"Tea & Symphony"}); it'll serve as a nice introduction for fans who found {$Jars} only after the flurry of mainstream attention garnered by 1999's {^If I Left the Zoo}. To that end, {^Jar of Gems}' second disc -- subtitled "The White Elephant Sessions" -- includes a likable remix of the hit single {&"Unforgetful You."} There are ... alternate versions of {&"Grace"} and {&"Can't Erase It,"} as well as a great, shimmering instrumental track. Best might be {&"New Math,"} which sounds like a long lost {$XTC} song run through the bold, slightly sardonic harmonies of {$Crowded House}. {$Jars of Clay} aficionados should find enough interesting stuff on Disc Two to make {^Jar of Gems} purchasable, but the collection is a must-have for any one just discovering the group and looking for a primer. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
Source:
Jars of Clay began at Greenville College in Greenville, IL when four young lads met and discovered friendship through music. They were majors in "Contemporary Christian Music", a somewhat recent department in the college. Charlie Lowell, Dan Haseltine and Matt Bronleewe had been there for the year of 1992 and played in various bands as well as producing their own studio projects. These bands included Chrysalis, Jazon, Yellow #7, Second Level, and many other school bands involving students from the CCM department as well as others. When Stephen Mason appeared on the scene in september of 1993, and had similar interests in music, the guys decided to write a song together, "just for fun". Dan had met Stephen because he had a Toad the Wet Sprocket shirt on, a band which they both admired for their unique sound.
Source:
Jars of Clay signed with Essential Records and started recording their first full-length studio album. King Crimson prog-rocker Adrian Belew heard the band and offered to produce, leading to him producing two songs - "Liquid" and "Flood." The band's self-titled debut released in 1995. When the single "Flood" began to climb the charts on mainstream radio stations, Silvertone Records (Essential's parent company) started to heavily promote the song, turning it into one of the biggest mainstream hits ever by a band on a Christian label. The album has since reached multi-platinum certification according to the RIAA.[1]
Source:
With four studio releases to its credit, {$Jars of Clay} returns with {^Furthermore}, a two-disc set that features a disc of live material plus an entire disc of reworked material and three new tracks. One could be a bit apprehensive about a band whose sound is already traditionally "unplugged" and stripped down to begin with. How could a band like this rework songs and offer anything new to the listener? Starting with the "From the Studio" disc, the band kicks things off with its mega hit, {&"Overjoyed."} Stripped down and laid-back, {$the Jars} add a jazzy piano to the mix, changing the complexion of the song completely. {&"Liquid"} is transformed with elegance and grace. The cut's prior mode featured violins and chants kick-starting the intro, while the latter uses pianos and acoustic guitars to turn the cut into a moving, emotional {\ballad}.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Bands