“Grace” features Ilia Mazia playing a Duduk. Ilia is an artist in Jerusalem and I’m very grateful to have gotten his contribution. Ilia is excited to share this piece of his culture with the world.
“The duduk, the Armenian oboe, is a double-reed wind instrument characterized by a warm, soft, slightly nasal timbre. It belongs to the category of aerophones.”
“Grace” was released on Good Friday to honor what Easter actually represents. From my Global exposure as a kid, I wanted to develop a musical identity that is culturally diverse with international appeal. I wanted to use the duduk to give “Grace” an atmosphere of inspiration and serenity through an instrument authentic to the time.
The inspiration for the lyrics of “Grace” was a beautiful writing from St. Bernard of Clairvaux about the Un-payable Debt (the original title of the song) we owe God. A debt not just for “preparing for us a place,” but for our Creation and our Re-Creation that saves us from ourselves and gives us Entrance into that place. Below is his quote.
“I owe all that I am to Him who made me: but how can I pay my debt to Him who redeemed me, and in such wondrous wise? Creation was not so vast a work as redemption; for it is written of man and of all things that were made, ‘He spake the word, and they were made’ (Psalm 148.5). But to redeem that creation which sprang into being at His word, how much He spake, what wonders He wrought, what hardships He endured, what shames He suffered! Therefore what reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits which He hath done unto me? In the first creation He gave me myself; but in His new creation He gave me Himself, and by that gift restored to me the self that I had lost. Created first and then restored, I owe Him myself twice over in return for myself. But what have I to offer Him for the gift of Himself? Could I multiply myself a thousand-fold and then give Him all, what would that be in comparison with God?”
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
