Essential Records presents The Christ: A Trilogy

In response to new spotlight on Christianity, Essential Records presents a musical depiction of Jesus’ birth, life, and passion with its latest collection The Christ: A Trilogy. From the community of artists that brought you City on a Hill, this series intends to shed light on the character and sacrifice of Christ.

Catastrophes like 9/11, and other tragedy resulting from the current political climate, have raised questions for many about life’s meaning and purpose.  Hollywood has sought to address such issues with films that portray a “higher spiritual power,” most often Jesus Christ. Likewise, The Christ: A Trilogy aims to illuminate Jesus’ earthly and eternal significance.

Robert Beeson, Provident Label Group’s sr. vice president of A&R and executive producer for The Christ, elaborates, “It’s a natural and obvious parallel that people will make between our record and many of the movies coming out today that take a look at Christianity. We’re not affiliated with any of them, but it is impossible to take away the impact that these films are going to have on our world, and this is our response to what we believe is going to be a move of God.”

The project comprises three installations: His Passion-Remembering the Sacrifice, His Birth-Celebrating His Coming, and His Life-Embracing the Truth. All contain previously recorded City on Hill songs in addition to exclusive content.

Steve Hindalong (City on a Hill), producer of The Christ, comments, “The Christ-centered songs from City on a Hill are really the heart of that series. It is extremely moving to single those cuts out and sequence them in such a way that creates a soundtrack to Christ’s life and death. We were also prompted to write original music for the trilogy, songs that we hope will impact listeners to live the spirit of worship set in motion by who Jesus is and what He did.”

His Passion, featuring three new tracks as well as contributions by Third Day, Jars of Clay, Sixpence None the Richer, Bebo Norman, Caedmon’s Call, Sara Groves, Paul Colman, GlassByrd, The Choir, Gene Eugene, Phil Keaggy, Jennifer Knapp and Derek Webb, releases March 9. Subsequent chapters with more original content are headed to retail fall 2004 and spring 2005. Also this spring, the collection’s debut radio single, “Yes I Will, showcasing Bebo Norman and Joy Williams, will be released to radio stations nationwide.

For more information on The Christ: A Trilogy, visit: www.essentialrecords.com