Article Featuring Ken Taylor

Last month, Studio Re: and Hallelujah Gospel Family worked together to do a film shoot of a large concert featuring approximately 300 singers in a Japanese black gospel choir.

The feature of the night was a fusion piece between gospel music and Japanese wa-daiko. You can read more about that in a post on this blog written by guest-writer Jefferey Timmer entitled Black Gospel Music in Japan... and the questions that come with it.

Recently, CAN founding member and leader of the Hallelujah Gospel Family network, Ken Taylor, was featured in a news story by ANS News. The article is called "How 'Sister Act' has inspired the formation of 30 Japanese Gospel Choirs run by a Filipino former night club entertainer who found Christ."

It's a long title, but a good article. Check it out here: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2009/s09070045.htm

The National Anthem of Japan

The Japanese national anthem was officially adopted in 1999, but it hasn't had quite the appeal of other national anthems throughout the world. A friend of mine sent me a link to a fascinating article that may be of interest to you. It's called Something to Sing About - Japan needs an anthem that unites the nation. I highly recommend reading it. Post your comments if you want to have a discussion about it.

Below is some information not contained in the article. First is the lyrics of the song, second is the melody.

Official[9] 君が代は 千代に八千代に さざれ石の いわおとなりて こけのむすまで

English May your reign Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations, Until the pebbles Grow into boulders Lush with moss

Poetic English May Japan's Reign Last for ten thousand years May her stones turn to rocks May those rocks turn to boulders May Japan Reign and Flourish