Narrow Path

Story by John Seasly
Photos by Dave Weatherwax

“We will hope/We will rise/We will sing/In Christ alone our mighty king.”
—From “Risen,” by Daniel Ross and Andrew Kieffner.

For Daniel Ross, making music is first and foremost about glorifying God.

The 36-year-old music and communications minister of Christian Church of Jasper reiterates this point to his band Narrow Path on the Tuesday before Easter. In five days the musicians will perform before one of their largest audiences ever, at a special Easter service at the Cabby O’Neill Gymnasium.

Daniel’s message is clear: You’re not there to be a rock star.

“Just remember, we’re there to serve, we’re there to glorify God,” Daniel says. “We’re there to celebrate God being raised from the dead, Jesus being raised from the dead. We’re not there to say, ‘Look at us.’ No rock star moves. You’re not a rock star. I’m not a rock star.”

They rehearse in one of the rooms inside the church, which is brightly lit and empty but for the band. The stage recedes into one wall and extends a little ways over the carpet. At the front of the stage, hundreds of nearly identical brown Bibles rest in 20 stacks of about a dozen each. Behind this, the band’s instruments occupy the rear of the stage, including a drum set enclosed in a box of clear plastic to mute its sound.

Before the band members rehearse, they read a psalm, and pray. They do this every time they get together for their weekly practice. They grab Bibles from the stacks and open to Psalm 145.
Drummer Mike Weisensteiner reads.

“I will exalt you, my God the king; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever.” He continues to the end. “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.”

A silence descends. Daniel looks at his band members.

“All right, well. Sunday is Easter.”

“Big doings.” Mike responds.

They go over some of the details of the performance, and then they bow their heads and pray.

“God, I thank you for these guys and ladies,” Daniel says. “Lord, we pray that Sunday is all about you. ... We ask this in Jesus’ name we pray.”

“Amen,” they say, and take their positions on the stage.

The music is catchy and varied, rooted firmly in rock — it’s easy to imagine singing along. And that is exactly what hundreds of people will be doing in five days.

This rock-inspired style of music serves a specific purpose, Minister Darrel Land said.

“One of our goals was to reach ‘unchurched’ people,” Minister Land said. “To reach people that are not being reached, you’ve got to do things that are not being done.”

People become members of Christian Church of Jasper because of its message and its beliefs, but many of them come for its unique style of music, he said.

That style is due, in large part, to Daniel’s efforts.

“I prayed for somebody like Daniel for a long time before he came,” Minister Land said.

Daniel writes, performs, records and distributes music for Christian Church of Jasper. In November 2012, Narrow Path debuted “And Still,” an album of 10 original songs, all of which Daniel helped write. The album was professionally mixed and is available on Amazon, iTunes and Spotify. He also performs in another church band, At One, and works occasionally with Go Forth, the youth band.

Writing music is a way of celebrating God through his gift of creativity, Daniel said.

“God’s creative. He wants us to be creative,” he said.

Daniel got involved with music because of religion. With a degree in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University, he moved to Jasper in 2000 to take a job at The Herald as a copy editor and page designer. He started volunteering at Christian Church of Jasper in 2002, playing guitar for the occasional service. In 2007, he was hired part time, planning music for services and managing the church’s web presence. He left The Herald in December 2009 and took on a full-time role at the church in January 2010.

Daniel’s father, Billy, became a Baptist minister when Daniel was 18. The music at his father’s church in Tennessee is much more traditional than what is played at Christian Church of Jasper.

“It’s a 180(-degree turn) from what we’re doing here,” Daniel said. Billy, 65, has been to several of the services where Daniel has led the music.

“I know he’s very proud of his son,” Daniel said. “I don’t know that he would do that in his church or if he would put that kind of music into his CD player.”

Daniel plays music with the church’s bands, but he also makes sure that the music is heard, in the church and out of it. After service on Sundays, he uploads the songs that are public domain or written by church bands to the church’s website, and he burns CDs of the service for anyone who couldn’t make it in person. He listens to music constantly, and has more than 60 days’ worth of music on his computer.

- The (Dubois County) Herald

From the state of Indiana comes independent rock band Narrow Path, with their latest composition, And Still. The album is all Narrow Path original recordings, which were mixed and mastered by none other than The Digital Age themselves at Asterisk Sound studio. It's a wise move on the part of Narrow Path, as The Digital Age is not only known for quality musicianship, but also making what they touch sound as best as they can (and they captured Narrow Path's sound perfectly).

If you're wondering what you can expect from them before you give And Still a spin, Narrow Path boasts an ambitious and energetic mix of pop rock and southern rock. The music itself of the album's opening track, "Only Hope," sounds like what would happen if Third Day and Too Bad Eugene merged into one band. While some semblance of sounds similar to that can be found throughout the album's length ("Endure," "Restore," "Freedom Is Found"), there are some songs that lean more heavily on the southern sound. "Broken Things" falls into this category, with its twangy guitar riffs and steady, but upbeat, rhythm.

Despite the pop and southern aspects, the vocals show traces of 80s glam or power metal influence. Daniel Ross's voice isn't as high or commanding as Michael Sweet (Stryper) or Scott Wenzel (Whitecross), but his voice has a vibrato and tone reminiscent of the bands of those days.

As far as Narrow Path's message, it's easy to notice that they have roots as a worship band (as they still serve as worship leaders at their home church). God's might and omnipotence are openly praised, as Ross sings "Our God will make a way, a way out of no way, He can do anything but fail." Then in "Keep Me (Psalm 35)," Ross puts himself into King David's shoes (and also makes the Psalm applicable to his own life), as he sings what is basically a summary of the Psalm.

While Ross' lyrics don't tread a lot of new ground - putting the message far over the artistry of lyricism - it's always nice to find worship bands who write their own songs, instead of only relying on covers of current hits. This is the main thing that Narrow Path has going for them. With a stronger focus on lyricism in future releases, Narrow Path could go places.

In addition, I would love to hear more of what they offered in the final moments of And Still: amazing guitar work. "The Day Will Come" went for a few minutes sounding like another song to fit in with the album, but the last few minutes turned into an all-out jam session, with the band's rock & roll tendencies taking the reins, including a mind-melting and smile-inducing guitar solo that completely came out of left field. I had to double check to make sure I was listening to the same album. Narrow Path certainly didn't leave their musicianship skills out of this album, but this small portion shows the listener an even stronger side to the band that would really do wonders for their tunes.

If you want some worship music with more rock flair (and all-original compositions), Narrow Path's And Still is worth checking out. With all they have to offer, including a lot of potential, you're bound to find something you'll like.

- Review date: 1/19/13, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com - jesusfreakhideout.com

And Still
?Written By James Purcell?
4 out of 5 Stars?
?
Narrow Path, a worship- rock band out of Jasper, IN, did a good job of blending a modern rock sound with inspirational lyrics with their full-length effort “And Still”. The band is comprised of vocalist/lead guitarist Daniel Ross, guitarists Kurt Neighbors and Phil Hostetler, drummer Mike Weisensteiner, bassist Andrew Kieffner, vocalist Chealsey Patton, and keyboardist Angie Stewart.

Narrow Path has made a CD with everything from driving tracks like Only Hope to ballads like the title track And Still. This is a great collection of songs that you can rock to with plenty of worship throughout. Although production quality can always improve, this release has a no frills edge to it that you should enjoy. "And Still" is definitely worth a listen. Check it out, and look for even bigger and better things to come from Narrow Path.? - ChristianMusicSource.net

One of the Christian Church of Jasper’s bands, Narrow Path, has released “And Still”, an album of 10 original songs. CDs are available at CCJ or via the band’s Web site, www.narrowpath.us.

“And Still” is a collection of 10 songs that are filled with hope, inspiration and anticipation based on the hope that only God, through Jesus, can provide the world. The album is a follow-up to the band’s earlier recording efforts, “Far As The Curse Is Found,” a 2008 Christmas album; and the band’s two 2011 digital-only releases, the three-original song EP “NP EP,” available at digital retailers such as iTunes, and a three-song, free digital offering “Live On Good Friday,” available only at ccjasper.com/music.


The album’s style is a departure from much modern worship music and could best be described as modern rock with a strong emphasis on melody and biblically-sound lyrics. The songs, written over the course of the past five years, uniquely serve a fast growing church of young and old.

“And Still” was recorded and produced by the band in the church’s studio space, nicknamed Moth & Rust Studio. Once the album was recorded, Asterisk Sound mixed and mastered the album at their Waco, Texas studio.

Asterisk Sound is comprised of the members of The Digital Age, a band that formerly formed the core of the Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated group David Crowder*Band.

The album also features a guest vocal appearance from French Lick-based country singer Kirby Stailey on the band’s track “Broken Things.”

The album is available digitally at iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify and other digital outlets. More information can be found at www.narrowpath.us or www.ccjasper.com/music.

The Christian Church of Jasper is a 1,100 member church with services on Sunday at 8:45, 10:00, and 11:15 a.m. - Dubois County Free Press

For Fans of:
David Crowder Band, Johnny Cash, Foo Fighters, Switchfoot, Pink Floyd

Reviewed "Only Hope" Before when it was by itself in this download HERE:
http://derkopenedeyes.blogspot.com/2012/11/narrow-path-only-hope-free-music-review.html

10 Songs
Overall Thoughts:
Rocking music.. a bit rough at times.. but an enjoyable album.. centering on Christ and Christian principles.. as well.. I have noticed more worship themed songs.. all the way through there is a folk rock feel.. all pretty solid music.. and as well just an enjoyable album

Recording Thoughts:
Pretty Good ... Semi-Profesisonal

Stand Outs:
"Endure" - great uplifting message and beat ... joyful rock!!

Take a listen ... get a download.. and TIP!!!

@narrowpathband on twitter

Noisetrade
http://www.noisetrade.com/narrowpath
Website
http://ccjasper.com/narrowpath/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/narrowpathband - Just Being Here: A Blog of Derekyness

Hailing from Jasper, Indiana is an independent rock band called Narrow Path. Narrow Path is also the church worship band for the Christian Church of Jasper, in Indiana. They have a new album out called "And Still".

Narrow Path has a very interesting and unique sound. They definitely have the rock beats and guitars throughout the album, and along with the lead vocals from Daniel Ross, this album has the rock vibe. However you can still hear the church/worship band influence, along with some southern twang. Daniel's vocals are similar to something you might hear in 80's music, compare able to that of Michael Sweet (Stryper). So Narrow Path has a very diverse sound.

Through out the album there are a lot of great lyrics, which lean to the worship side of things. I really appreciate this aspect of the album. I think that as a Christian band your music should be honoring and glorifying God, so it is nice to have a rock/worship mix.

I really liked the song "Endure" because it has some amazing guitar riffs that bring the rock! I am sure this band would be a lot of fun in concert, because their energy seems infectious. Plus the songs seem pretty easy to sing along with, which is always a plus. All in all this album isn't perfect, but it is unique and enjoyable to listen to. Give this band a shot, check out their music and help support them. - The Christian Music Junkie

Narrow Path is a rock band from Jasper, Indiana. The group originally started as their church's worship band, but eventually stepped down from that role. Narrow Path currently operates as an outreach band through the Christian Church of Jasper.

The group's latest release, NP EP, Vol. II: Long For Eden, is only a short three tracks, but doesn't give a lot of indications of their worship background; that's definitely not a bad thing. The band claims inspiration from other rockers, ranging from Switchfoot to Foo Fighters, and it's pretty evident in their sound. "Oh Lord, Hear Me" opens the EP up on a really positive note and the driving rock track is very likely the best of the trio.

"Lift" brings the tempo down as the bass guitar leads the verse while overdriven electric guitars kick in for the chorus, complete with a catchy little lead part between each vocal line.

The title track closes the EP with a run time of 7:37 -- nearly longer than the previous songs combined. The song is sort of like an epic the way it is written. It moves along at a slower pace and features a guitar part that is reminiscent of Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive." The part is far from exact, but will certainly bring the iconic song to mind. The song begins to pick up pace just before the four-minute mark and then moves into a "jam session" of sorts with a really nice guitar solo. The upbeat portion soon fades and the slower acoustic guitar comes back to finish out the number.

Overall, this EP is a nice little taste of what Narrow Path has to offer. The songs are solid and the production value is good as well. There's not necessarily enough in three songs to really make them stand out, but there is enough to pique one's interest. Rock fans should give Narrow Path a shot, or check them out at a local event if they live in state.

- Review date: 5/7/16, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com - Jesus Freak Hideout

Christian Church of Jasper outreach band Narrow Path has released new, original music titled “NP EP Vol. II: Long For Eden.”

The album is the second three-song release of original material from the band and follows the 2012 release of the band’s full-length album “And Still” and 2011’s “NP – EP.”

Defined by the modern rock sound of guitars, drums, and bass, Narrow Path mixes a cutting-edge sound with a message of hope found only in Jesus, according to the band. They attest to being committed to bringing glory to God with a sound unlike the standard in today’s Christian music world. Their style features original songs, soaring guitars, pounding drums and passionate vocals.

The album kicks off with the no-holds-barred rocker “Oh Lord, Hear Me,” exploring Psalm 143 in a modern context. The soaring chorus is one of longing, echoing the other songs on the project but with the addition of a wall of guitars, and driving drums.

Track two is “Lift,” inspired by Isaiah 40 and the foretelling of what John the Baptist would ultimately fulfill in the gospels. A moody mid-tempo rock song, “Lift” features airy guitar over a driving and tight bass and drum rhythm section.

The final track, “Long For Eden” is the band’s opus. Clocking in at more than seven minutes, “Long For Eden” lives up to its title track billing by delivering the biggest chorus the band has ever produced. Featuring a mid-song tempo change with a searing guitar solo, “Long For Eden” brings to mind epic tracks such as Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” or Alter Bridge’s “Blackbird.” Taking a cue from the book of Job, the song was also inspired by a mission trip to the poverty-stricken country of Haiti.

The recent album was recorded at Seven Hills Recording Co. in Evansville and produced by the band and Seven Hill’s co-owner Greg Pearce, who has also worked with bands such as the up-and-coming rock duo The Cold Stares. The album was mastered by Andy VanDette in New York City. VanDette has mastered such acts as Rush, Sevendust, Skillet, NEEDTOBREATHE, and Dream Theater, among others.

The band formed at the Christian Church of Jasper more than a decade ago and quickly set about finding their sound. Being the church’s sole worship band for many years, a tightness was developed. After moving to an outreach capacity for the church and away from regular Sunday mornings, the band has evolved into a modern-rock group not dissimilar from Foo Fighters or Switchfoot with soaring songs, meaningful lyrics and a touch of arena rock sonic bombast.

The band now includes Jasper, Ind., residents Daniel Ross, the church’s music and communications minister, on lead vocals and lead guitar, Mike Weisensteiner on drums, and Andrew Kieffner on bass. Huntingburg, Ind., resident Kurt Neighbors, also the church’s technical director, rounds out the band on guitar.

With the March release, Narrow Path has wrapped up several months of work, both writing and recording the album. “NP EP Vol. II: Long For Eden” is available in digital formats at online retailers such as iTunes, Amazon Digital, and Spotify as well as in CD format at the Christian Church of Jasper.

According to Daniel Ross, Narrow Path and the other bands at the Christian Church of Jasper continue striving to offer dynamic times of music worship with the goal of not only glorifying God but to also stretch the boundaries of what church music can be. He added their goal in realizing a creative God is not limited to one particular sound is to bring songs for people to sing in a musical language they understand.

For more information on the band, please visit www.narrowpath.us, their Facebook page facebook.com/NarrowPathBand, or on Twitter and Instagram @narrowpathband. - Dubois County Free Press