In June of 2010, “Transformations” was featured in its entirety on the IMW, Saturday night radio show with Kephas. This program included a live interview of Dr. Deal discussing various aspects of “Transformations”. You may listen to a recording of this program at; http://www1.indiemusicworks.com/IMW_Artist_Interviews/?song=7314
The songs on Transformations are the most deeply personal and autobiographical music I have written. For example, the second song, “First Contact”, describes a spiritual, epiphany experience I had when about 20 years old. I was driving my car to my girlfriend’s house when suddenly, God was “present” and “said”, “Dave, I want you to know: first, that I exist, and secondly, what you do matters to me.” The intense, powerful reality of that contact was short on details but was indeed life changing.
The third song, “I Don’t Know What” is based upon a poem written by the 17th century monk, St. John of the Cross. Following the “First Contact” experience I discovered the writings of St. John of the Cross and Thomas Merton. They seemed to most closely speak to the relationship I experienced with God, both during and following the “First Contact” moment.
“Where Are You Now”, the fourth song on Transformations, expresses a period in my life where I struggled to find organized theologies which would enable me to learn more about the Divine, and nurture a closeness with God/The Ground Of Being.
“Dark Night of the Soul”, song four, conveys a state of despair where I continued to experience the reality of God’s existence but felt frustrated by my inability to learn more about him or to relate that knowledge to everyday issues in my life.
“Bump” represents the decade or so in my life where career and family issues overshadowed the theological questions.
I wrote song seven, “Help Me Fly”, after the wedding of my daughter. It expresses the love of my children which I feel emanates from the single source of love.
Song eight, “What You Want Me to Be”, is about the feelings that gradually intensified as my family became older and my career was established. The desire to further understand and relate to the Divine regained it saliency, leading me back to St. John’s, mystical Christianity. This re-emergence is reflected in the ninth song, “Flowing Deep in the Night”, which is based upon another poem written by St. John.
Finally, the song “Transformation” is a celebration of “SEEING” the One/Spirit/God/Creation as totally connected; as faces of the same energy and our consciousness as a “mirror of creation”. Perhaps a song 11, 12 ……..is waiting in the future. I hope you enjoy Transformations.
Purchase Transformations Through PayPal