Community of the Cross: Outpouring

Outpouring (Community Of The Cross) 1979

When I was first introduced to “Jesus Music” in the 1970’s, one of the first frustrations I encountered is that too much of it sounded alike. (The fact that some of it had a C&W sound didn’t help either!) It took some time but I found that there was some genuinely creative stuff going on.

It’s too bad that this album was one of those things I missed. But this production by the Community of the Cross in Danbury, CT, is like nothing else from the era. To start with, it is from the Northeast, which was unusual. Beyond that, the reach for artistry–which is evident at several points in the album–was sorely lacking in the genre. Perhaps this last was pushed by the fact that this album (from a compositional standoint) is very much the “Italian Hour” for Jesus Music. This group (especially in “Never Be Alone Again”) leads contemporary Christian music into realms that Protestant WASPS/Celtic worthies were (and are) reluctant to take it to.

This album was a ground breaker in many ways. Outpouring performed and made two more albums until they disbanded in 2000. (One of them is here.)

Outpouring, left to right: Joe Torre, Gary Falin, Fran Novelli, Chris Barrett, Jim Albano. Jeff Schachinger performed sax on “Prophets of Fortune.” Click here for the back liner notes.

The songs:

I’ve Got a Song to Sing*
Take me Home Again
Prophets of Fortune
Never be Alone Again*
Lifeline
Straight and Narrow Highway
No More Time to Run

All songs by Jim Albano except those marked * which are by Jim Albano and Fran Novelli.

Produced by Cliff Natoli and Outpouring.

Recorded at Jbana Sound Productions, Newtown, CT. Engineered by Jack Hanna. Photos by Glenn Johnson, graphics by Bob Colucci.

Note: many of the ministries that were beind the music offered on this site are no longer in existence. That’s not the case with this one; the Community of the Cross is still active in Danbury, CT. They operate the Community Coffeehouse, which features many Christian musicians (perhaps the next Outpouring?) Thanks to Chris Barrett for keeping me up to date on this.