Label
published biography when they released their second major U.S. project
in the fall of 2003.
PAUL COLMAN TRIO (PC3) - BIOGRAPHY
Since the release of its first international album New Map of the
World, the Paul Colman Trio (guitarist/vocalist Paul Colman, bassist
Grant Norsworthy, and drummer Phil Gaudion) has been criss-crossing
the United States, Europe and Australia spreading a serious message
wrapped up in an infectious blend of power pop and rock music.
The masses took notice, propelling pc3’s singles “Turn”
and “Run” to No. 1 and turning out in droves for its tour
appearances with labelmates Third Day and FFH. The music industry responded
as well, with Radio & Records magazine naming the band to its annual
list of Top 10 Breakthrough Artists, the Recording Academy bestowing
a Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album, and the
Gospel Music Association honoring Paul Colman Trio as New Artist of
the Year at the 2003 Dove Awards.
But as time came for the band to head back to the studio for its follow-up
to New Map…, a single theme emerged: reconciliation--among
friends, among family, among individuals, and among the church.
“God said that in order to be reconciled
to others, you have to be reconciled to Him, and in order to be reconciled
to Him, you must be reconciled to others,” Colman says.
“They’re impossible to pull apart, but
I think a lot of Christians say ‘I’ve left that at the foot
of the Cross; I’ve dealt with that,’ and yet they’re
alienated from others.”
“In John 17, Jesus says, ‘I pray
that they be one,’” he continues. “This
album is an exploration of what that sounds and looks like. We hope
it’s a challenge in a spiritual way but not at all preachy.”
Paul Colman Trio fans know that the band is anything but preachy; its
high-energy, humorous and entertaining live shows counterbalance the
weight of its message.
“I’m excited about One being
the title of the album, because ‘reconciliation’ is probably
too long a word for people to get their arms around,” Norsworthy
says. “I’ve often wondered what it would
be like if everyone who professed to follow Jesus lived in harmony with
each other. What if in the Christian community there were no divorces
and families were truly reconciled? Wouldn’t people be busting
down the doors to see what was going on?”
Those are not the idyllic sentiments of naïve musicians wishing
for a textbook perfect world, but rather three men who desire to help
shine light on unity, resolution and compassion within the Christian
community, albeit in the approachable form of a pop song. Songs like
“Solution,” with the straightforward hook of “Do you
wanna be a part of the solution?” and “One Generation,”
which calls for this generation to be the first to bend a knee, serve
this purpose.
“Every song is an exploration in vertical
or horizontal reconciliation and what the implications of that are,”
Colman says. “Jesus said if we love one another,
the world would know we are His disciples.”
These are heady matters, to be sure, but a listener encouraged to think
does not have to be a listener discouraged to rock out, as Paul Colman
Trio delivers again on One.
Even though Colman serves as the primary songwriter, pc3 is a fully
integrated group capable of serving up the heartfelt ballad right alongside
the rollicking, crowd-pleasing pop tune.
Colman knows his musical efforts wouldn’t be the same without
this set of partners beside him. “Grant and
Phil are tremendous musicians and add greatly to the music’s sound
and impact,” he comments.
For One, the Trio brought a new partner into the mix, producer
Brent Milligan, who has been behind the boards on projects by The Elms,
David Crowder Band and The Waiting. Colman says Milligan caught the
vision pc3 needed for its second stateside release.
Milligan and the Trio began work on One in the legendary confines of
Melbourne, Australia’s Sing Sing studio, where international superstars
U2, Crowded House and native band Midnight Oil had recorded. The pc3
members agree that recording in a place with so much history on their
home continent added to the energy of One.
“We had been living in America for more
than a year, so it was good to go back home and combine the best of
our experiences in both cultures,” Norsworthy says. “I
believe this has shaped the music in a very positive way.”
That merging of musical cultures can be heard throughout One,
from the rich pop refrains of the opener “I’ll Be With You”
and the crunchy rock punch of “Live It!” to the lilting sensitivity
of “Into Your Arms,” and the doo-wop-infused “Save My
Soul.”
The musical versatility shown by Paul Colman Trio, both on its recordings
and during its live shows, not only helps highlight the band’s
multi-faceted personalities but also brings in a wide swath of fans.
“The album provides us with the tools to
do our job, which is connecting with people on the CD and in person,”
Colman says.
Taking those tools, the live show and the record, and making them one.
Taking an audience, young and old, believers and otherwise, and making
them one. Taking a message, both timeless and contemporary, and making
it one. Those are the goals of the Paul Colman Trio.
And they accomplish it with One.
