Song Shopping

Sometimes you come up with a song that sounds like something that is already out there. But the crazy thing is if you've never heard that song before. That says to me that song-writing is a lot like shopping. Even though somebody has already worn a piece of clothing or a shoe from the line that you bought from, it doesn't mean that you can't buy from that same store.

We all get our songs from the same mall, Heaven. That's why you can miss out on a great thing if you don't move on an idea, because someone is bound to shop at that same place and take the idea off the rack. If you get a vision or idea, write it. Move on it.

Keep shopping!!!!

A Change

The church has been stagnate, I believe for quite sometime now. And I believe that it's a result of us having church and not so much being the church. Christianity is a religion, but Christ is a person. Many of us sacrifice the relationship for religion. It's time for us to move from regular (church) services to us really serving God. The temple is a very important place for the body to gather. but it shouldn't be the end all be all. It should be a gas station and a warehouse for us to bring our goods and also to refill so that we can be as effective in our lives. It is out of our lives that we minister. I am drawn to my church because of his life's testimony, not the service. I have been in church my entire life, and what I have learned is church. Not so consistent with the Word. They have trained us how to run a church service. Both in demonstration and in words. The classes we take don't teach us how to live, they teach us how to work in the church. As a result we get good at having services, but not good at living life. It's something that needs to be seen from day to day. Discipleship!! This helps demonstrate how to live in the kingdom.

Now don't get it twisted, Jesus said ' he who seeks to save his life shall lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.' I'm not talking about saving the life you have now. But life in Christ shouldn't destroy your family and your children. It should restore. You may go through a season of separation from your family, but Christ's whole mission was for family restoration.(His first)

I've seen too many lives destroyed due to wrong priority. Men who put work and ministry before their families. i've done it myself, and it almost destroyed my home. A married man that doesn't realize his family is his first ministry doesn't need to be ministering. He has nothing to minister except what not to do. Jesus said that 'the words that I speak, they are spirit and they are life'. When we speak or ministering, we are speaking out of our spirits and out of our lives. If you have a broken home and you're speaking and ministering, then you're giving out of that. If you have lust and adultery issues, then you are giving that. On the flip side, if you have balance in your home and have a sound marriage, then you are ministering that. It's simple. Jesus said 'out of the good treasure of your heart proceeds good things'. Whatever is in is what comes out. Ministry was made to come out of our life.

And we need to restructure how we do church in order to 'REALLY' be effective.

How do you guys feel?

New Album Cover

This is the new album cover. The old one was too dark. I didn't like how it was printed out. When I get more copies this will be the new cover.

Coming Back to My First Love

Hey brothers and sisters. How are you today?

I found out something valuable in these past couple of months. Ministry can have the propensity to take you away from God. It can actually become an idol and replace your time with the Lord. 

Since the year came in, I have gone through some changes and taken on some more responsibility at my home church. It is a real privilege and a blessing to be able to do so. But when I jumped in, I jumped in with two feet. I didn't calculate the cost, even though I know it's what the Lord called me to do. Even when the Lord moves you to something you still have to calculate and manage what God has put you on. Anyways, I found myself getting overwhelmed and stressed out. I mean I was complaining like never before. I am not a complainer, so that was definitely out of character. I started to lose faith (doing ministry) and I found myself slipping back into some old ways. Very un-integral. But today I read a verse in Psalms and it made me snap back. It just revived something in my spirit.

Psalm 37:23-27

23. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

26. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

27. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

Good man-does not say that this man does everything good. It suggests that this man is prepared to receive direction from the Lord. Someone whose humble. There's grace for the humble. A repentant person, a broken person is good.

Your steps are ordered by the Lord if you're open to receive from the Lord. And that humility makes you good. We are compared to good ground which has to be prepared in order to be considered good ground.

Also in verse 27 it's talks about departing from evil, which suggests that evil is not what you do, but it is where you are. Evil is a place but in the spirit. We as human beings live in the spirit realm in our minds. So evil is a place of thought. Once you're in that frame of mind, then you do evil. You cannot successfully do good in evil frame of thought. 

That is why we need to know and continue to meditate on the Word of God so that our thoughts can be set.

Even, Phillipians 4:8 tells us what to think on, because that will put us in a different place of thought.

Album Release 'HOUSE PARTY'

I'm glad to say that I have a few days to come before my album drops on my website fishermenentertainment.webs.com

And we're going to celebrate it by throwing an unconventional album release HOUSE PARTY!! The party will be at my house on Friday, May 22nd from 7 til 10pm.

Me, Parris Bowens and my band will be performing a few songs from the new CD,'Digital Flow' and recording a live DVD that night in my family room. 

So if you feel led to join us. But don't get us in trouble with the authorities leave me a comment so I can gather how many people are coming. 

It's gonna be fun and blessed! join us!!

Peace and head grease!!!lol!!

'A Digital Flow'

Wassup, family?

It's been a while since I wrote something. But I have been busy working on this album so that I can meet my deadline by May 18th. A week from now(almost). Anyways the album will be out on Monday May 18th.  I'm still working out details on how it will be distributed both digitally and physically. But it will be ready on May 18th. If I have to mail the CD myself to each and everyone of you individually.

Now this album is an underground, basement album. The real deal will be done live. I won't give you guys any false dates until I work out the details but I'm really excited. This means much to me. I appreciate all the love and support in this new venture.

Parris

P.S.

I will also be updating you guys on facebook and on fishermenentertainment.webs.com

New Site and New Album

I had the privilege of launching a new site. Fishermenentertainment.webs.com

It's a site for musicians, producers, songwriters and sound engineers. The people in the background. It will be an advertising tool for these particular fields. Everyone will get the opportunity to find out what's going on in the Industry behind the scenes with their favorites. We have an exciting year coming up with projects, albums, movies, shows, tours, seminars, clinics and etc. 

Look out for my album Parris Bowens to come out on Monday, May 18th. I got an official date set. It's an instrumental album preceding some film work coming soon.

I'm working with Dana Sorey(producer of Tye Tribbett's Victory Live and StandOut, writer on Marvin Sapp's album Thirsty, the song Power) and a host of other great musicians and composers. Lookout for it May 18th.

First Gig Of The Year

I had the privilege of playing for a friend of mine, Jon Ball at Loyola College, for their gospel choir. The musicians on that particular engagement was Thomas Adam Johnson, Jarret Baker, Mike Reid, and myself. It had to be the most fun I had in a while (outside of church).

I find it to be a real treat to play with musicians you respect but don't get to play with regularly. It was a chemistry there that I didn't know existed. I knew it was going to be powerful but I wasn't ready for what took place. The anointing was present (most importantly). 

How many of you guys get the opportunity to play with people you really respect?

Push In Faith

It's amazing how you can go through life not being effective in others life and everything could be going seemingly well. But the moment you make a decision that will effect change in others lives, you experience the most opposition.
I serve as the minister of music at Restoring Life International Church in Pikesville, Maryland. I've only been serving in this position for about 4-5 months. But in that time span I've seen great change in the ministry and have received many testimonies of how the ministry has been a blessing to the lives of others. But the enemy does'nt like effective ministry.
My wife was pregnant with our baby to come. And on December 1st, 2009 our baby Matthew was born 3 months early. He was supposed to come in March. But as God would have it, he came early. It signified many things for me that somethings in my life would happen sooner than later. Of course nervous but ultimately excited, I embraced this new day. The baby was a premie and a micro one at that. We had a long road ahead of us, and on top of that, I am now in a position of ministry that is demanding. I have never been so stretched. But it all relates to where I am going.
In the building of a ministry and watching our baby grow in the hospital before our very eyes, was a pull. But God is faithful. He will not allow me to be tested above what I could handle. But alot of times it feels like it's too much.
Our baby has grown and is still growing. He's still in the hospital developing, but he is growing.
Along side of his growth, God has me growing in contrast to my son. I am growing in my faith like never before. Sometimes it seems like I'm failing in faith. It's like when you're working out in the gym. When you work out, you get to a weak point, but that's where your muscles are developed. I feel like I am at my weakest point in my faith. (I'm lifting more than I have ever lifted) But it is here that I had to make the decision to push forward. My faith is going to another level, and I hope that this blog is encouraging you to push in those times of weakness. Your faith is going to another level.

Mondays

I heard someone say that Mondays are the official off day for musicians. When everyone else is off to their jobs for their first day of work, musicians are using this day to recover from the hustle of the weekend. I know for me it's the day I try to rest, but sometimes with music it's hard to rest. A lot of my good ideas musically come when I'm trying to rest and I end up in the studio working til' the other days come.
I believe that Mondays can be a good day for all types of people if they find the thing that they're passionate about. There is a saying "If you do what you love to do than you'll never work a day in your life". Something like that. Even though it can be a struggle to do music at times(It has it's seasons), the joy of playing a note or creating a chord through a new sound is so refreshing. I feel like I touch heaven every time I play, and in turn it seems to take an eternity to get off the keyboard each time I lay a finger on it. I have to plan out what I got to do before I get on. It's very addictive and I could forget everything else that I have to do.
How many of you musicians (or people who do what they love) know what I'm talking about?
Sometimes we have to change the meaning of a thing. Instead of Mondays being a drag, let it be a day of creativity and finding your love in life. I hear a lot of people say and make statements like "Life is hard" and "Life ain't easy". And I read in Genesis about Adam's choice or decision.(Now if you don't believe in the Bible, give me a chance, just hear me out) Adam did not choose life. He chose the knowledge of good and evil. And it is that choice that he made that causes this world to be in existence. So when things seem rough and times are a bit hard, I don't blame 'Life', I call it a result of the 'Knowledge'. If Adam would've chose life then things would be different. The tree of Knowledge produced death. The whole system of the work force is built because of the Knowledge tree, not Life.
Do not blame Life for the trouble, blame the Knowledge tree.
But on the flip side don't spend your time blaming. You have the ability to choose Life. It's what Jesus came to bring. He said Life and that more abundantly. Which suggests that up to that point, we weren't living Life.
So you have the power to choose Life. It's on the menu now. My existence is now Life, I no longer choose the Knowledge tree. Life will teach me everything I NEED to know. Most people want to know everything. I just want to know what I need to know.
Let your Mondays be a day that you choose Life. And have a blessed week.
Parris

Family!!!

I feel that one of the best gifts to a musician is his/her family. Being a family man makes me a better musician. It keeps me inspired on so many levels. My wife is probably my biggest fan. If no one else likes my music she would keep me in business. And my newborn son, while in the womb, chose to respond to my music by dancing in his mother's stomach.

I pray that every musician experiences the joy of family inspiration. Most musicians these days are known as whores and players. Actually it is something that tends to be congratulated throughout our peers in the industry, but I found out that the love of a wife is greater inspiration than that of a screaming girl on the side in the audience(who's not your wife). Don't  get me wrong, having a girlfriend is nice, but a wife is favor.

I have had the best life as a result of my wife's presence. She is my crown and joy.

And now my son brings a new sunshine into my life. I don't think I've played a better chord in my life before he came. I pray that every musician, both male and female, would experience the love and joy I get from being a family man.

Grace and peace to you all.

Hello, world. Lol! Some of you may know me and some may not, but for nine years and some change I was privileged to play with some of the greatest in music today.  In my journey I have learned volumes musically and about myself. I've grown from adolescence to manhood. I got married to one of the gifts of the world, my sweetheart Dionne. And recently we gave birth to our first baby boy, Matthew. I'm probably the happiest man on the planet. It all began with my journey as a musician.

I'm going to let you into my world a little bit. I play keyboards, piano and organs. Anything with keys on it I can play or learn. But in  my life I experienced a lot of hardships. Growing up I was bullied and messed with by bigger kids. It made me a bit of an introvert. When others would go out to play I would stay in and play the keyboards(to avoid the other kids). Fear is a terrible thing, but as God would have it, he used that to put me where I am today. The gift I developed running from people was the very gift that God used to put me in front of them. Sometimes God will use those type of things to bless you.

Does anyone one of you have a testimony connected to your gift? Those could be the very things that could encourage someone.

Now I have an album coming out in a month or so. But I had to overcome fear to get to that place.

I'd like to hear a testimony about some of your experiences.

Introduction

Hello all. I'm Parris, a professional musician, songwriter and producer in the music industry. I have been playing professionally (getting paid) since I was 15 years old. Now I'm 28 years old. I have been graced to share the stage and studio with many great artists. It has been a joy and a learning experience. 

I'm in the process of releasing my first album, an instrumental. And it is a big step for me. I believe that it is time for real musicians to step up and take the forefront again. Music has gotten filled with too much junk and a lack of musicianship due to the overwhelming flood of producers(who are not musicians) 

One of my greatest concerns in this industry is the treatment of musicians. And throughout this journey I'll voice and express my concerns.

Peace