Save the Date for City Grace's Haiti Benefit Concert

Save the date::: City Grace is hosting a benefit concert for Haiti at the end of the month:

Haiti Benefit Concert
Friday, Feb. 26th
219 Sullivan St. (CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY)
Recommended Donation $15
Doors Open 8pm
(BYOB)

Come out for a wonderful evening of art and music to raise money for earthquake relief in Haiti. 100% of donations will go towards Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), a wonderful organization that is on the ground in Haiti providing food and shelter for those displaced by the earthquake.

Performers will include:
Alfa
Ryan and Friends
Ashley Gonzalez
and Rachel Zylstra

There have been a lot of Haiti benefit concerts in New York since the earthquake. It's awesome to see everyone reaching out to help our neighbors.

A Night of Music for Rwanda

Tonight is the Night of Music for Rwanda. Headlining the show is Ashley Jones, along with friends:

• Nadia Ali
• Steph Shaw featuring Kevin Johnson
• Lionshare
• Joely Pittman

The concert gets underway at 8 pm at The Nolita House (47 E. Houston b/w Mott and Mulberry). There is a suggested donation of $10, which will all go towards "making music with the young people of Rwanda."

She's Baaaack!

Ashley Jones will be back at City Grace (219 Sullivan St.) this Sunday at 11:00 am. The church's former worship leader will catch everyone up on the ministry work she'll be doing in Rwanda from July through December.

[image via Ashley Jones' website]

Then check back here on Monday to find out the details for Ashley's night of music for Rwanda.





For past articles on Ashley Jones go here.



For information on City Grace's new worship leader, Kyle Sandison, go here.

City Grace Announces New Music Director

City Grace has announced a new music director: Kyle Sandison, who has been guest playing guitar at the church, will officially take over this July. City Grace says, "Kyle is a talented musician and brings a wealth of experience as a worship leader."

He will be replacing Ashley Jones, who has been given the opportunity to do some work in Rwanda from July to December.

Ashley Jones Stops By the Living Room Before Going On Tour

Ashley Jones, whom you may know from City Grace or The Haven, will be performing tomorrow:

This Saturday, I will be playing once again at my favorite venue in all of New York City, The Living Room. It's going to be a
special night (and my last in NYC for a bit while I tour with the new album). My very talented friends will be joining me on stage and we've been promised some extra playing time, so I do hope you'll come. Spread the word, bring friends, and let's pack the place out!

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Here are the details:

Saturday, April 18th @ 9 PM
The Living Room
154 Ludlow Street (Take the F, V o 2nd Ave/LES)
21 & over / Bring ID
No Cover / 1 drink min. / Tip Bucket

Ashley Jones :: Vocals & Guitar
Justin Depuydt :: Vocals & Keys
Robert Hellyer :: Bass
Joely Pittman :: Vocals
Blake Lindley :: Percussion

If you'd like to have all the songs memorized by Saturday, you
better go now to www.ashleyjonesmusic.com and get your copy of
Songs About Falling via PayPal.

Who's in?

Night of a Thousand Questions

Curator Harlan Alford will be speaking tonight at the Haven. There will also be a time of fellowship, prayer, and music led by Ashley Jones. The Haven meeets at Calvary Episcopal Church, located at 61 Gramercy Park North (at Park Ave.) from 7 to 9.

There will be a Haven Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 16, at 7 PM at Alford's apartment. RSVP here.

Wine and Cheese Party ... at a Church!

Remember when it was a sin to drink? When Communion was only grape juice lest someone be led astray by the evils of wine? Well, these days it seems more churches are taking Noah's and Paul's approach to wine and serving it at social functions.

One such church is North Brooklyn Vineyard, who is hosting a Wine & Cheese Party on March 27:


Note the RSVP by today.

Of course, a wine-and-cheese party isn't all that shocking from a church with the motto "Breaking the Stereotype" that meets in a bar. They're not the only church hosting events like this, though. For last week's Ashley Jones CD release party, City Grace served wine and Murray's Cheese, among other tasty morsels.

What are your thoughts on serving alcohol at church?

7 Minutes in Heaven with Ashley Jones

Last year Ashley Jones' To Feel Alive Around Here was placed on the Official Ballot for the 2008 Grammy Awards. Now she's back with a brand-new album full of inspiration. Her Songs About Falling released last week at an enthusiastic release party. If you weren't able to make it to the party, you can buy a copy of the album here and catch her playing live at The Haven and City Grace. The busy musician, who is an independent artist in World Vision's Artist Associate Program, took time out of her schedule to answer a few questions.

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Asphalt Eden: What inspires you?

Ashley Jones: People, relationships, everyday stuff, extraordinary stuff...it's all pretty inspiring.

Asphalt Eden: Who would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with?
Ashley Jones: Someone who knows how to build a boat :)

Asphalt Eden: If you had to have a portrait of yourself made, what artist would commission?
Ashley Jones: Any artist? Dead or alive? Caravaggio ... every time I see one of his paintings I'm drawn in by the way he balances the light and the darkness -- and I think I'd need a little of both in my portrait.

Asphalt Eden: What is your favorite time of day?
Ashley Jones: I'm not a morning person but I love the sunlight in the earliest part of the day.

Asphalt Eden: Where in New York is the closest place to your own personal Garden of Eden?
Ashley Jones: I love Bryant Park in the summer when they play movies on the lawn. You're surrounded by people, surrounded by trees, surrounded by skyscrapers.

Asphalt Eden: What's on repeat on your iPod?
Ashley Jones: I [am] more of a fan of the shuffle... This morning I rode the subway to Trace Bundy's album, Adapt. It's all instrumental acoustic guitar -- makes a pretty great soundtrack for the daily commute.

Asphalt Eden: If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

Ashley Jones: Just one? Hmm... Where should I be headed next?

Songs About Falling CD Release Party

Ashley Jones' CD release party for Songs About Falling will take place tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM. Ashley Jones, as well as Cory Cavin & Josh Lay (Lynn Lynn Comedy), will perform live. Food and drinks will be available. Sponsored by City Grace, the event will take place at 219 Sullivan Street (Children's Aid Society). Admission is free and open to the general public.

The Christian Connection and YAGU will be attending. Will you?

Coming up...
Check back next week for our exclusive interview with Ashley Jones!

Previously...
In the meantime, you may also be interested in this previous article about Ashley Jones.

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Sit Down in the Living Room with Ashley Jones This Saturday

Ashley Jones is playing a highly anticipated show tomorrow night at The Living Room (154 Ludlow Street). Her set starts at 9 pm and she will be joined on stage by Justin Depuydt on keys, Robert Hellyer on bass, Paul Stivitts on drums, and Joely Pittman on background vocals. The concert is free. Any money collected in the tip jar will go toward Jones' trip to Rwanda next month.

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Jones' heart is for both music and Rwanda. She says:

In February of 2008 I traveled to Rwanda to build houses and relationships. I performed a concert at the University in Butare, donated guitars to a vocational school for street kids after a quick strumming lesson, and wrote two songs about my time in this beautiful country -- and those are only the music-related aspects of the trip. It was an awesome experience that changed my life in yet another way....

Jones' talent and passion is evident to anyone who has ever heard her sing. Not surprisingly, the New York-based musician has a lot of fans. First across the interweb came an invite to see her show from City Grace Church, where she is music director, then exactly ten minutes later I was Facebooked (anyone lobbying for "facebook" to become a verb like "google"?) about it by the bassist for the show. But it's not just her friends that dig her -- The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Committee placed her album To Feel Alive Around Here and song "For Now" on the Official Ballot for the 2008 Grammy Awards.