Cappadocia by Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy

In 2017, keyboardist and composer Jeff Johnson traveled with his wife and a few friends to the city of Cappadocia in central Turkey. This city, with its many caves, became a place where early Christians would go to hide from persecution. On his trip, Johnson stood in an underground basilica with amazing acoustics. Struck by the beauty, the history, and the sounds of the place, he began to think of it in terms of music. Upon his return home, he contacted his sometimes collaborator, the guitarist Phil Keaggy, and told him about what he experienced. Keaggy, who had made two previous instrumental albums with Johnson, was eager to be part of this project, and the two of them set out to write and record Cappadocia.

The music they created evokes the sense of awe and wonder that Johnson experienced on his trip. With the occasional nod to Middle Eastern sounds, this album gently brings us to the caves of Cappadocia and invites us to stand in wonder, as Johnson did. With titles like “Parousia (A Presence)” and “Chapel of Stone,” the eight tracks create a suite of reflections that are stirring and beautiful. (Ark Music)