In the basement of a house somewhere in North Africa, a group of American and native North African Christians gathered to work on a most dangerous project — recording a Christian worship album in the Arab language.
Heading the project was American musician Rob Barrett Jr. Barrett owns and operates Third Street Music, a production company that specializes in commercial jingles for radio and television.
What made the project so dangerous is the fact that the country in which they are producing the album is under strict Muslim law. It is unlawful to be a Christian or preach the gospel, and an estimated one in four citizens is an informant for the secret police.
Barrett didn’t worry that the police would jail the Americans. “If worst came to worst, they would have escorted us out of the country and sent us back to the United States,” said Barrett who, with two other Americans, traveled to the North African country last summer to help a group of Christians in the country complete the album of eight indigenous worship songs.
The plight of the native Christians, however, would be more serious since they are subject to Islamic law. With 13 years of experience in writing, arranging and producing music for television and radio spots as well as for Christian albums, Barrett certainly doesn’t need another outlet for his creativity.
Many might wonder why he would travel to such a forbidding location and record in less-than-ideal conditions. Barrett explained that although he values and enjoys the work he does here in the United States, creating worship songs for people and cultures who have no such music is a real passion.
“Commercials come and go,” he explained. “Six weeks, and they’re gone for good. On the other hand, here’s something that will last. Jingles help make the house payments, so I pray for more jingles so I can do more of these short-term missions trips, which have eternal value.”
In the North African country, Barrett and fellow Americans Chuck Oakley and Stephan Youngblood, who served as sound engineers, recorded Arab singers and musicians in a makeshift basement “studio” a mere 10 feet or so from a highly traveled road.
They laid blankets on the floors and leaned mattresses against the windows to keep the sound of praise music from exposing them to unfriendly ears outside, and to keep the sounds of the busy world from seeping in. “All of us were in one room, wearing headphones and praying that a big truck would not go by and ruin a good take,” Barrett recalled.
Despite the serious risks they were taking, the Arab Christians sang their songs of praise to the Lord with “great passion and determination,” Barrett said. The group completed the underground album, titled simply “North Africa Worship,” in two weeks, working seven days a week and 12 hours per day.
For Barrett, the results were worth the effort: “This is a dream of mine —for each culture to have (worship) music in its own language. It’s as fulfilling as it can get.” “North Africa Worship” is the first recording of pop Christian music written by Arab Christians in their own musical style.
“I can’t believe I got to be a part of this [project],” Barrett said. “I can’t see the big picture, though. I’m only a small piece of it. But [I hope] this album will produce great revival. I’m excited to see how God will use it in this country and in some other North African countries.”
The portable studio Barrett assembled for the trip cost approximately $5,500. “When we left the Muslim country, we left the entire studio —microphones, speakers and the main recording system,” he said.
The local Arab church also received a high-speed CD duplicator so members can distribute the CDs throughout the country as well as in neighboring countries.
(EP)
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