The Death of the Stickman was Jay's first commercially produced recording now available for the first time in MP3 digital format. It was released in 1982 as an LP , (those were the big, round, black plastic things), and soon after as a cassette tape. These ten performance songs preceded the days when he had begun to write congregational music and were even earlier than the formation of The Jay Beech Band. Studio musicians included a number of people who were working with prominent contemporary Christian artists. The rock, folk, and jazz styles of these tunes reflect the music of the time and some of Jay's early influences.
*NOTE - Full album download includes digital images of the front and back cover
artwork plus insert.
Item
After several weeks in New York City during the winter of 1982, Jay
wrote this song as a way of reflecting on his first significant encounter with
homelessness. As always, God's answer to questions about suffering and
injustice is incarnational. That is, we discover that God is present in both
those who are wounded and lost and in those who have the capacity to
bring healing and change.
