The Shaker religion is best known for its celibacy, simple, sturdy furniture, and its declining popularity. A lesser-known fact about Shakers is that they loved to get down. They were a part of the religious experience that included music. Spiritual gifts could be expressed in musical revelations. Even their own musical notation was used to record everything. Many songs were composed by the Shakers, which often consisted of words and syllables from imaginary tongues. After all these years, musical worlds collide on 2006’s Shakers and Bakers, a new Little (i) Music release. Mary LaRose (vocals), Miles Griffith, Jeff Lederer (saxophone u0026 clarinet), Jamie Saft(electric harpsichord), Chris Lightcap and Allison Miller (drums) make up the group. The 12-track album explores the fascinating and untapped relationship between jazz music and Shaker music. It was recorded in Shaker archives and performed using the languages of inspiration. Don’t get too excited about it, as the Shakers were a small group. http://jazztimes.com
