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In the Press: The Rochester Project |
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[TRP Press Release - May,
2000 ] [Post Bulletin - September 30, 2000]
[Post Bulletin - December 14, 2000] Press Release
Rochester, Minnesota, Here's a riddle. What would drive an advertising director to spend hours in his southwest Rochester basement with a molecular biologist, a computer programmer, an administrative assistant, a psychiatric nurse, an office manager, a youth leader and a radiation therapist? Give up? This unlikely team is also a group of gospel musicians and singers who call themselves "The Rochester Project" or simply "TRP". The basement provides a convenient home recording studio. Their goal? A benefit compact disc recording project to be released this fall. "TRP is a group of gifted Christian musicians representing a variety of churches and backgrounds in southeastern Minnesota" notes Jim Maher, the Mayo molecular biology professor and bassist who co-founded The Rochester Project along with Jeffry Swertfeger, composer and guitarist, whose day job is advertising director for McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Co. Maher states "TRP has three goals in this CD project. First, to share our belief that faith in Jesus Christ is the only path to God. Second, to raise money for a non-sectarian Rochester charity, and third, to have a blast". "And that third goal has sure been easy" adds Sarah Manthei with a smile. Manthei is office manager at Sargent's Landscape Nursery, Inc. in Rochester and is a vocalist on the recording. The compact disc "Yours" will be the first release for this group of eight. Consisting entirely of original material, the pop/gospel collection is largely the work of Swertfeger who composed the music and penned most of the lyrics for the CD. "But-" Swertfeger notes, "the project has been a delightful collaboration right from the start. Each person has brought distinct musical talents, insights and creative ideas to this recording. The pleasure of working together to make this music is hard to describe". The CD presents a collection songs and instrumentals imprinted with a clear Christian message, giving insights into the personal relationships with Jesus Christ claimed by each of the musicians. "Each of us was separated from God by our own selfish choices" states lead singer, Mollie Pellegrino, a radiation therapist at Naeve hospital in Albert Lea, Minnesota. "We each have found reconciliation with God by believing that Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice for us, his life paying the ransom needed to win us back to God". "Even though our experiences as Christians are different in many ways" points out Mick Nichols, a worship leader at Rochester Berean Community Church and another lead vocalist on the CD, "we share the belief that God has built a bridge back to himself- a bridge built by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us". "Our CD presents the concept that Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ" says Sheryl Brown, a vocalist and psychiatric nurse at St. Mary's hospital in Rochester. "There's nothing we can do on our own to earn God's favor" she points out. "The sacrifice of Jesus Christ provides the bridge back to God. This is the message behind our music". The other two performers who can be heard on the upcoming CD are April Rowe, a keyboardist and worship assistant at First Baptist Church in Rochester, and drummer Kris Davis, a programmer at IBM. The Rochester Project's "Yours" CD represents a partnership between TRP and Olmsted Outreach, a non-profit organization in southeastern Minnesota. The CD will be retailed in Rochester stores in the fall. All profits from the sales of the CD will benefit the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. Information concerning The Rochester Project is available at www.TheRochesterProject.org This page may be adapted for media use. Music is Beautiful to Habitat for HumanitySaturday, September 30, 2000 By Dawn Schuett Without pounding a nail, a group of musicians is helping Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity build a house. Eight musicians, calling themselves "The Rochester Project,"
recorded and produced a compact disc to raise funds for Habitat
for Humanity... "It was a partnership we suggested to them and we were honored they accepted," Maher said. Maher and the other musicians, Jeffry Swertfeger, April Rowe, Kris Davis, Mollie Pellegrino, Mick Nichols, Sarah Manthei and Sheryl Brown, spent two years on the CD. All are semi-professional musicians with other full-time careers... Swertfeger wrote nine songs on the CD and collaborated with Maher on two more. Despite hectic family and work schedules, the musicians recorded their parts when they could find the time. Swertfeger, who built a digital recording studio in his basement especially for the project, mixed and mastered the final product of 11 pop/gospel songs... Swertfeger said it seemed appropriate that Habitat for Humanity, a Christian-based organization that works with families to build affordable homes, should benefit from the CD. Rochester is considered a No. 1 place to live, but "I know there are people who are hurting," Swertfeger said. Many people ask what they can do to help others, he said. "From my standpoint, I'm saying, 'Here's what you can do.' " Trent Fluegel, executive director of Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity, said the CD is a unique fund-raiser for the organization. "We're happy they chose us," Fluegel said. "I tell people not everyone can help build homes but everyone can help us in our mission..." The Rochester Project is working under the umbrella of Olmsted Outreach, a non-profit corporation in Olmsted County. Many other individuals and businesses contributed money or services to produce the CD. "It's been a pleasure to see people's enthusiasm even before the discs hit the shelves," Maher said. Copyright 2000 Post-Bulletin Company, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved New CD is for, by and meant to benefit RochesterThursday, December 14, 2000 By Christina Killion ....Under the direction to "make it yours" the eight members of The Rochester Project dived into creating an album to benefit the community. "When I wrote the songs I would throw them together on a drum machine to get the basic idea of what I was hearing then turn it loose," said Jeffry Swertfeger, composer and guitarist for the group. "Half the fun is seeing what talented people would do with it." The goal was to produce an eclectic mix of music for the community, by the community, Swertfeger said. That, and their dedication to Jesus Christ, was what brought the musically inclined advertising director, molecular biologist, computer programmer, administrative assistant, psychiatric nurse office manager, youth leader and radiation therapist together in Swertfeger's basement studio for many long evenings and weekends. The results of the synergy astonished him. "I was absolutely flattered and blown away with the changes they made," Swertfeger said. The layers of vocals and instruments added by the diverse musicians gave the music a life of its own, he said... Proceeds form the album benefit the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. "It benefits Rochester and is for and by Rochester. Everyone can take ownership of it," Swertfeger said about "Yours..." Copyright 2000 Post-Bulletin Company, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved Excerpted by permission CD nets $10,000 for HabitatFriday, May 4, 2001 By Dawn Schuett
The Rochester Project, a group of eight Christian musicians, recorded and produced a compact disc as a fund-raiser for Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. The 11-song CD, "Yours," went on sale in September. Almost 1,400 copies have sold, raising $10,000 for Habitat for Humanity, which received the donation Friday. "Our three initial goals for The Rochester Project were to have lots of fun, to communicate the basis for our personal relationships to God through Jesus, and to raise as much money as possible for Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity," said Jim Maher, bass player for The Rochester Project. The group achieved its first goal before the disc was produced, Maher said. The second goal is a "life purpose" for the musicians, he said. "If our simple gesture opens even one person to reconsider the claims of Christianity, we've succeeded." Trent Fluegel, executive director of Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity, said the donation would be used to finish building one house and start another. The CD and partnership with The Rochester Project highlight different opportunities for people who want to contribute to a good cause, Fluegel said. "It doesn't matter what your interests or talents are, there's a way to help an organization," he said. Copyright 2001 Post-Bulletin Company, L.L.C. All rights reserved
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Some
local musicians are using their talents, not tools, to help build
houses.
