Latest / Music Explored Podcast / My Ceiling Is His Floor | Chris & Jaden Baker

Transcript

My Ceiling Is His Floor | Chris & Jaden Baker · Music Explored Podcast

0:00
Preparation, spiritually.
0:01
Let's start there.
0:02
You can't take people to a place that you don't go.
0:04
Can't lead them to a place that you don't know where you're going.
0:08
Yes, sir.
0:10
All right.
0:10
It's a pleasure to have you both here.
0:12
I have with me Mr.
0:14
Jaden Baker.
0:16
Mr.
0:16
Oh, Pastor Chris Baker.
0:18
And Chris is fine, man.
0:20
Chris is fine.
0:22
Just.
0:23
Just to acknowledge, just to recognize, man.
0:26
So you're both from a church that has.
0:29
I mean, I'm sure the church has been around for a number of years, but more recently, I think with streaming, you've really got some traction and drawn some attention.
0:38
I'm in Toronto and I don't think there are any church musicians or really church goers that don't tune into your services at least every now and then.
0:46
Wow.
0:47
Yeah, you're doing some things.
0:48
I don't even know if you know how far it spreads or how it reaches people, but we will get into that.
0:54
But, yeah, it's a pleasure to have you both.
0:57
And one of the things that I've kind of noticed, just as I don't want to say a fan, but I guess a fan of the church, I tune into your services the other week.
1:05
I heard Pastor Chris deliver a fire message and lead praise and worship.
1:11
Like you took it to another place, man.
1:14
I emailed you about that.
1:15
I was like,.
1:17
Man, it's just old man singing.
1:19
That's what it was, Old man singing.
1:23
That old school fire is what you brought, man.
1:27
And it's interesting because just over the last little while, I think it was Mother's Day where I really caught on to it felt when I was watching, like, this is a really family oriented church.
1:38
And that came across just through the stream.
1:41
So I think it was Mother's Day when it must have been when there's acknowledgement to the family.
1:46
And I was like, oh, there's a lot of connections here.
1:50
I understand now.
1:52
Okay.
1:52
So, yeah, but that was interesting to me that, that's kind of the impression that I got from church before I even realized that there were so many close ties and such a big family, I guess, at the forefront
2:05
of things.
2:05
So that.
2:06
That is cool.
2:08
So, yeah, I want to talk about the family.
2:09
I want to talk to talk about the ministry.
2:11
But I want to do something, if you.
2:13
If you don't mind, I want you to.
2:14
I wouldn't mind if you could introduce each other, because you might.
2:17
I'm sure you'll do it better than I could.
2:19
So I'm gonna.
2:20
Father go first.
2:23
All right, so I'm introducing Jaden.
2:25
Yeah, I love that.
2:26
All right, all right.
2:28
Welcome to the stage.
2:30
Wow.
2:32
My firstborn son, Jaden is an incredible human.
2:39
He's an incredible human being.
2:41
I will not start with his gifting.
2:43
I will start with the person, the young man that he is.
2:47
He's a man that understands integrity, understands character.
2:52
He has an amazing heart, and he has a compassionate heart.
2:57
Jaden is like, if he loves you, he's ride or die.
3:00
He's going to support you.
3:03
And he's just a tremendous young man.
3:05
Him and, you know, my mom, not my mom, but his mom and I, we're both tremendously proud of the young man that he is.
3:13
And what people experience as it pertains to his gift is we're proud of that too.
3:20
But the main thing is he's a great human, Jaden.
3:23
He treats people with respect.
3:24
And, man, we're so incredibly proud of the young man that he is and the musician, the Grammy Award winning, the dub award winning.
3:35
Yeah.
3:35
You know, and I know he hates to talk about this stuff.
3:37
You know, that's just how we're wired.
3:38
But we are just incredibly proud of all that God is doing in Jaden's life.
3:43
Nice.
3:44
Yeah.
3:45
And everything he just said.
3:47
Preacher.
3:48
Yeah, I guess.
3:50
Nah, everything that was just said is because of the man that is Chris Baker.
3:55
I mean, love that from the jump.
3:57
He's responsible for how I carry myself, the way I am, the way I treat people.
4:02
You know, my mother plays a role as well.
4:04
But in terms of being and growing into a young man, all of that is because of Chris Baker, the.
4:11
The Grammy Award winning.
4:12
See, we're gonna go there, too.
4:13
You want to go there with me?
4:15
You know what I'm saying?
4:15
He got one, too.
4:16
Let's do it.
4:20
I love it, man.
4:21
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
4:22
Yes, sir.
4:23
See, there's no way I could have introduced either of you with that level of authenticity.
4:30
Amazing, man.
4:31
So I know that.
4:32
Well, you've both been called to do a very special work, I think a work that you've probably both been doing for a long time, but seems like it's still just beginning.
4:44
And with Chris, I guess, leading.
4:47
Leading the way.
4:47
I have.
4:48
I'm curious, Jaden, what?
4:51
Or actually, you know, I'm gonna ask you this first, Chris, was it intentional?
4:55
Like, did you intentionally guide Jaden in this direction?
5:00
Because I find it very interesting that you took similar paths.
5:03
It doesn't always work out like that with, you know, father, son relationship.
5:07
Yeah, man, that's a great question.
5:09
I will Say, was I intentionally.
5:14
Were we intentional?
5:15
I would say, yes.
5:19
I believe that kids are born geniuses.
5:22
We as parents, dumb them down.
5:26
And so the thing that I always said to Jaden from the time he was born was, you are a genius.
5:32
You are a genius.
5:33
You are a genius.
5:35
I knew that Jaden had a gifting towards music early on.
5:39
I think when he was born, man, I would hold him.
5:43
And at night, of course, I did the night shift with Jaden, you know, and so we'll stay up all night.
5:48
He's like a newborn, a couple months old.
5:51
We would look at Ray, like every night over just Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, the Ray Charles Story, Jimmy Jamie, Parks, Planet.
5:58
And we would just look at that movie and look at that movie and look at that movie.
6:02
And he didn't know what was going on, but he would just be just mesmerized.
6:07
Yeah.
6:08
With that movie.
6:09
And then I just started seeing he.
6:11
Anytime you turn music on, it's like a light would turn on.
6:15
He was never.
6:16
He never looked at cartoons.
6:17
He never really got into action figures and superheroes.
6:20
That wasn't his thing.
6:21
It was always from.
6:22
He was a little child.
6:23
Always.
6:24
Music.
6:24
And so when I saw that gifting, God allowed me to see that gifting.
6:29
We just fan the flame and we just.
6:31
We were like, okay, God, as his father, I want you to show me the purpose of my child, who he is, why you placed him on this earth.
6:39
That's our responsibility as parents.
6:41
And, you know, God kind of gave us insight into that.
6:44
And all we did was create an environment that would put a demand on what was already inside of him.
6:50
That's it.
6:51
I kept him around music.
6:53
I told him he was a genius.
6:54
We celebrated everything he did, and God took care of the rest.
6:59
So that part was intentional.
7:01
It was when God showed me that his path was in music, then the intentionality came in.
7:07
How do we shape it?
7:08
How do we pour into it?
7:10
And so that part was intentional.
7:13
Interesting.
7:14
Okay, that's awesome.
7:15
Makes a lot of sense.
7:16
And for you, I guess, for you, Jaden, just to throw it back.
7:20
Was there a point or do you remember when you realized that not only you had this gifting, this.
7:27
This genius in you?
7:29
You know, before there was probably long before you would have said, there's a call on your life.
7:34
When did you realize that you could even learn so much from your father?
7:39
Oh, man.
7:42
Honestly, I mean, he said it from the jump.
7:45
He was always pouring into me, surrounding me with certain musicians, and, you know, it was just kind of my thing.
7:51
And I think I realized it when I understood that I was never forced into this.
7:59
It was.
8:00
It was me, myself that was like, okay, what's next?
8:02
What.
8:02
Who is this guy?
8:03
Who is this guy?
8:04
Let me study this guy.
8:05
Start watching Drum DVDs instead of Little Einstein's or regular TV.
8:10
Regular TV show for, for three year olds, you know?
8:12
Yeah, yeah.
8:13
I think it was when I started to just.
8:17
Just kind of go.
8:18
Go about.
8:19
Go go about it on my own.
8:20
And of course I didn't realize.
8:22
I didn't realize that when.
8:23
Until I got older, but yeah, once, because I live a balanced lifestyle as it is.
8:28
I was never.
8:30
It was never like, you got to practice then.
8:32
Then you can go play.
8:33
I mean, you see the PS5 right here?
8:34
I'll be on the game.
8:35
I'll be doing normal teenager, young adult stuff, you know, So I was playing basketball as a kid, all of that.
8:42
I was never forced to.
8:43
To do this.
8:44
It was more so my.
8:46
My own desire.
8:48
So I.
8:49
I think that's kind of what.
8:50
What led to that.
8:52
That makes sense.
8:53
And I say thank God for the church for that too.
8:55
Because I know there are a lot of musicians who initially got kind of forced, Pushed into.
9:00
It's usually piano lessons, but into some sort of music lessons and don't last too long.
9:05
They quit.
9:05
They hate it.
9:06
It's not fun.
9:07
They're learning music in a way that's not musical.
9:11
But with a lot of us church musicians, we don't have that.
9:14
I mean, there might be pressure because you gotta fill a spot, but it's not like that structured way of learning.
9:19
So music becomes more of a language and feeling and an understanding more than anything.
9:23
So I get that.
9:24
That's real cool.
9:25
All right.
9:26
I know I don't have you for a long time, so I have a lot of questions.
9:28
I'm gonna just kind of jump around a little bit here, so bear with me.
9:32
But.
9:33
So right now, Chris, I mean, what's.
9:35
I know, Jayden, you've come a long way.
9:36
We're skipping a lot of years in between.
9:39
But how does it feel right now?
9:40
Because, I mean, you have a son who's been on tour doing all sorts of big, big things, big shows, working with all sorts of artists.
9:47
Israel Darwin Hobbs, Torn Welles.
9:52
I'm sure the list goes on.
9:54
By the way, that.
9:55
That Darwin Hobbs song, I heard it first at the bridge.
9:59
I don't know if you did it like.
10:00
I think you probably did it like right after it dropped.
10:02
Yeah.
10:03
Oh, man.
10:03
That song has gone to my church and taken over.
10:06
I love that song, man.
10:08
Yeah.
10:09
It's big.
10:09
It's big.
10:10
Okay.
10:11
I almost forgot my question, though, because I just had to throw that in there.
10:15
Yeah.
10:15
So how does it feel as a father, like, watching your son do all these things?
10:19
Now, what's that feeling like?
10:21
It's the greatest feeling.
10:22
You know, Tina, which is my and I, we have three boys.
10:25
And I think the greatest.
10:27
The greatest feeling, man, is to know that your kids are operating in their purpose.
10:31
What more can you ask for?
10:33
And so to see him, and even his, you know, his younger brother, Josiah and Judah, they're all.
10:39
They're finding their path.
10:41
But when you see your child operating and doing the thing that God placed them on this earth to do, there is no better feeling, because they're living in purpose.
10:52
They're living on purpose.
10:53
And so to see him travel and to see him take stages and produce and do what he's doing, man, is so inspiring.
11:03
I think the greatest blessing.
11:05
And I'll shut up.
11:06
Is my son.
11:07
He inspires me.
11:09
I'm inspired by my son.
11:11
That's his work ethic, his hunger, his humility.
11:15
It's just desire to continue to.
11:18
Just to be the best that he can.
11:21
That is.
11:21
That's an inspiration.
11:22
So what more can you ask for as a father?
11:26
That's really.
11:27
That's it for me.
11:29
That's big.
11:30
That's big.
11:32
Did you see this coming, though?
11:33
Like, I know it's been a little while and things have progressed and grown, but was there a point where you were, like, you could see that this was the definite path and, you know, Jaden would reach kind of
11:43
these heights that he's been able to already?
11:46
Yes.
11:47
I was going to say no, I didn't, but I would lie.
11:50
If you go to the store and buy apple seeds and you take those apple seeds and you plant it in the right soil and you nurture it, you don't expect to grow oranges, do you?
12:01
I hope not.
12:01
You expect apples to grow, right?
12:04
Absolutely.
12:04
So when God revealed to us his purpose, all we did was put it in the right environment.
12:09
Right.
12:10
We nurtured it.
12:11
And so the fruit is just a product of what was planted.
12:16
So I'm not shocked.
12:18
I told him, yeah, before you are 21.
12:21
Certain things are going to happen in your life.
12:23
And I'm not.
12:23
I'm not prophetic.
12:25
It is.
12:26
No, you can see it as not a shot to me.
12:29
Yeah, my ceiling is his floor.
12:32
You know, where I stopped is where he begins.
12:35
So I'm not.
12:36
I'm not shocked by anything that God is doing in his life.
12:39
I'm like, God, what's next?
12:41
What's next?
12:42
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:44
I love that, man.
12:45
Jaden, sorry that we're just talking about you while you're sitting here.
12:51
No, that's awesome, man.
12:52
Just celebrating what you've done.
12:53
That's all.
12:55
So, father, son, I mean, we've all gone through things.
12:58
Not everybody works so closely with their father, but even still, just life, you know, getting through things day to day.
13:05
But I know working closely with, you know, family or just people in general, not every day is.
13:12
Is a great day.
13:13
So I'm sure.
13:14
I imagine there's been some times of tension and some other things I want to ask you, telling stories on that, but you can if you think it might help somebody.
13:25
But, I mean, just working.
13:26
So let's just focus on the church.
13:28
We'll say.
13:28
So, working so closely, you know, with the church band, has that.
13:34
Has there ever been times where, like, you know, that created tension or.
13:39
Wait, Jay, answer that.
13:41
Yeah, absolutely.
13:43
Okay.
13:43
Okay.
13:44
And really, what it is is just, you know, I think it's just.
13:53
I think it's just the generational thing.
13:55
Like, there's certain things that are.
13:58
That are valid to me that aren't valid, you know, to him.
14:02
And then me coming in, there was rules that have already been set that, you know, I would try to, you know, work around or if I didn't agree with it, because I'm gonna make keys, I find a way
14:12
to not just little stuff.
14:14
So got you.
14:15
Gotcha.
14:15
I think that's the main thing.
14:17
But as I've gotten older and spent more time and, you know, under.
14:21
Under the legacy that's been built through the bridge and, you know, years before, I've grown to understand, like, the importance of playing my role in, you know, building on top of more so helping.
14:38
Helping it grow than kind of tarnishing what was already built.
14:42
That's great.
14:44
Yeah.
14:44
Catch the vision.
14:45
Run with it.
14:46
Yeah.
14:47
Just kind of being the mediator, finding the middle ground to, you know, that makes sense.
14:54
That's so huge, man.
14:55
Jay, that's.
14:56
You said something that.
14:57
That's so great, because I think sometimes both generations get it wrong.
15:03
You know, where the older generation is, like, y' all don't know, you know, you ain't paid your dues.
15:08
Shut up and get over there in the corner and just do what I tell you.
15:11
And then you got the younger generation that's like, yo, y'.
15:14
All.
15:14
Oh, you don't know what you're talking about.
15:15
Things have changed.
15:16
It's time to go this new way.
15:18
And I'm like, every time you do that, you start over.
15:22
You know, like, you.
15:23
You know, generational wealth is something that is accumulated through generations.
15:27
They don't start from scratch.
15:29
And so when it comes to knowledge, when it comes to wisdom, when it comes to musicianship, if an older generation is like, yo, I'm holding onto it.
15:36
Y' all don't know.
15:37
And then the younger generation are like, y' all too old.
15:39
Y' all don't know.
15:40
Then I'm like, how do you.
15:41
How do you expect to take this to the next level?
15:44
You're going to have to work harder to go further.
15:47
As opposed to me saying, man, listen, I have gotten it wrong.
15:51
God knows, you know, my generation.
15:53
And Jaden, to tell you this, my generation.
15:55
There was one Talk Back Mike.
15:56
There were five.
15:57
There was one Talk Back Mike, and it came from the MD where the MD said we were going.
16:02
That's where we were going.
16:04
Jaden's generation is.
16:05
Everybody got to talk back.
16:06
It's collaborative.
16:07
It's like, yo, there's.
16:09
I had to learn.
16:10
Like, okay, so this is different.
16:12
So in the times that I did miss it and whether I was like, on the talk back, and I might have said, jake, what are you doing?
16:18
Or taking a bad tone, one thing I had to do is I apologize to him.
16:25
But I didn't just apologize to him at home, because if I did that on a talkback mic, guess what?
16:30
I need to do that next Sunday.
16:32
On that talkback mic.
16:33
I need to say, hey, guys, as is that I missed it.
16:38
I took a tone that I shouldn't have taken.
16:40
And I think when you do that, you build equity, you know, And I think that's huge.
16:47
So that's why I love what you said.
16:49
You don't have to start over.
16:50
It's like, no, you can build and take what it is that we've established to the next level.
16:54
But that goes both ways.
16:56
Honor goes both ways.
16:58
That's huge.
16:59
Yeah, yeah.
17:01
Love that.
17:02
Love that.
17:02
And I mean, I completely understand.
17:04
I also myself, I serve as music director at my church.
17:09
My pastor is a very musical man.
17:11
He has a very musical past.
17:13
I should say a little weird musical man.
17:16
He was on the road.
17:17
He did some traveling with some groups in his time.
17:20
And so even between that, we've had some differences of opinions and just the way we see things.
17:27
But adding to that, my wife is also the worship leader there.
17:31
Yeah, I was on the worship team.
17:32
So she okay sometimes, too.
17:34
So there's a lot that's awesome.
17:36
There are a lot of pieces where there could be differences of, you know, even just stylistically, just you could take one song and hear it, you know, a thousand different ways.
17:44
And just those little things which I, you know, actually I want to ask you about that too, because there are some times where you.
17:52
You flip songs.
17:53
Pretty often you.
17:54
You'll flip a song.
17:56
What's that process like?
17:57
Is it collaborative similar to, like having the multi talk back because everyone kind of chim?
18:02
Or is that just like, just a feel thing?
18:05
How does that work?
18:06
Yeah, a lot of the stuff first, we don't rehearse, like, as often as people think we do.
18:13
A lot of the, A lot of the chemistry and stuff is just the years that I, me personally, that I've spent watching them, specifically Pops, AJ and Manny, who have been there 20 plus.
18:26
Wow.
18:27
But a lot of that is just me studying how they go about, you know, like, their feel towards songs.
18:34
And a lot of them arrangements, man, honestly, are just made through doing those songs maybe once every three months or whatever.
18:43
We just kind of add new things and just.
18:45
It becomes retention.
18:46
But very rarely do we sit down and be like, okay, here's what we're gonna play on the song.
18:50
Learn this by Sunday.
18:52
Unless it's like a, you know, a Christmas.
18:55
Yeah, Easter.
18:55
Yeah, yeah, yeah, man.
18:57
That's cool.
18:58
Quick question here.
18:59
Just.
19:00
Just curiosity because, I mean, you're a multi instrumentalist as well, Jaden, do you have a preference?
19:10
If only if I'm producing or like, just in some sort of lead role, I would much rather be on piano.
19:21
Okay.
19:21
Just because, I mean, I have control of the arrangements.
19:25
I know where I'm playing all of that stuff, and then I can bring people in.
19:28
But I've done records.
19:32
I've done records on bass and indeed from there and so on and so forth.
19:36
So really just the whole, really, really just the production aspect is what changes it for me.
19:42
Got you just having that control, but makes sense.
19:46
Yeah, makes sense.
19:48
I mean, you've, you've, you're, you're, you're at the top of the game on.
19:52
On many instruments.
19:53
So.
19:54
Cool.
19:55
I'm pretty sure you've had many viral clips, both on base, actually.
20:00
The first time I saw you, it might have been like, years later thing, but Sean Wilson did What's it called?
20:08
Why Can't I'm Losing her.
20:09
He transcribed when you're.
20:10
I think it was just you playing in your bedroom.
20:12
Some drop two stuff when you're like 13 years old.
20:15
I don't know how long after it was.
20:17
But that was interesting because I was like, that shows the levels.
20:22
You're 13 years old and you have.
20:24
You have grown.
20:25
Grown man.
20:26
Checking out this, you know, him breaking down what you were playing in that moment.
20:32
Yeah, that says a lot.
20:33
That says a lot.
20:34
Me, personally, I love to hear you on bass.
20:36
I don't get to too often, but every now and then a clip pops up and it's always fire, man.
20:41
I appreciate that, man.
20:42
There's actually.
20:43
I'm going off track, but there's this one clip.
20:47
It was one of the Israel songs, and there was a joke running that you may have.
20:51
You may very well have paid the sound engineer because your base is so forward.
21:02
I don't know what that was, man.
21:04
We were at Abundant Life.
21:06
It was a beautiful church in El Paso.
21:09
We did that set with Iz, and everything was cool.
21:12
We go to that broadcast mix, and I'm the loudest thing in that mix.
21:16
Oh, yeah.
21:16
And I was like, yo, based in your face.
21:22
That was crazy.
21:24
But that was.
21:25
That was a couple years ago, right?
21:26
Yeah.
21:28
You might have been.
21:29
Were you 15, 16?
21:31
You might have been 15.
21:32
I think so.
21:33
Yeah.
21:33
Yeah, that was funny.
21:35
Yeah, that was a joke for sure.
21:36
I remember that.
21:36
People like, yeah, he definitely handed that sound engineer some cash.
21:40
Oh, my God.
21:41
Whoever that engineer is, if you're watching, I appreciate you, my brother.
21:45
We all appreciate you too, man, because you did put on a master class.
21:50
That was a good time.
21:51
That was a nice, man.
21:52
All right, let me.
21:53
Let me stay on track.
21:55
So I want to ask this.
21:56
So we're talking about just your playing, obviously.
21:58
Phenomenal.
21:59
Phenomenal.
22:00
There's a lot of.
22:01
There's, you know, a lot of church musicians are, you know, getting some exposure, and if not reaching for some exposure, in some cases trying to be seen, trying to be heard.
22:11
What can you talk to?
22:12
What can you tell us about, you know, a transition from going from, you know, a church musician to now a touring musician?
22:20
Are there different, you know, approaches that you take in each role?
22:24
Yeah, absolutely, man.
22:26
The biggest thing I've learned is to just to be you.
22:30
I mean, do not let these different environments change how you carry yourself.
22:35
You know, 80% of the time you're off stage or just.
22:40
You're just around these people speaking.
22:42
Speaking through the touring lens.
22:44
You're only on stage for about an hour to, of course, some people do 90 minute sets, but still the eight other hours in the day, you're around people and they're getting to know you and true, you know, learning
22:57
you all of those things.
22:58
So stay true to yourself because it goes a long way.
23:02
For sure.
23:03
Somebody said that it's your talent that gets you called.
23:06
It's your character that keeps you.
23:08
So that stuck with me for years, man, through all the different camps that I've been in, I've always been me.
23:16
You know what I'm saying?
23:16
So, yeah, but through playing, man, it's important to study what the gig calls for versus what you're comfortable with.
23:26
One thing I learned that being with Torn, because before Torn, the only keys consistent keys thing I ever did was the church.
23:38
And, you know, we kind of do everything in terms of style in the Christian, you know, space.
23:45
But Torrin got pop songs, Torn got CCM songs.
23:50
You know, he.
23:51
He's got all these different things.
23:52
Some songs I won't even be playing piano.
23:54
It's just all, how am I about to fill up this space?
23:57
So, yeah, I trained that muscle through.
23:59
Through Torrance camp, and it kind of just, you know, stayed with me the years after.
24:04
So learning to respect the camps that you're walking into and staying true to you are, to me, the two biggest assets.
24:12
That's big.
24:13
Yeah.
24:14
Yeah.
24:14
It's definitely just through my experience that's.
24:17
Yeah, I love that.
24:19
I mean, I think I could throw this out to both of you.
24:24
What, if anything, has, you know, playing or touring?
24:28
We'll say just traveling.
24:30
As a musician, let's say that taught you that.
24:32
Maybe playing as a Sunday church musician didn't.
24:37
Is there anything I don't know?
24:41
It's a great question.
24:42
No, you go ahead, man.
24:43
You're in it.
24:45
I stopped doing a long time ago.
24:47
I'll follow up, son.
24:49
You're basically saying, what are the.
24:51
You're saying, what are the differences between.
24:53
Or what is something that the road has taught me that church hasn't?
24:57
Yeah.
24:57
And I felt weird asking it, but I think you know what I mean, right?
25:00
Absolutely.
25:01
The road, man.
25:02
Yeah, the road is a, Is a whole nother.
25:05
Well, first, it's just etiquette.
25:07
Let's.
25:08
Let's forget the instrument stuff.
25:09
You're.
25:09
You're doing life with these people.
25:12
So, you know, you want to, again, carry yourself a certain way.
25:16
You don't want to be the nasty dude on the bus, all of these things.
25:20
But from a, from a musical lens might.
25:25
See, this is where, this is where I, I, I almost want to call it.
25:30
I'll call it a luxury.
25:31
I will.
25:33
But again, my church is as open as we are to doing all these different types of things and not just being like we're not just a storefront church.
25:42
You know, we'll give you.
25:43
We'll give you elevation one Sunday.
25:45
We'll give you John P.
25:47
Key the next.
25:47
You know what I'm saying?
25:48
So, yep.
25:50
The versatility aspect would.
25:52
Would be the biggest thing, but I.
25:55
I kind of trained those muscles being at my church and doing what we do.
26:00
So nice.
26:02
But, yeah, being on the road, man, I mean, yeah, that's.
26:06
To me, that.
26:07
To me, that's kind of.
26:07
That's why I asked you.
26:09
Just because, you know, you started differently in church.
26:13
Y' all were only this.
26:14
You know what I'm saying?
26:16
Yeah.
26:19
Everything you said was great.
26:21
I think for me, my thought is, I never looked at the road as promotion.
26:32
Okay.
26:34
I always looked at me serving in my local church as one of the highest honors.
26:42
Wow.
26:43
So it wasn't like I'm just playing at the church, and I'm just this at the church.
26:49
But then when I get in and read it with 50,000 people, then I become something else.
26:52
Oh, you're gonna really hear me play?
26:54
Yeah.
26:55
No, if it's 50, I'm gonna play.
26:59
I'm gonna be prepared.
27:00
I am going to show up with a level of professionalism that if it's 50 or 50,000, it does not matter, because those are my standards.
27:12
Right?
27:12
Yeah.
27:13
I don't let the arena or the audience set my standards.
27:17
My standards.
27:19
My standards.
27:20
And so for me, the local church, it prepared me for the road.
27:27
It wasn't like the road was better.
27:31
I wouldn't have been ready for the road had I not learned and cut my teeth and served in the local church.
27:38
I learned how to learn character in the local church.
27:41
I learned to show up prepared in the local church.
27:45
And my story with Iz is, you know, I was never one.
27:48
I never did, like, jam sessions, and I was never about networking.
27:51
That's just.
27:51
I'm a very.
27:52
I'm an introvert.
27:53
That's just not my thing, you know?
27:55
I met Iz serving at my local church.
27:57
Iz showed up on a Sunday morning, and if you know anything about Iz, Iz don't sound check.
28:02
He don't like sound checks, none of that stuff.
28:04
He showed up, and I had made sure because, you know, the worship pastor there.
28:10
But I wanted to make sure that the team was prepared.
28:13
Right?
28:14
And so we learned everything.
28:15
I didn't just listen to what his MD sent me.
28:18
I went and I studied his YouTube clips and live the way they did it.
28:22
Live.
28:22
Yeah.
28:23
Because honor anticipates.
28:25
I didn't want him to show up and be like, I'm just at a church.
28:28
No, I wanted him to show up and feel like, yo, I got my.
28:32
My.
28:32
My band with me, my singers with me.
28:35
And so.
28:36
But I learned that in the local church.
28:38
It didn't just happen on that Sunday whenever it showed up.
28:41
I try to live that way, so I know I'm taking a long time to answer it, but I didn't, you know.
28:46
Yeah, Jayden hit on it.
28:48
You learn, you know, you know how to handle yourself on the road, but when it comes to the main thing, which is integrity, which is professionalism, which is character, which is how to be a professional man, you learn
28:59
that in your local church.
29:00
And the transition to the road is easy.
29:03
It's hard whenever you're one way at church and you treat church like it's just whatever.
29:07
And now you want to get out here because there's 10,000 people there now you want to show up.
29:12
No, that right there is an integrity gap, and that's a whole other thing we got to deal with.
29:15
So that's my thought as pertains to it.
29:19
That's big, and I love that.
29:20
And I love that you said the local church.
29:22
You took it as, you know, the highest honor.
29:24
Yeah, I feel like that's in a lot of cases that could.
29:27
I mean, I'm not judging anybody, but that could be.
29:30
Seems to be lost in a lot of cases now.
29:32
It seems that, you know, social media and, you know, there's a chase.
29:36
There's a chase for this higher level, but that higher level without those higher standards first doesn't seem.
29:43
Yeah, man.
29:44
Like you when you.
29:45
When you do that, right.
29:47
You don't have to chase dreams.
29:48
Dreams chase you.
29:50
You don't have to open doors, bro.
29:51
You don't have to.
29:52
Oh, I got to get out there, and I got to go to now.
29:55
I love.
29:55
Now I love networking.
29:56
But the thing I had to teach Jaden was, Asa, if you will handle this right.
30:01
Yeah.
30:02
You will never.
30:03
God is the greatest gentleman.
30:05
You know what that means?
30:06
He'll get every door for you.
30:07
You ain't gotta.
30:08
I've never had to open a door.
30:10
Never.
30:11
He has never had to call anyone to say, hey, can I get on your tour?
30:14
Can I come play with you?
30:16
It was always.
30:17
They came and sought him out.
30:19
You know why?
30:20
Because he was like, the main thing is the main thing.
30:22
What I am doing, my standards.
30:24
This is the main thing, and it will open doors for you.
30:28
That's your gift making room for you.
30:31
That's the definition of it.
30:32
Yeah, I love that.
30:34
While we're on standards, I want to ask.
30:36
I know there might be some people listening who are going through something, you know, similar to this.
30:40
So as a musician, I assume.
30:42
I hope that you have a high standard for yourself and integrity in what you're doing and not only building yourself musically, but, you know, the character that goes along with that.
30:50
But in some churches and, you know, worship teams are all different people coming.
30:55
There's volunteers involved.
30:56
There's people coming from all different, you know, approaches to what music is.
31:01
Not everybody is a career musician, and with that, you could get some imbalance depending on, you know, just what your local church looks like.
31:09
What do you say for someone who has that high standard, is committed to a church, but isn't met with the similar standard.
31:19
As far as the team around him?
31:20
So as far as the team, as far as the environment in the church.
31:23
Not all churches take music as seriously.
31:27
That's a great thing, and that's a great question, and I've lived that.
31:31
I've been through that as well.
31:34
One of the greatest principles that I've learned and Jay did not turn it over to you, son, is control the controllables.
31:39
Control what you can control.
31:42
I can't control the pastor.
31:44
I can't control the alto they're singing.
31:47
I can't control if the guitar player is going to know.
31:51
What I can control is how I show up, because that's my standard.
31:58
And I do believe this.
32:00
Good and great can't coexist.
32:03
Huh?
32:05
No.
32:06
Good and great can't coexist.
32:07
You got to go further on that, man.
32:10
Well, here.
32:10
Here's the thing.
32:12
When you have standards and.
32:14
And you are.
32:16
I want to.
32:16
I want.
32:17
I'm going to be a good steward.
32:19
Yeah.
32:20
I will tell you this.
32:23
If your environment can't handle your greatness, God will bring an environment that can.
32:31
That's the way it works.
32:32
But you won't never have to be searching for it.
32:35
It'll come knocking on your door.
32:37
That's right.
32:37
That is the thing.
32:38
If I can teach younger generations that are so anxious, I'm anxious for what's next.
32:45
I'm anxious for this big opportunity, you know, my world, it sucks, man.
32:49
They can't, you know, they don't care.
32:51
Yeah.
32:51
I'm like, bro, you're trying to control stuff that God never graced you to control.
32:54
That ain't you.
32:55
You know what?
32:56
You show up knowing that arrangement inside and out.
32:59
You show up knowing.
33:00
Making sure that your patches are.
33:02
Are full and you have spent Your time.
33:04
You do that, and I guarantee you, if the environment cannot handle your greatness, God will send you to an environment that can.
33:14
That's the way this thing works.
33:16
That's what I believe.
33:17
All right.
33:17
Yeah.
33:17
Turn it to you, son.
33:19
I think we're ready for altar call after that one.
33:22
Yeah.
33:23
Nah, man, he.
33:25
Everything he said, man.
33:26
And he's again, he's been in those positions and you know, as worship pastors and all of that, you know, the years that you've done it, so you've experienced all of that.
33:37
And everything he said, man, is what's been poured into me.
33:42
So I'm.
33:43
I'm a living example of, of that.
33:46
That's all I.
33:47
That's all I got to say on that, man.
33:48
That's big.
33:49
Lived it.
33:50
Yeah.
33:50
Yeah.
33:51
Oh, man.
33:52
Okay.
33:52
I know you have a tea time.
33:53
I know golf is a huge part of your life.
33:55
You preach the whole message on it, so I don't want to mess with that.
34:01
We good with like another five minutes?
34:04
I got a good 15, man.
34:05
Whatever works for you, bro.
34:07
Okay.
34:08
Okay.
34:08
Yeah.
34:09
Yep.
34:11
I never heard anyone do that before, by the way.
34:15
Nobody.
34:17
When you get older, you'll start seeing, you know, there's a lot of similarity between that game in life.
34:22
But I learned that.
34:23
I digress.
34:26
Jaden, have you picked up golf at all?
34:28
Is it a thing?
34:30
It's not a thing.
34:31
Mainly because you have to devote all your time to it and it's got to be.
34:35
It's a time consuming game.
34:37
You can't.
34:37
You can't share that sport.
34:39
So that's it.
34:39
Later on.
34:40
Yeah.
34:40
No, I understand.
34:41
That's what I've learned watching him and how dedicated he is.
34:44
Yeah.
34:44
Yeah.
34:45
Once I.
34:45
Once I get a little older and, you know, you'll settle into it, we'll see.
34:49
Probably.
34:49
Yeah.
34:50
We went and played with me last, but two weeks ago, we had a good time.
34:53
We played nine holes, so it was, it was, it was a good time.
34:55
Anytime I could spend time with him.
34:59
What is it good?
35:01
It was fun.
35:02
It was.
35:02
It was a good time, but.
35:04
Yeah, but the execution was where you'd want it to be.
35:07
I'm sure it takes a lot of time.
35:10
I hit the driving range a few times.
35:12
It's.
35:13
Yeah, it's.
35:14
It's not what it looks like.
35:15
It's a lot of fine.
35:18
Fine tuning.
35:19
Yeah.
35:19
A lot of fine tuning.
35:21
Yeah, that's true.
35:23
Oh, man.
35:23
Okay.
35:24
Jaden, I know you have.
35:25
I think you have a tour coming up, right?
35:27
You sure?
35:27
Anything about this, sir?
35:29
Yeah.
35:30
So in the next two weeks, I'll be with Israel in Brazil.
35:34
We do a quick run there.
35:35
Nice.
35:36
And then in August, we do some stuff in Asia.
35:41
We do London and then we do, I think Ireland and one more spot.
35:48
So he's, he's out.
35:49
This is, this will be the longest I've done anything with Israel.
35:54
He hasn't really.
35:55
Well from.
35:55
Since I've been around.
35:56
We've never liked Cooler tour.
35:59
You know, it'll be like.
36:01
Yeah, yeah.
36:02
So we, we're doing stuff all the way until I think October, late October or early November.
36:09
Well, it'd be cool.
36:11
That sounds good.
36:11
Congrats on that.
36:12
Yeah, yeah.
36:13
Enjoy that experience.
36:14
How does it work for you?
36:15
I mean, for you both?
36:16
I mean, being on the road for yourself right now, Jaden.
36:19
And then, you know, coming back and staying.
36:21
Well, not even coming back, just staying rooted in church, but more so in your home church.
36:28
Well, it's, again, my heart plays a, A big part in it.
36:33
And you know, I grew up in that church.
36:36
That's my home church.
36:37
I didn't do anything to get there and see my grandmother, my, my grandfather and, you know, all of that.
36:44
So it's, it's never like a challenge or like a what.
36:48
What if I just missed this one Sunday or just, you know, nine times out of ten if I'm missing a Sunday, that is usually a sacrifice.
36:56
But you know, that's, that's, that's home for me, man.
36:59
So I try to be there as often as I can, even if that means catching 5:00am flights to get back at 8:30.
37:06
Yeah.
37:06
Go straight from the airport to sound check, you know, all of that.
37:09
I've done that plenty of times more than I can count, literally.
37:13
Dedication.
37:13
But yeah, yeah, it's worth it.
37:16
There's never been a time where I've dreaded that, you know.
37:19
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
37:20
No, I love that.
37:23
And just as you mentioned, you know, your, your, your grandmother, your grandfather.
37:27
Powerful.
37:28
My gosh, yes.
37:31
You have some powerful pastors there.
37:33
There's a.
37:34
Here's what, here's what I'm thinking as I'm, as I'm thinking about this thought.
37:38
There is.
37:39
All the churches in the world are live streaming now, right.
37:43
And a lot of times I would probably bet that it's almost like you have to be in the room to truly experience what's happening, if that makes sense.
37:52
But when you watch the bridge, it's like the power, the anointing comes through the screen.
38:01
It's different than a lot of churches.
38:02
I'm not saying it's the only one, but it's very rare that.
38:07
And I mean, that's a matter that could be a combination of, you know, what's going on in the church, the power in the church, in the building, but also the execution on the live stream.
38:16
Because if you're missing that, then you're going to be missing, you know, the depths of worship and what's happening there.
38:21
I don't want to get into all that because there's a lot of execution stuff.
38:24
So I have to get a part two or something because I have a million more questions.
38:27
But maybe I'll get you to leave everybody with this and you can maybe both chime in on this.
38:31
Just as far as preparation as a musician, as a worship pastor, as a worship leader, music director, what is your preparation mentally, spiritually, and actually musically?
38:48
Because I think those might be the three components that are important and key.
38:55
Yeah, Preparation spiritually.
39:03
Let's start there.
39:05
Yeah.
39:05
You can't take people to a place that you don't go, can't lead them to a place that you don't know where you're going.
39:14
I think that's one of the tragedies of a lot of times our worship experiences is you have people that are leading worship have no earthly idea where they're going, what the destination is.
39:28
And I think that is likely because if you don't spend time with him outside of the platform, whenever you get on the platform, y' all are strangers.
39:43
You're trying to figure each other out.
39:45
You're trying to figure them out.
39:46
But if you spend time with the person, like, because I spent time with Jaden.
39:50
I know Jaden.
39:52
Yeah.
39:52
I can see Jaden walk and say, yeah, yeah, I know, I know.
39:58
He's my son.
39:59
There isn't.
39:59
There's a knowing.
40:01
And when you have that knowing, it is like, there's certain things that you don't even have to say, because I know.
40:07
Right.
40:08
But you can't get that if you don't know.
40:09
So spiritually, I'm saying it starts off the platform.
40:13
When I show up on the platform, are you getting.
40:15
Is my overflow?
40:16
You're not getting the main thing.
40:17
You're getting the overflow.
40:20
So that's.
40:20
That's very important.
40:22
Preparation as it pertains to, you know, you know, playing under your musicianship, Learn the song.
40:30
I am.
40:30
I am a classically trained musician.
40:32
I did that in undergrad.
40:33
And one thing that I.
40:34
I learned about classical, one thing that it taught me was you cannot improv Bach.
40:40
You know, you're Gonna have to read what's on that paper and play exactly what was intended.
40:46
And so I took that approach, as I took that approach with everything else.
40:50
I'm going to listen to a song and I'm going to learn it the way the artist is intended, how they played it.
40:56
I feel like I cannot improv on something that I haven't already mastered.
41:01
Master at first, now improv.
41:04
That's just respecting the craft.
41:07
So that's something that I challenge all of our musicians with.
41:11
Like, don't show up and be playing around the arrangement.
41:13
Play the arrangement first.
41:15
Play the parts.
41:16
Play the parts.
41:17
I want to hear if there's a set pattern, I want to hear that first.
41:20
And now you've shown me that.
41:23
Okay, you can improv on that.
41:25
That's very, very important to me.
41:26
That's.
41:26
To me, that's foundational stuff that has to be established, and that helps too.
41:30
That's our culture.
41:31
Show up with it prepared, show up knowing it.
41:34
Then we can imprompt from there.
41:37
Don't just be like, I'm just gonna, you know, we're gonna see what the Lord gonna do.
41:40
No, you lazy.
41:42
That ain't spontaneity.
41:43
You lazy.
41:44
Wow.
41:45
You know, one thing that is taught me was instructor spontaneity to you.
41:49
It may feel like it's spontaneous.
41:51
No.
41:51
But it's structured.
41:52
I figured.
41:52
I thought about this arrangement.
41:54
What you're experiencing on the other side of the live stream oftentimes is the result of me and Jayden sitting in my piano room and we're talking through arrangements and we're saying, yo, cut this bridge, because this bridge is
42:06
going to take too long.
42:06
Okay.
42:07
This key right here, it works here, but this key is too low for the congregation to sing, so it won't cut through.
42:12
Let's change this key so that we go to the next song.
42:15
It's a free flow.
42:16
So that stuff happens before we show up on Sunday mornings.
42:21
Yeah, that's preparation.
42:22
Makes sense.
42:23
Yeah.
42:23
And that's important.
42:24
So.
42:25
Yeah, take it in, buddy.
42:27
Yeah.
42:28
I'll tackle the spirit, the spiritual aspect as well.
42:31
For me, personally, I've always asked the Lord to help me remain sensitive to whatever is going on.
42:39
I take sensitivity very seriously.
42:44
Just because, I mean, the.
42:46
The weight that we carry being on that, you know, platform.
42:50
I don't like using that term, but the weight that we carry, ushering these people into the presence of God is.
42:57
Is not something to.
42:58
That you can, like, you know, joke with or like, just be like what he said.
43:03
We'll just see what what the Lord does, you know, it's right.
43:06
It's way deeper than that.
43:07
So.
43:09
And it shows when you, when you show up and you know that, you know the big intro in verse two, but when the vamp comes, you're.
43:19
You're flaming.
43:20
You know, that's.
43:22
That kind of.
43:22
That kind of tanks the entire environment.
43:25
Energy is important too.
43:27
Keeping everybody's spirits high just through Elite, through a leadership perspective, you know, just being encouraging and all of those things.
43:39
But in terms of preparation, musically, of course, what I said, I agree with that there also.
43:45
But my thing has always been what he said, to learn the music.
43:53
But figure out how can I enhance this or add some sort of value to this from where I stand, whether that's bass, piano, guitar, anywhere, just what can I do that will help this moment lift or, you know,
44:11
so I tried.
44:12
I practiced that a lot.
44:14
And sometimes I don't.
44:15
Sometimes I just show up and be like, okay, Lord, play through me.
44:18
Whatever you what, whatever you think should happen here, I'm.
44:23
I'm not gonna go against the grain or anything.
44:26
You are, you know, you are in control of my auntie is at all times.
44:30
But yeah, yeah, yeah, that's.
44:31
That's my main thing, man.
44:32
I'm, I'm very, I'm.
44:35
I'm very dialed in on the music.
44:39
I'm a.
44:39
And then in terms of learning music, I'm a lyrics driven guy.
44:43
Anyway, me learning a song is not just me learning the parts.
44:47
I'm going to recognize each section by the lyrics.
44:50
Wow.
44:50
So that's big.
44:51
Yeah, yeah.
44:52
And that helps with my position now at the church where I'm running playback and I'm communicating with the, with the worship leaders and the vocalists.
44:59
You know, you'll see me yelling parts or you'll see verse two.
45:03
Sometimes I'll even sing the first lyrics of verse two.
45:05
I got that from him and shout out William Garcia.
45:10
But yeah, yeah, that stuff is important, man.
45:12
So I, you know, try to, I try to use, I try to use, use these to my advantage.
45:20
How can I help, you know, whoever's at the forefront or whoever's assisting and carrying this mantle.
45:27
So, yeah, those are my, Those are my main things.
45:32
I just gotta say this before.
45:34
Yeah, man.
45:35
To hear my son just.
45:37
Man, this is.
45:39
Yeah, man, this is the awesome thing.
45:43
I don't do these often, man.
45:46
Or last time me and him have done a podcast together.
45:49
Well, I'll tell you what, let's do another one, man.
45:51
Don't.
45:51
Absolutely.
45:52
It's good.
45:54
I would love to get into some Execution things talk a little deeper on the music.
45:58
Talk about building patches and some of the stuff the musicians want to hear too.
46:01
But honestly, I thank you both so much for taking the time.
46:05
Tea time is coming up, so get you there.
46:08
We're gonna get you there.
46:09
But honestly, thank you for sharing that.
46:12
What you.
46:12
I think what you helped to create in my mind and another.
46:16
Whoever's listening's mind is a bigger picture.
46:20
It's not just, okay, these guys are amazing musicians.
46:24
You know, on tour, awards, the whole nine.
46:28
It's a lot bigger than that.
46:29
But it's also not just, you know, they're nice guys with good characters and some integrity.
46:34
It's a lot bigger than that, too, because what you painted a picture of is a true relationship with God.
46:39
And that kind of spills.
46:41
Is that the right word carries over to other aspects, every aspect.
46:45
Even what you said, Jaden, just like knowing the lyrics, you know, knowing the singer's parts, you don't necessarily need to know that.
46:54
A lot of us get by without knowing that.
46:57
That just shows the level of excellence that you.
47:00
That you go for and like the wholeness of the song.
47:04
Because there is a big difference when you're playing the song because you like the changes versus you're playing the song, you like the changes, and it's.
47:10
It's speaking to your heart and you understand what it's saying to other people, too.
47:13
So I think our transformation takes place.
47:16
That's our transformation.
47:17
That's how you have a transformative experience, is when everyone takes on that mentality, the awesomeness, the responsibility that we carry.
47:27
Right?
47:28
Because somebody is on the other side of this.
47:30
And I'll say this.
47:31
In Iraq, I, We.
47:34
We.
47:35
We was in the service, and we.
47:36
We tapped in and got.
47:37
Allowed us to tap into a moment, and it was powerful.
47:41
And a guy came up to me and he said, man, I just want to tell you, just want to say thank you for the worship experience.
47:53
What you guys were able to just tap into.
47:55
He said, because I was planning on leaving here and committing suicide.
48:00
Wow.
48:01
Wow.
48:02
The question I want to leave our listeners, our friends with is what would have happened had we shown up with it's just another Sunday, or Jaden showed up with just gonna do enough to get by.
48:20
Yeah.
48:21
Wow.
48:23
You see, on the other side of the responsibility that we have.
48:26
Yeah.
48:27
And so I just want to encourage.
48:28
Encourage everyone.
48:29
While I know it's hard and we all have our frustrations, don't lose sight of the main thing.
48:37
God has given us a gift.
48:39
With that gift comes stewardship and accountability.
48:42
And there's somebody's peace, somebody's breakthrough, somebody's marriage being restored.
48:50
It's oftentimes on the other side of your yes.
48:55
So don't lose your yes.
48:58
Stay encouraged, my brothers and my sisters.
48:59
Don't lose your yes.
49:01
Because somebody, whether they tell you or not, somebody's life is being transformed.
49:06
So, Anthony, thank you.
49:08
We got some stuff that we're working on that we're going to share with y' all later on.
49:12
Jaden is working on some stuff, some patches, some apps, some.
49:15
All kinds of.
49:16
It's going to be crazy.
49:18
So just keep your eyes and your ears open.
49:21
Yeah, it's about to be crazy.
49:23
It's about to be crazy.
49:24
So.
49:24
All right.
49:24
Okay.
49:25
Stay in touch and, yeah, keep me posted on anything you have coming up.
49:28
And if we'll do this again, man, I really appreciate it.
49:30
Absolutely.
49:31
Before we go, I want you to shout out, I mean, wherever people can follow your journeys, whatever you want to share the Bridge Frisco, let people know where they can tune in and all that good stuff.
49:41
So the bridge Frisco on YouTube, we are the Bridge Frisco Band.
49:46
On Instagram, it's Bridge Frisco Band as well.
49:49
My social media is Jaden C.
49:51
Baker, and I'll be on there when I be on there, but from time to time, I'll post what I got going on.
49:57
That's it.
49:57
That's it.
49:59
He works to me.
49:59
He laughing.
50:00
We are the worst, man.
50:01
We are the worst of social media and all that kind of stuff, man.
50:05
We will promise to do better.
50:07
Promise.
50:11
Cool.
50:11
Appreciate you both.
50:12
Thanks, everybody, for listening.
50:14
I'm sure you were blessed as I was just by this conversation today.
50:17
Everybody, everybody stay blessed until the next time.
50:19
Take care.
50:20
Take care.