Sister Juliana Garza: Mixed Expressions and Communion Muse

Today a great deal of Roman Catholic “folk” music used in parishes tends towards the bland and trite. Much of the blame for this can be laid at OCP’s feet, and that fact has been an impetus towards the restoration of more “traditional” music in Masses, an impetus that has come from the Holy See itself.

But during the 1960′s and 1970′s, when much of the music had its genesis, the possibilities for real creativity were more easily exploited. Although composers and performers of that era were just as capable of mediocrity as their current counterparts, there were some really outstanding ones, many whose work has been forgotten. One of the best examples–in every sense of the word–is Sister Juliana Garza, a nun from a convent in Washington state.

Mixed Expressions (Audio Recording ARL-1223, 1967)

This album, on its face, has just about everything going against it. It’s a solo effort, with the occasional backup vocals and a triangle, but mostly just Juliana and her guitar. To use the Archivist Ken Scott’s expression, it’s a “Nun-Plus” album, without the plus. Some of these albums were excellent, but the genre generally hasn’t aged well. And her vocals don’t quite match up to the range she pushes them too.

But then again…Juliana Garza is a skilled classical guitarist, a very deft composer and lyricist (something that is desperately missing from so much music today,) and her vocals are authentic and clear. Some of her folk approaches a British folk ballad style. The result is an album that, at times, blows one away. An example of this is The Love of Our God, featured in this YouTube video:

The songs individually:

• The Time Is Now
• Forest Of Plenty
• Days Of September
• Comes Winter
• Virgin’s Lullaby
• The Sun Is Now Shining
• Sparkle and Shine
• The Love of Our God
• The Wind Will Blow
• Mary Immaculate
• Heart Of Christ
• The Sky’s A Dying
• The Loved One
• Someone’s Not For Crying
• Bring Him All Of Your Troubles
• All The Days

Or you can download Mixed Expressions in one file here

Communion Muse (NALR 31608/8, 1973)

Artists sometimes get into a formula rut where that formula either stays the same or deteriorates. But that’s not the case here; after a six year hiatus, Garza is back with a band. The result is an avant-garde masterpiece that deserves to take its place with the best of them. One difficulty that may have hampered her acceptance in “mainstream” Catholic music is the fact that both this and the previous album are more at home in a coffeehouse (or, in the case of pieces like Uncertain Tide, in a club) than at Mass, but We Come To Your Table is a masterpiece that made many a communion special.

The songs individually:

• Celebrate
• Communion Muse
• Migrant
• When It’s Time
• Pardon Me
• Uncertain Tide
• It’s All Right
• We Come To Your Table
• Psalm 83
• Winter
• Peace Be To You
• Our Father

Or you can download Communion Muse in one file here

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