The Spiritual Genius of Tonex

I am moved and encouraged. I am touched and inspired. I am too many things to explain but if you’ve ever felt the spirit of the Lord and know without doubt that it’s that spirit to sustain and keep you, you know a little of what I am feeling this morning. Actually, this post is so long overdue but as they say, right on time. If you need to be uplifted, if your spirit needs some healing, go pick up the new CD from Tonex titled “Unspoken.” I’ve only had it for two weeks but no other CD has jumped to my Top Ten All Time Favorite CD List so quickly than “Unspoken.”

In my personal journey, I’ve often asked, “If I can’t take what I’m truly going through to church and leave it at the altar, then where can I go?” Tonex’s music understands this and reminds you that church and gospel music should intersect with the truth of ones journey, not just the saved & sanctified Sunday morning front that’s all forgotten by Sunday evening. Isn’t that the ministry of gospel music? That an anointed singer can communicate a crafted song of His Word married with explicit lessons helping us to walk a closer walk with Him. Why listen to gospel music if it doesn’t teach, uplift, & truly bring you closer to God. That’s ministry. And that’s Tonex’s music to me.

Imagine removing hypocrisy from organized religion and putting that impossibility to song – that’s the music given to us by Tonex. There’s a multi-leveled Word for you about true trials we experience after Sunday morning and Tonex is unmatched in bringing you that Word. I am so thankful for Tonex’s gift this morning. God is all up in it and I thank him as an artist and I thank God, the ultimate artist of them all.

Last, I’ll just say it will take you a minute to catch up to the genius of Tonex. This man has released over 24 CDs in just 14 years. I read a newspaper review that said this CD “Unspoken” is his first CD in over five years. I was initially confused because I had purchased six or seven recent projects over the last few years on iTunes alone. Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonex notes that Tonex has at least 15 projects in the last five years. So clearly what the review failed to mention is that this is his first CD on a “major” label in five years and I still don’t know if that’s even true. He’s been continuously releasing music through various websites and on his own label Nureau Ink. A label and an artist achieving this alone, that's major. I went to Tonex’s website to purchase a few releases you can’t buy on iTunes (they arrived this weekend) and purchased the remaining CDs I didn’t already have from iTunes and spent most of my weekend catching up. Naturally, if you love music like I do, then you understand when an artist moves you, you have to have everything they have put out. I’m probably 95% there - over 270 songs rockin' my iPod of what's at least available to purchase. I’m sure Tonex has hundreds more in his personal vault and as soon as I can get my hands on it, I will add to my now definitive collection of Tonex's music.

What has me so lifted this morning is that I created a playlist on my iPod and titled it The Genius of Tonex. Last night, I put 16 of Tonex’s best songs (my opinion) in an order that moves me most and listened to it this morning for the first time as a collection of songs. I felt like this was cheating because there's so much music to choose from - again over 270 songs. My favorite place to hear music is in the car (gym next). Folks must have thought I was crazy “goin’ in” and “losin’ it” to The Genius of Tonex. WOW! Hearing all my favorite Tonex tracks back to back has me flying. I’m wired! This playlist “The Genius of Tonex” was a fast track for me to reconnect to God’s glory and grace. I’m so thankful that I know Tonex’s music because it reminds me how thankful I am that I know and love the Lord. Now ain’t that gospel music at it’s best?

You already know what to do! When you go to download that PHYRE new project by Anthony Antoine titled "Who's Rockin' Ur iPod" off iTunes and other download sites, pick up Tonex's "Unspoken." You will surely be blessed by doing so.