Noel is a collection of the most beloved songs in the sacred Christmas music repertoire. From the relaxed ambiance of Silent Night to the intense energy of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Noel takes the listener on an emotional journey through ten evocative solo guitar arrangements. Each song has been pitched in a key that is both easy to hum along with and which compliments the guitar's poetic voice--the perfect combination to set the mood for the holidays.

Noel

O Holy Night

Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

"I Believe," Jonathan's first effort as a singer/songwriter, is an upbeat, optimistic look at our common journey.

I Believe

Calla is my niece.  Whenever I go to my sister Sarah's house, I ask Calla "Who's your favorite uncle?" (I have two older brothers) to which she correctly answers "Uncle Jonny!"  However, I fear that my extended stay in California may be eroding her fondness.  Are Uncle Andrew and Uncle Steve going to usurp this prized position?

Nostalgia

Calla's Song

Forest Trails is the name of the subdivision in West Chicago, Illinois where I grew up.  It was 1989 when my family moved back to the Chicagoland area from Lexington, Massachusetts.  That was when I met Kurt Knautz, another boy my age who had just moved into the same neighborhood.  Kurt and I would ride our bikes all around Forest Trails.  After school we spent most of our time outside exploring and catching toads or snakes.  Well, actually, Kurt would catch the snakes.  I was always too afraid.  His mom had a whistle that could wake up the dead, so, when we heard that, we knew it was time to go home.  Fortunately, there was always a tomorrow.

Forest Trails

Nostalgia comes from my first CD Meditations.  This tune simply embodies my desire to embrace old friendships, places visited, and memories made.

"Old Mercs," as my good friend Damjan coined it, is, or rather, was my old 1994 Mercury Sable.  I put a lot of miles on that car driving from Chicago to Los Angeles and back, but not without the occasional mishap.  The most memorable break-down happened in Sterling, Colorado when my parents, my brother Andrew and I had to leave that poor car behind and drive a rented van the rest of the way to L.A.  In Old Mercs, you'll hear a short reference to my jazzier counterparts serving as an "ode" to one of my favorite memories: driving around Los Angeles at night while listening to Bill Evans.

Old Mercs

In August of 2007 I attended the Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp in Estes Park, Colorado.  RMFC rented out the Salvation Army High  Peak Camp where I and about one-hundred and fifty others settled in for the week.  I took lessons in clawhammer banjo (Ken Perlman), bodhran (Tina Gugeler) and guitar (William Coulter) even learning the intricacies of organized country dancing!  William Coulter taught me a handful of songs in what is called "DADGAD" tuning and so, as my time in Estes Park drew to a close, it seemed appropriate to commemorate the week by writing a piece of my own in the same tuning.  About half-way in, you''ll hear a little jig which I originally wrote on mandolin.  Listen for the bodhran!

Rocky Mountain Reel

Come Home (2016) combines the folk, blues, and soul of past greats like Van Morrison with more modern artists like John Mayer.  Lyrically, the song is a musical "plea" of sorts to anyone who has found themselves so far down the road that they lost sight of where they came from.  Come Home features some stellar artists including Mick Taras (guitars, bass guitar), Doug Petty (rhodes, organ) and Aaron Sterling (drums) who has toured and recorded extensively with John Mayer.  Mixed/mastered by Mike Troolines (Sound Asylum).

Come Home

VERSE 1
Looking up, calling out. Jesus I need you. I'm
Giving in, falling down, losing my strength in the
Valley. Losing my way.

Drawing near, finding grace. Spirit of God will you
Strengthen me, fill this place, walk with me up to the
Mountain? LORD, I believe.

PRE-CHORUS
Thank you, LORD, for saving me from myself.
I am Yours and You are my God.

CHORUS
I love you with all my heart and with all my soul.
I surrender, surrender LORD.
I love you with all my mind and with all my strength.
I surrender, surrender LORD.
I will surrender my all.

VERSE 2
Rising up, looking back. I can see all of my
Hidden doubts, troubled path lead to the place where I'm
Standing. Right where I am.

Letting go, trusting You. I am Your child and You
Died for me, made me new. Jesus, my LORD, I sur-
render my all to You.

PRE-CHORUS

CHORUS

BRIDGE
Jehovah, Jehovah, The LORD by my side.
Jehovah, Jehovah, The LORD will provide.
Jehovah, Jehovah, The LORD by my side.
Jehovah, Jehovah, The LORD will provide.

CHORUS

I Will Surrender My All (The LORD Will Provide)

VERSE 1
Lord, my God, You know what I think, what I do, LORD, all I desire.
Take my will and make it Your own purified in Your Holy fire.

I've been trying to figure this out, sleepless nights, just trying not to cry.
But Heaven just seems so far away and a world that's sanctified.

CHORUS
So I give you my mind, my hope, LORD, all that I fear.
And I give you my strength, my life, my pain.
And I give you my heart, my love, LORD, all that I am
And I give you my soul.  I give you all of me.

VERSE 2
You, you tell the waves to be still and they hear and you hope I believe.
Saying, "Child, I am here for you now and for all eternity."

CHORUS

BRIDGE
Lord, you left Your throne to come pick up my cross.
You hung there all alone so I would not be lost.
Thank You, LORD, thank You.

VERSE 3
We are here to worship You LORD.  We are one.  In You we're the same.
Someday we'll stand with everyone else just to sing and praise your Holy name.

CHORUS

CODA
Hallelu, Hallelujah.
Hallelu, Hallelujah.
Hallelu, Hallelujah.
I will give You my soul.
I am giving You all of me.

All Of Me (Jonathan Roth)

VERSE 1
This morning I woke to the sound of your voice calling out from miles away.
Eyes still closed with my ear at the phone drawing pictures of you in my head.

CHORUS
Girl, when we talk I just lose track of time.  Nothing can pull me away.
Tell me about all the fears in your life.  I'll tell you mine if you promise to stay.

VERSE 2
Anxiously praying against all my fears saying, "LORD, help me to stand."
And may Your kingdom come.  Tell me all Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

CHORUS
LORD, when we talk I just lose track of time.  Nothing can pull me away.
You know that I've confessed all the shame in my life.  Is it time?  You know that I've tried to wait.  You know that

BRIDGE
I've tried to wait.
Do you trust me?
Someday you'll be

VERSE 3
Falling asleep in my arms as we speak calling out a breath away.
No more phones.  Every night we'll be home standing face to face.

CHORUS
Girl, when we talk I just lose track of time.  Nothing can pull me away.
The more that I discover the more that I like. I'm so glad you feel the same.
Don't worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow can wait. Save all your tears for today.
Let's give our hearts to our Father in Heaven who guide us the rest of our days.

CODA
Who will keep us together I pray.
Who will love us forever.  Amen.  Amen.

Nothing Can Pull Me Away

Hey.
How'd you sleep my love?
Were you dreaming of the things you'd do today?
Let's go play.
We'll build a tower to the sky,
Knock it down and won't ask, "Why?".
It doesn't matter babe.

C'mon.
Let's go and play outside.
Here's your cape. It's time to save the world again.
Just pretend.
We'll stick our arms out to the sides.
Try and see if we can fly
Around the world my friend.

Baby you are my love
No matter what you do or where you run.
Oh, I love you. There's nothing that I won't do.
You are my love.

Son,
Don't go too far from me.
It's getting dark and we can hardly see the way.
Oh, I will pray
That you are always safe from harm
So I can hold you in my arms
Until my dying day.

Baby you are my love
No matter what you do or where you run.
Oh, I love you. There's nothing that I won't do.
You are my love.

Can you see the stars above?
They're shining just for you.
Someday you'll be looking down and you'll be shining too.

Baby you are my love
No matter what you do or where you run.
Oh, I love you. There's nothing that I won't do.
You are my love.

You Are My Love (Jonathan Roth)

Jonathan Roth wears a few different hats: singer/songwriter, classical guitarist and music teacher.  Based in the Los Angeles area, Jonathan combines his intense musical education (D.M.A.) with an equally intense approach to songwriting and composition.  His songs draw upon the influences of classic artists like Simon and Garfunkle, James Taylor and Van Morrison while maintaining a contemporary vibe.  Honest and relatable are just two words that describe Jonathan's music.  His latest release, a single called "Come Home" (2016) is a musical "plea" of sorts to anyone who has found themselves so far down the road that they lost sight of where they came from.

As a classical guitarist, Jonathan combines the technical fluidity and expressive freedom of his mentors Christopher Parkening and Scott Tennant with an ambitious compositional vision to create works that challenge and inspire.  He has recorded three full-length albums of original compositions and hymn arrangements (Meditations, 2005; Nostalgia, 2009; Noel, 2015) as well as a joint project with Rick Foster (Faith is the Reason, 2011).

Jonathan earned his degrees in music from Pepperdine University (B.A. '06) and the University of Southern California (M.M. '08, D.M.A. '11) and has served on the faculty at Indiana University South Bend, Trinity Christian College and Pepperdine University.  He lives near Chicago with his wife and son where he writes, performs and teaches.

Jonathan Roth

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