Local musician debuts at No. 5 on iTunes

Ike Ndolo — under the guidance of Matt Maher, Tom Booth and SpiritandSong.com — released his debut album this fall. “We Are the Beggars” climbed to No. 5 on iTunes’ Christian music chart.

Robert Feduccia, general manager for SpiritandSong.com, said that’s a testament to the ministry Ndolo has already nurtured and to the online social networking the label used to promote the album.

Ndolo, who was born and raised in Missouri, cultivated his musical roots in Arizona straight out of high school. He fell deeper in love with the Church and taught himself to play the guitar — strictly worship songs — while in Youth Arise.

Ndolo soon got involved in music and youth ministries at St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Scottsdale.

He furthered his music and ministry training under the guidance of Tom Booth and Matt Maher when they served together at St. Timothy Parish in Mesa.

Lately, Ndolo has been filling in with Maher’s band — his brother is a permanent member — and taking his own band on the road for miscellaneous Catholic gatherings, including Steubenville retreats, youth rallies and Life Teen events.

“Every time I think about it, it makes me laugh,” Ndolo said of his path to recording Christian music. “It’s been a funny journey. I never would have thought this is what the Lord wanted for my life.”

The high school athlete had been thinking more along the lines of the NBA before giving up everything he thought he wanted. Now he’s quite content as a “beggar.” So much so that two of the album’s 14 tracks fall under that title.

Ndolo wrote “We are the Beggars 2,” the slower of the pair, first. Both speak about justice. They’re inspired by a quote he’s heard attributed to Mother Teresa about the work of mercy and evangelization.

“It’s one beggar showing the other where the food is,” Ndolo said. “I always keyed in on the beggars, on the concept of all of us being beggars.”

It’s not about being enlightened or being greater than someone else, he said.

“It’s not, ‘I know best.’ It’s ‘I can show you,’” Ndolo told some 200 concert-goers at a CD release party at his parish Nov. 2. “I found what’s going to sustain us.”

It’s that kind of honesty and authenticity that Feduccia said brings spiritual depth to the album.

The contemporary Christian music genre was once criticized for lacking depth, he said, “but Ike and his generation, they’re really digging down into their humanity and the complexity of their Christian lives.”

That’s what resonates with listeners, he said.

Ndolo just hopes that listeners see the album as a genuine offering to God and that it leads people to worship and prayer. It worked for him while writing “I Am Saved,” the ninth track on the album.

He wrote it after confession. It’s about being saved again and again with each confession and step toward conversion. The “I am saved, being saved” chorus juxtaposes mercy and sin.

“It talks about the highest of spiritual highs and the lowest of lows,” Ndolo said.

It’s the heartfelt originals — all 11 of them — packaged with the three covers — including “Wade in the Water” and “In Christ Alone” — that create an organic, incarnational, communal and sacramental album, according to Tom Booth, who also lent his talents.

“It’s very modern Christian music,” he said, “but it has a unique flavor that harkens back to the Catholic recordings of days gone by.”

Feedback | Print This Page | Back to Top