‘Our Savior’s Alive’ album and Kickstarter campaign

Original songs by David Issac Rivers, engineered by Curry Winborn

Tentative album release: 7 p.m. onFriday, Dec. 7, at Calvary Chapel Sequim, 91 Boyce Road

Kickstarter campaign: Raising $3,700 to fully fund the mixing, mastering, and production of hard copy of album

More info: www.kickstarter.com

David Isaac Rivers says he wasn’t planning on recording an album of his original songs when his friend Curry Winborn approached him with the idea.

Fast forward one year later, and Rivers is just a couple of steps away — and about $3,700 short — from having a copy of his own music in his hands.

Rivers, a musician, worship leader and assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Sequim, was approached by Curry Winborn — a musician and recording artist — one year ago about recording an album of his songs.

“I didn’t have the finances and I wasn’t in a space where I was ready for the project,” Rivers says. “(Curry) offered and I said, ‘Okay, this is what I can afford.’ And he poured himself into it.”

Rivers and Winborn have played music together in the local band Chandra Johnson and the Homeschool Boys, and Rivers said this is Winborn’s first solo project.

“It’s really incredible,” Rivers says. “Most of the instruments are played by (Curry), including the bass, drums, guitar … ”

Rivers also is no stranger to music or the stage; he’s performed at Calvary with several bands and artists such as Hilary & Kate, Chandra Johnson and the Homeschool Boys, and has been a songwriter for 10 years. He released an album called “Psalms” in 2016.

Rivers’ new album is titled “Our Savior’s Alive,” one that includes six of his original songs recorded by Winborn at Calvary Chapel Sequim.

His album is about Jesus and his love for humanity portrayed through modern hymns Rivers wrote over the past four years, he says. There also are “Salehs” included in the songs, where Rivers says things in worship and the music responds to his words.

“The whole album is a symphonic piece and bleeds together perfectly,” he says.

“The whole album is about Jesus and his love for us and the whole idea of the resurrection.”

One of his favorite aspects of the new album, he says, is bringing other musicians and artists together and recording them singing along to some of his songs to create a choir-like affect.

“We got people from New Life Church in Sequim, the King’s Way Foursquare Church worship team, Noelle Johnson, Kate Powers, my dad — who directs the men’s gospel choir, and recorded them singing along,” Rivers says.

“Not only are there beautiful Celtic, Irish, Pacific Northwest arrangements, but what sounds like a 60-person choir singing their hearts out in the background.”

While most of the work for the album is done, Rivers and Winborn still need to mix, master, and produce the hard copy of the album, which will cost about $3,700.

“We have 30 days to raise the money,” Rivers says. “If we don’t, we’ll release it online, but if we do we have physical copies.”

He started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to cover the remaining costs of producing the album, Rivers said, but the musicians only have a little less than 30 days before the campaign expires on Nov. 15.

“We’re depending on the community to fund the project and to make it happen,” Rivers says. “We’re using Kickstarter as a way to do that.”

While recording an album is a big step for Rivers, he said the experience has been fun, rewarding, and brought him closer to Winborn.

“The real reason I went into the project is because I genuinely love my friend Curry,” he says. “We spent a whole year making music together and talking together.”

If the album is able to be produced into hard copies, Rivers said there will be a release party at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, at Calvary Chapel Sequim, 91 Boyce Road.

If the project is not fully funded, Rivers said the album will be available for streaming on his website at www.davidisaacerivers.com.

To learn more or donate, visit the Kickstarter campaign at www.kickstarter.com.

Watch a video and demo about the project at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ta9WyGs-E

Curry Winborn, a local musician and recording artist, approached David Isaac Rivers one year ago about recording an album of Rivers’ original songs. The new album, “Our Savior’s Alive” is Winborn’s first solo engineering project and he played several of the instruments used in the musical arrangements. Sequim Gazette photo by Erin Hawkins

David Isaac Rivers said recording an album with friend and fellow musician Curry Winborn has been rewarding and brought the two closer together. “The real reason I went into the project is because I genuinely love my friend Curry,” he said. “We spent a whole year making music together and talking together.” Sequim Gazette photo by Erin Hawkins