Bobby JonesRejoice With Me!
EchoPark JDI Entertainment (2014)
By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog
While he is the undisputed king of gospel television—Bobby Jones Gospel is the longest-running cable television program, period— Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones has not always fared as well on radio.
That just changed with Rejoice With Me. Produced by Michael Bereal and Professor James Roberson for EchoPark JDI, the album showcases the work of Jones’ Nashville Super Choir, a team of capable musicians, and several soloists.
Functioning basically as narrator, Jones gives the album over to NSC and top-shelf gospel singers such as Faith Evans, who leads the spirited title track. Ann Nesby’s biting traditional singing combines with Jones’s opening solo on the up-tempo, Pentecostal-fueled “Right Now Praise,” written by Percy Gray. Shawn McLemore fronts “Let’s Praise The Lord,” another spritely handclapper. “The more I praise, the better I feel,” McLemore sings, and it’s clear he’s feeling just fine.
“Faithful Is He” is the album’s sleeper. Written by Pharis Evans Jr. and Jewell Maulty IV, this sweet ballad on the steadfastness of God is led by NSC member Kyla Jade, a stellar singer whose vibrant voice can also be heard at Cathedral of Praise COGIC, where she is a Praise and Worship leader under the Honorable Bishop Jerry L. Maynard.
The tightness of the choir, the song selection, the tilt toward the traditional, and the work of the soloists, especially Kyla Jade, are what make this album work. Especially effective are the brief exposition of church classics, notably “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” and “No Not One.” Each are given a solid reading by Jade, Jamar Carter, and Kimberly D. Fleming. The album would have been even stronger had the instrumental-plus-choir version of the title track been replaced by another one of these chestnuts.
Nevertheless, the blend of the contemporary and traditional on Rejoice With Me! will make it winner with a wide variety of gospel enthusiasts.
Four of Five Stars
Picks: “Right Now Praise,” “Let’s Praise the Lord.”
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Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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Thank you for this great post and blog, it is an honor as this is novice song ever and it has been recorded twice. Unfortunately some of your information is a bit incorrect. The actual writer for the song Right Now Praise is me, Celetta Hunter. The song has been recorded previously recorded by the Ambassadors of Hope in Oakland, CA for a project to promote AIDS awareness. Both I and the writer of Rejoice With Me, Ernest Larkins are former choir members of the Olivet Missionary Baptist Church who recorded Sunday Night Live in the early 90’s when Bishop Gordon A. Humphrey now of Shiloh in Chicago was the pastor. I am now 1st Lady of Olivet Oakland and my husband who also composed and wrote for both projects, Rev. Gregory D. Hunter is now the pastor. Thank you again.
Hello, Celetta – thank you for your kind words and clarification of the songwriting credits.
Hello Bob,
I am sure Kyla Jade hasn’t seen this review!!!! I am going to forward it over to her immediately! As a huge fan of hers I just want to say thank you. A lot of the super choir members don’t get the due they deserve and she is a phenomenal singer who has been with him for some time. I’m glad Dr. Jones featured some of his versatile singers!!!! Kudos to him!
p.s. do you know if Kyla Jade has any music out??
Hi, thanks for forwarding the review to Kyla Jade. I don’t know if she has any music out; perhaps she can let us know here!