TBGB Reviews….Rev. Stefanie R. Minatee & Jubilation

New Jersey’s Rev. Stefanie R. Minatee has been ministering through music professionally for more than 20 years. Her accomplishments shine through on her latest release, The Launch Out Project, with the critically-acclaimed choir Jubilation.

Jubilation is a culturally-mixed choir of volunteers and professional singers that was organized in 1998 under the auspices of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Since then, Jubilation has performed live, on television, and even sang for the funeral of the great band leader and vibraphone genius Lionel Hampton.

Several components combine to make The Launch Out Project a superb effort. First and foremost is the major-label quality of the musicianship, particularly the mournful jazz trombone solo by Wycliffe Gordon on “I’m Determined to Walk with Jesus.” Donald Vails’ moody composition is dedicated to survivors of Hurricane Katrina, and is arranged with the kind of spiritualesque world-weariness appropriate to the tragedy it memorializes.

Another outstanding component is the variety of compositions and composers represented, ranging from the aforementioned Vails to Mattie Moss Clark’s “I Thank You Lord” – given a modern day swagger – to James Cleveland’s “In My Father’s House” to Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” on which Jubilation seamlessly interpolates “I Want to Be Ready” with a power reminiscent of Wings over Jordan. Milton Brunson’s “I’ll Trade a Lifetime” becomes a prophetic piece as its lead vocalist, Cyndi Hines, has since passed away.

The magnum opus of the project, however, is “Lead Me to the Rock.” This track is led by Nancey Jackson-Johnson who traverses the emotional spectrum from weepy to earth-shattering strength, then back to weepy in the track’s extended reprise. I didn’t know this much emotional energy could be expended in a single song. This track and its reprise are alone worth the price of the CD.

Rev. Minatee also proves herself a more than capable producer, as the overall production is top shelf. Jubilation demonstrates that New Jersey continues to be a wellspring of great gospel music, following in the footprints of Rev. Lawrence Roberts’ Angelic Choir, the Banks Brothers, Greater Harvest Baptist Church Choir, and the inimitable Gospel Clefs.