The Rance Allen Group – The Live Experience II DVD

The Rance Allen Group
The Live Experience II (DVD)
Tyscot Records 2011
http://www.tyscot.com/

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Last July, The Live Experience II was recorded on CD and DVD during a celebration, held at Detroit’s massive Greater Grace Temple, of the Rance Allen Group’s forty years in gospel music and ministry.

Not surprisingly, the DVD offers more of the overall experience than the audio CD because it literally has the capacity to linger for complete versions of songs and visually showcase the interaction between audience and artist. This interaction is, ultimately, what gospel music as performance medium is about, and the young and young-at-heart who packed Greater Grace Temple clearly enjoyed the occasion.

The program is packed with plenty of star talent, especially Pastor Shirley Caesar, Paul Porter, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and the gospel group Called II Worship. Caesar looks and sings with youthful verve – she is well positioned to assume the Queen of Gospel crown – and, along with Porter and Armstrong, combines her hard-shouting vocals with Rance’s own to produce musical fireworks several times during the musical.

In the midst of rich musicianship and a team of guest artists, the Rance Allen Group captivates its audience just doing what they do and singing flat-footed. Even the dramatic and colorful praise dancers are no match for Rance when he begins his legendary boxy two-step.

Bonus features are interviews with the artists and a peek behind the scenes of the program.

The Live Experience II DVD is a pleasant visual portrait of the Rance Allen Group celebration that does what any concert or program video should do: transport the viewer from the living room to the front row.

Four of Five Stars