
Bishop J.C. Williams & The Voices of New Life
The Encounter Live
Life Sounds Music Publishing 2011
The debut recording of Bishop Jeronn C. Williams and The Voices of New Life is a live worship experience aptly titled The Encounter Live. The songs are praise and worship-oriented, with lyrics that welcome the spirit into the church, seek help and strength from the Lord, and put out a call for discipleship.
The album gets into its groove by the third track. “I Came to Praise Him” is a rhythmically interesting praise song with chant-like interludes. The first single, “We Serve a Mighty God,” is a bouncy call-and-response that Bishop Williams tells the congregation, “this is a little easy song, you can help us sing it.” And they do. The single has been nominated for two Rhythm of Gospel Awards.
Khrystina Harvey gives an especially spirited performance on “Come Holy Spirit,” followed by an equally passionate and supplicant reading of “I Need Thee” by Bishop Williams. In several instances, such as on “Come Holy Spirit,” a song’s author or co-author handles the lead vocals. The liner notes credit lead singers on some tracks but not on others, making it difficult, for example, to know who delivered the awesome Dorothy Norwood-like shout vocals on the church-wrecker, “Rejoice.”
At the conclusion of the CD “Rejoice,” gets a remix treatment, which serves to slow down the original and lower its temperature in the process.
Album production is solid, the musicians and singers are more than capable, and the mixing benefits from the always spot-on skills of Derrick Stevenson. Overall, The Encounter Live gives listeners a taste of the worship style of Decatur, Georgia’s New Life International Family Church.
Four of Five Stars
Picks: “We Serve a Mighty God,” “Rejoice.”