James “Kelly Fox!” Davis & ABF – The Best Gift

James “Kelly Fox!” Davis and A Bunch of Friends

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

At the conclusion of the two-part, nine-minute-plus “What is Christmas,” James “Kelly Fox!” Davis turns to the audience.  “That’s just the first song, I told you we’re gonna have fun tonight!”

That is no hyperbole. Those participating in Davis’ debut CD, The Best Gift, seemed to have loads of fun making the live recording.

The big, round voices of A Bunch of Friends (who literally are a bunch of Davis’ friends), along with the bold chords and bass-supported flourishes of the musicians define today’s contemporary gospel sound. The strong musicianship is no doubt the result of Davis’ music education, his background in jazz studies, and the time he spent picking up on gospel music from the likes of William Becton.

The Best Gift is choir-centric, with several vocalists serving as lead. The songs are newly composed, mostly by Davis, and while the lyrics and melodies refer to the season, they are not necessarily seasonal: that is, most are suitable for year-round enjoyment. One exception is the Christmas ballad “He Was Born.” It concludes with a lovely rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High,” which might sound a bit out of place in July.  On the other hand “An Hour,” with its reference to the Garden of Gethsemane story, is suitable for Easter.

Other strong choir pieces on the CD include the single “Celebrate” and the salsa-flavored title track, during which ABF reminds the listeners of the album’s overarching theme: that the best gift comes from Jesus.

The sequence of “Three Kings’ Gifts,” “Silver and Go!-ld” and the reprise match the opening track for the most spirited moments. During “Silver and Go!-ld,” ABF sings that they “don’t need no presents…just give me Jesus, He’s all I need.” Its “Go Tell it on the Mountain” postlude builds the spirit to a fever pitch and capitulates into a praise break.

The Best Gift is well produced, finely paced and a fine debut for James “Kelly Fox! Davis and A Bunch of Friends.

Four of Five Stars

Picks: “What is Christmas?” “He Was Born.”