Landmark – Jasper Williams, Jr.

Jasper Williams, Jr.
feat. the Salem Bible Church Mass Choir
Landmark
Church Door Records (available July 20, 2010)

After twenty years, the voice of Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. – the celebrated Son of Thunder – is back on record. His label, Church Door Records, is reactivated, sporting what looks like a stylish new logo. The Old Landmark, aka Salem Bible Church in Atlanta, is ringing with the din of traditional singing. All is well.

Gospel enthusiasts will remember Rev. Williams from his popular sermons of the 1960s and 1970s, sporting titles such as I’m Black and I’m Proud, If Walls Could Talk, and I Fell in Love with a Prostitute. His recorded sermons were among the first religious albums that Stan Lewis issued on his Shreveport, Louisiana-based Jewel Records. For his own label, Church Door, Williams recorded the eulogy he delivered for his friend and inspiration, the late Rev. C.L. Franklin.

Next week, Williams will release on Church Door a combination CD/DVD called Landmark, featuring the Salem Bible Church Mass Choir. The first single, “Down Through the Years,” is already making noise on radio. It’s a congregational song in the old time way. It recalls the old time prayer meeting songs of fellow Atlantan Dr. C.J. Johnson and Regina Belle’s nostalgic single, “God is Good.”

Landmark’s finest moment is its namesake track, Rev. Brewster’s “Old Landmark.” The meaty arrangement and mid-tempo flow makes for as well-crafted a version of this classic as I’ve heard in recent times. In addition to a string of bluesy gospel solos, Williams’ moody, minor-keyed “Calvary” is a highlight of the album. “I Am the Way” is a spirited hand-clapper led by explosive female vocalist Danetra Moore. Williams’ son, Dr. Joseph L. Williams, handles lead vocals on some of the tracks.

Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. has always been a fan of the traditional sound. He said, “I grew up listening to James Cleveland, the Southern Wonders of Memphis. E.L. McKinney was my best friend and sang in that group. I heard that kind of music as a young man.”

Landmark would have been even better had all the songs been from the traditional repertory, similar to what Bishop G.E. Patterson did on his Singing the Old Time Way collection. Nevertheless, Landmark is a delightful project to hear and to watch, truly pleasurable, a reminder of how much good clean fun gospel music, and church, can be.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Down Through the Years,” “Old Landmark,” “I Am the Way.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.