JGM Pick of the Week: July 20, 2015

“Back to Basics 2.0 – The Remix”
Mel Holder feat. Gerald Alston
Psalmist Music Group (2015)
www.melholder.com

There’s a first time for everything, and saxophonist Mel Holder’s single, “Back to Basics,” may be the first gospel song to include a slithery klezmer riff.

A chugging beat doubles the tempo of the original “Back to Basics” as guest vocalist Gerald Alston of the Manhattans reflects back on the power and the glory of old school church. He implores listeners to “get back to the rudiments: prayer, praise, worship, and the Word.”

Born in Queens, New York, of Panamanian descent, the Grammy- and Stellar-nominated Mel Holder had acute asthma as a young child but overcame it to play the saxophone.