Various ArtistsWindy City Gospel, Vol. 2: The Vee Jay Singles 1954-1959Available from http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/and http://www.pewburner.com/By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.Opal Nations’ latest limited edition two-CD compilation Windy City Gospel Vol. 2 surveys the earliest gospel singles produced by Chicago's historic Vee Jay Records. As such, the set serves as [...]
“Blow Me Away”Psalmist Doris Stokeshttp://www.dorisastokes.com/Okay, so it’s going to sound like a cliché, but Psalmist Doris Stokes' “Blow Me Away” blew me away. It all works: from the clubby R&B beat and the sassy background vocalists evoking En Vogue to Psalmist Stokes weaving her praise vocals under, around and through [...]
“Hurt Before You Heal”Castro Coleman & Highly Favored From the 4 Winds Records CD Time Out!!! (2009)http://www.malaco.com/No cross, no crown. No pain, no gain. Contemporary quartet Castro Coleman & Highly Favored added another boo-yah shout to the church lexicon: “Hurt Before You Heal.” To a Muscle Shoals-style sweat-sticky soul sensibility [...]
NASHVILLE, TN (October 29, 2011)- The announcement of the 27th Annual Stellar Awards nominees was made during a live telecast on GMC yesterday evening. The special program's hosts were Christian comic Akintunde and Stellar Award-winning gospel artists Trin-i-tee 5:7. They were joined by Isaac Carree, William McDowell, Y'anna Crawley and Brian [...]
Forever JonesGet Ready - Deluxe EditionEMI Gospel (2011)http://www.emigospel.com/By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.They sing! They play! They write songs! They have fantastic stage presence!The “family band” of Forever Jones – originally from Washington State and now living in Shreveport, Louisiana – is a polished, well-disciplined group that bristles with [...]
Monnette Sudler plays "Up Above My Head" at the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Historical Marker Ceremony. This month, an informational marker was placed outside the home where Tharpe lived while in Philadelphia.Thanks to Bob Merz for passing the video along to us.
Good news! Chicago Sun-Times reports that Gospel Fest will return to the city as a stand-alone event. Read more here: Chicago Gospel Fest 2012 But here's one question: why is the city keeping the blues and jazz festivals downtown and moving gospel fest to the south side? Sure, that's where [...]
Darryl AndersonYou AreIYAMHIZ Music (2011)http://www.cduniverse.com/By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.When it comes to gospel jazz, the saxophone predominates.Vernard Johnson. Harold Rayford. Reggie Houston. Angella Christie. Ron Brown. The list goes on.Add Darryl Anderson to the list. The Harlem-born Anderson is an accomplished musician from an accomplished family: his [...]
“Can’t Live”Genita Pughgenitapugh.netPastor Genita Pugh of Laurel, Mississippi takes it easy and slow on “Can’t Live,” a restrained praise ballad during which the singer, who is also founder and pastor of Original Worship Ministry, shares how she cannot breathe or even live without Jesus. Unlike her “Holy to the Lamb,” [...]
