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Check out Chicago Tribune Jazz Critic Howard Reich's superb story on DeLois Barrett Campbell's annual birthday celebration and tribute, held today at Chicago's historic First Church of Deliverance.http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-0309_barrettsmar09,1,3089690.story

“I Will Sing”Gerald Scott & CompanyFrom the CD INTROhttp://cdbaby.com/cd/gescott A native of Washington, DC and product of a musical family, Gerald Scott – affectionally known as “G” – is a musician, arranger, producer, and songwriter. In late 2006, while working on his first solo recording, Scott decided to assemble a [...]

Fall On MeBishop Simon Gordon & Triedstone ChurchTehillah Church/Light Records 2008Listening to Fall On Me, you will think the choir of Triedstone Full Gospel Baptist Church on Chicago’s southwest side is comprised of 100 voices, but it’s not. It’s actually a moderately sized choir, but with big voices and an [...]

TBGB: Welcome to Illinois politics...and is anyone else as outraged as I that Loop Lab School would take that $1 million last year and not say a word?From The Chicago Tribune: March 4, 2008BY DAVE MCKINNEY, JACLYN BRENNING AND MAUREEN O'DONNELL Staff Reporters Gov. Blagojevich's administration sent $1 million to [...]

“Never Would Have Made It”Marvin SappFrom the Verity CD Thirsty2007www.marvinsapp.com“Never Would Have Made It,” like “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” is a gospel song that appeals to listeners immediately because it is hewn from the dark, seemingly bottomless well of emotional pain and sorrow, and as such strikes a universal [...]

Tune to 88.7 WLUW Chicago Sunday morning, March 2 from 3:00 to 7:30 a.m. Central Time for this month’s live broadcast of “Gospel Memories”: the soundtrack of That Old Time Religion.Not in Chicago? No problem. Go to http://www.wluw.org/, click the Listen Live button, and enjoy “Gospel Memories” from wherever you [...]

A Second ComingBryan WilsonBryan’s Songs Records/CE Music 2008http://www.bryanwilson.com/In 1994, twelve year-old boy soprano Bryan Wilson stepped up to the recording microphone to lead “His Eye is On the Sparrow” with the Mississippi Children’s Choir. When Wilson finished, his world changed. The astounding popularity of the recording brought the pre-teen Dove [...]

“Sweeping Through the City”Shirley CaesarFrom the Shu-Bel/Light CD After 40 Years...Still Sweeping Through the Cityhttp://www.light-street.com/The energetic Pastor Shirley Caesar reprises a memorable moment from her days with the Caravans on a live version of “Sweeping Through the City,” aka “I Won’t Be Back.” Caesar and her backing choir take “Sweeping [...]

Right Now PraiseJonathan Nelson featuring PurposeIntegrity Music 2008www.integrityMusic.com/JonathanNelsonStellar Award-winning songwriter, praise and worship leader, and “PK” Jonathan Nelson of Baltimore grew up in a singing family and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, but received his first real taste of professional singing while backing Karen Clark-Sheard. The singer was [...]

Tell ItThe Georgia Mass ChoirSavoy Records 2007www.malaco.comWhile the big gospel choirs have lost market share to the current crop of small groups, never fear: there are several powerful choruses that remain forces with which to be reckoned when it comes to gospel hits. The top choirs include the mighty Chicago [...]