“The Race”Benjamin Cone III & WORSHIPMuscle Shoals Sound Gospel (2010)www.malaco.comFeatured vocalist on the Mississippi Mass Choir’s hit, "God Made Me," Benjamin Cone III leads his own group, WORSHIP, on a loping contemporary choir arrangement called “The Race.” Taking for its lyrics Ecclesiastes 9:11, “The Race” emphasizes the “endureth” part, as in “nobody said the [...]
“It’s Not Over (When God Is In It)”Israel & New BreedFrom the Integrity Media CD Jesus at the Center (released August 14, 2012)www.newbreedmusic.comAssisted by James Fortune and Jason Nelson, Israeland New Breed wrap a simple message of encouragement in ballad form. Recorded live at Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, “It’s Not [...]
TBGB will be reviewing He Is Our Story later this week and interviewing Michael Corcoran for the September 1 "Gospel Memories" radio program. For now, check out the article, with audio samples, courtesy of National Public Radio: Arizona Dranes.
The Virginia Aires Live Dove Records, Inc. (2009) href="http://www.myspace.com/thevirginiaaires">www.myspace.com/thevirginiaaires By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog The last time TBGB reported on the Virginia Aires was in 2008, when the Chesapeake, Virginia quartet was waging war on drugs with their single, “Drugs are a Trick of the Enemy.” [...]
“Somewhere Listening”The Wardlaw BrothersFrom the forthcoming album God’s Been There (due out Fall 2012)www.twb5.comDubbed the “Boyz II Men of gospel” for their smooth, youthful harmonies and heartthrob leads, the five Wardlaw Brothers offer “Somewhere Listening,” a breezy, finger-popping song about the importance of preparing for the Rapture. Reworking the old spiritual [...]
Chrystal RuckerYou DeserveEPM Music Group (released August 14, 2012)www.epmmusicgroup.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.Chrystal Rucker has a gospel voice.Not a pop or an R&B voice that sings gospel, nor a jazz or neo-soul voice in the service of the sacred. Rucker has the flatfooted commanding shout, the flowers [...]
Boston, MA: Music World announced today that it has released the group Trin-I-Tee 5:7 from its contract to enable the group to explore new opportunities. “Angel and Chanelle scored their first Grammy nomination as well as a Grammy night worldwide TV performance with Music World. Their careers will always be linked [...]
“Seasons”Bam Travishttp://bamtravis.viinyl.com/Marvin “Bam Bam” Travis got his nickname from playing the drums, but he delivers a solid vocal performance on “Seasons.” While this is the first single from Travis’s debut solo album, due out this fall, he is a featured artist on “Go To Church,” from Deitrick Haddon’s A Beautiful [...]
KJ ScrivenThe Acoustic Experiment (2011)www.kjscriven.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogExperiment is the key word in KJ Scriven’s six-track The Acoustic Experiment. While acoustic guitar in gospel is not unheard of—it was an essential tool of quartet singing for decades—as a main instrument, it is new to contemporary gospel. [...]
“Better Than Life”Lisa Page BrooksFrom the Habakkuk Music CDBetter Than Lifewww.habakkukmusic.comFormer Witness vocalist Lisa Page Brooks has a knack for releasing top-notch gospel singles. She follows-up her radio hit, “I Just Want To Say Thank You” with “Better Than Life,” the title track of her new album, produced by her [...]
