TBGB's Bob Marovich had an opportunity to talk with multi-award-winning gospel artist Richard Smallwood about his musical influences, inspiration for writing, and the new album, Promises. TBGB: Talk about your recent hiatus from writing and recording. RS: My mother passed in 2005. After that, my world just sort of stood still, [...]
Various ArtistsMedicine – Live at the Black Academy of Arts and LettersMCG Records (release date: August 16, 2011)http://www.mcgrecords.com/In October 2010, artists a-plenty participated in a concert to raise operating support for Dallas’s Black Academy of Arts and Letters, a nonprofit organization founded by Curtis King in 1977 that is now the largest [...]
“Jesus, My Everything”The Pat Jones ProjectFrom The Pat Jones Project With Family and Friends (2008)www.cdbaby.com/cd/PatJonesHailing from Randallstown, Maryland, Pat Jones and her ensemble sing the stems off the notes on this lovely, flowing traditional-style worshipper with Richard Smallwood-esque majestic flourishes at the conclusion. Jones is a singer, songwriter, choir director, [...]
Donald Lawrence & Co.YRM (Your Righteous Mind)Quietwater/Verity (release date: August 9, 2011)http://www.verityrecords.com/By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.Those enchanted by the GRAMMY- and Stellar Award-winning Donald Lawrence’s previous work will appreciate that YRM (Your Righteous Mind) follows artistically in the footsteps of his most immediate predecessors, The Law of Confession Part [...]
Cynthia JonesJourney of SoulKingdom Records (release date: August 23, 2011)http://www.cynthiajones.com/“Are you ready for Miss Cynthia Jones?”So asks GRAMMY- and Stellar Award-nominated neo-soul gospel singer Cynthia Jones on the introductory track of her new project, Journey of Soul. Spelling her name rhythmically in Fergie style, Jones sets the chill-or-dance mood “on [...]
By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.When one thinks of mean streets, places like New York, LA - Watts, Detroit and Chicago come to mind. Not Milwaukee.But make no mistake: Milwaukee has its share of mean streets. Ask F1 Diamond. The Christian hip hop artist hung out at 45th and Lloyd [...]
“Holy One”The Rance Allen GroupFrom the Tyscot Records CD The Live Experience IIhttp://www.tyscot.com/Rance Allen and his brothers put their distinctive grit-and-soul spin on the praise and worship song, “Holy One,” the latest single released from The Live Experience II.The rolling, hypnotic melody and chant-like lyrics are punctuated by blasts of [...]
“Jesus”Le’Andria Johnsonhttp://www.musicworldgospel.com/2010 Sunday Best Winner Le’Andria Johnson has just released her first single, “Jesus,” a slow and deliberate bluesy shouter about calling on Jesus when you need him.A pleading soul at the end of her line, singing like she has nothing to lose, Johnson pours every last ounce of her [...]
“Dream”Shirley MurdockTyscot Records 2011http://www.tyscot.com/After an ethereal intro, gospel singer Shirley Murdock wraps her evangelist’s vocal prowess around this inspirational song about the power of the dream that God puts in your life, the one “that would not die.” She bolsters her argument with the Biblical example of Joseph and his [...]
PekintsMy Best FriendPM&M 2011http://www.pekints.com/Peter Kintum, aka Pekints, is an earnest, youthful-sounding Christian hip hop artist from Washington, DC. My Best Friend is his second and most recent CD.Pekints’ work is best described as praise rap. The title track, for example, is an gushing ode to the Most High as the artist's best [...]
