Pastor David Wright & the N.Y. Fellowship Mass ChoirNext GenerationGodfather Records (released February 2014)godfatherrecordsinc@gmail.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogRecorded live at Brooklyn’s historic First Church of God in Christ, Pastor David Wright and the N.Y. Fellowship Mass Choir’s Next Generation does more to preserve the legacy of Bishop [...]
Minister Terrell Rogers & Men of DestinyI’m Still Here(released November, 2013)By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogMinister Terrell Rogers & Men of Destiny of Blytheville, Arkansas, are young men with old souls. This is evident by the traditional bent of the quartet’s new self-produced CD, I’m Still Here.Rogers is the [...]
“Turning Away” Bryan Andrew Wilson EchoPark JDI (2014) www.echoparkjdi.com Maybe it’s me, but less can be more, especially in gospel music. Gospel started with only piano for accompaniment. Nine decades later, piano and voice (and organ, of course) are still the ideal combination for a Zion song. Proof is Bryan [...]
“God's On Your Side” Mississippi Mass Choir feat. Le’Andria Johnson From the Malaco CD Declaration of Dependence (release date: June 3, 2014) www.malaco.com Put the Mississippi Mass Choir together with Le’Andria Johnson, and you have a potent combination of old school passion. Opening with a Kirk Franklin-esque call and response, [...]
“Word of God Speak" Perfection 4 Winds Records (released October, 2013) www.malaco.com The modern gospel quartet Perfection covers MercyMe’s 2002 hit “Word of God Speak” with delicately smooth harmonies, soulful lead singing, and an arm-waving sing-a-long at the conclusion. On the album version, Perfection adds a snippet from Thomas Whitfield’s [...]
“Better”The ShowersA&P Records (2014)Nothing like being pushed to the edge of the fire, metaphorically speaking, to produce a good gospel song. “I’m tired of my life / I’m tired of the pain / I’m tired of my past / the guilt and the shame,” the Showers sing on “Better,” their [...]
Eloho Arise (Released March 15, 2014) http://elohoefemuai.co.uk/ By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog From Nigeria and now living in Scotland, Eloho Jocelyn Efemuai, known simply as Eloho (it means “prosperity”), is a singer, worship pastor, and presently part of the worship team at The Junction Church in Aberdeen. [...]
Reel BrothersThe Reel ExperienceShekinah Praise Music Publishing (2011)http://www.reverbnation.com/reelbrothersBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogOn some quartet projects today, the singers and musicians seem as if they are in a tug-of-war over who should be most prominently featured. On The Reel Experience, the Reel Brothers gospel quartet and their musicians [...]
“Only God Can”Danetra MooreTyscot Records (2014)www.tyscot.comDanetra Moore’s anthem “Only God” sings the praises of He who can do anything and everything, including move the mountains, calm the raging sea, and “take someone like me to use for His glory.”Introduced by a delicate acoustic piano, the song traverses through a robust [...]
Deitrick Haddon’s LXW (League of Xtraordinary Worshippers)Tyscot Records (released April 22, 2014)www.tyscot.comBy Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel BlogDeitrick Haddon and Tyscot Records want to bring the choir back. To make manifest their pledge, they’ve released Deitrick Haddon’s LXW (League of Xtraordinary Worshippers). The album not only celebrates the youthful [...]
