CD Review: Ami Rushes – Covering

Ami Rushes
Covering
Ami Rushes Ministries 2005
www.amirushes.com

At the 2005 GMWA, where she performed on an artist showcase, Ami Rushes described the concept – and hence the title – of Covering as her “cover” versions of traditional, or traditional-influenced, gospel songs she loves.

Indeed, Ami flexes her muscular, rock-star tough voice around a veritable hymnbook of gospel chestnuts on this Kurt Carr-produced album. Think Bonnie Raitt singing gospel and you have a good sense of Ami Rushes’ sound. The songs are mostly in the Pentecostal mode, but given Ami’s membership in West Angeles COGIC, this makes perfect sense.

The standout performances on Covering include high-energy readings of Walter Hawkins’ “When the Battle is Over” and Percy Bady’s “Holy Ghost.” Norman Hutchins’ “The Battlefield” is also well rendered, and Bill Moss’ “Already Been to the Water” – among Moss’ best compositions, I might add – showcases Ami’s rootsier side.

The most musically interesting – and arguably the finest – song on the album is the last one, Bill Gaither’s “He Touched Me.” Ami renders it like a world-weary torch singer, demonstrating that she could stand up to the likes of a Diana Krall in a jazz sing-off any day of the week. That she has chosen to sing sacred music instead is gospel music’s good fortune.