CD Review: Gene Viale – The Early Years

The Early Years
Gene Viale
3rd Generation Records 2006
www.geneviale.net

Gene Viale entered the gospel music consciousness in 1964 when James Cleveland overheard him singing Charles Watkins’ “Heartaches” in his trademark delicate-as-a-butterfly-wing tenor. Cleveland immediately found a spot for the young unknown in his Cleveland Singers and recorded Viale singing “Heartaches” with the full ensemble. Viale’s membership also gave the Cleveland Singers the distinction of being one of the first black gospel groups to integrate.

After his work with Cleveland, Viale recorded a fine solo album, What Color is God, for Checker. Ironically, while the title track was socially responsible and forward-thinking, some of its listeners were not, complaining that the album cover artwork was too suggestive for gospel. The album suffered some as a result of this controversy, but Chess/Checker had plans to record Viale’s sophomore album. The project never got off the ground, however, becuase of changes in company management.

Undaunted, Viale continued to labor in the verdant gospel fields of 1970s Northern California, which at that time were fertile from the musical hybridization of the Hawkins Family. The Early Years is a product of that time and place, a reissue of Viale’s 1975 release As Unto the Lord. Though the CD is influenced by the Hawkins school of gospel music, it is much truer to gospel’s traditional sound in song selection and performance.

The Early Years is also a slice of nostalgia for the Northern California gospel announcers who remember programming Viale’s readings of Mancel Warrick’s “If You Just Hold Out Until Tomorrow” and Margaret Aikens’ lovely “The Only Hope We Have.”

(TBGB Note to Itself: a compilation album of new gospel artists performing Aikens’ classic compositions would make for fascinating listening.)

On The Early Years, Viale lends his fluttering butterfly-light tenor on a chilling version of “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.” The song was written by Christian Rock pioneer Larry Norman and served as the unofficial anthem of the Jesus Rock movement, though it has as much relevance today as it had when Norman penned it and Viale recorded it.

Later in the album, Viale trades his light sound for the husky, friendly majesty of Brother Joe May on songs such as “The Only Hope We Have” and “Try Jesus,” the latter written by his protégé Cleveland. Viale tries out some of Mahalia’s limber vocal techniques, too, on Dorsey’s “Standing Here Wondering.” The Melvin Seals Trio provides deft accompaniment, with the characteristic warm purr of the Hammond Organ telegraphing the start of a traditional gospel song.

The Early Years is a splendid Gene Viale sampler. If you can also find copies of “Heartaches” with the Cleveland Singers and “What Color is God,” you’ll have an excellent assembly of songs that run the gamut of emotions but never fail to warm the heart.