Gospel Truth Magazine Presents Gospel Mix ’08

Various Artists
Gospel Truth Magazine Presents Gospel Mix ‘08
World Wide Records 2008
www.gospeltruthmagazine.com

If WOW Gospel is the World Series of black gospel music, Gospel Truth Magazine founder Kerry Douglas’ new Gospel Mix ’08 is the All-Star Game, a mid-season summary of the music charts.

True, many of the artists on Gospel Mix ’08 hail from Douglas’ World Wide Gospel roster – it’s a producer’s prerogative – and just a few of the current gospel superstars are on it, but it is nevertheless a fine package for fans who don’t want to wait until early 2009 for WOW. It’s also a decent introduction for the novice on artists who are either resurfacing or bubbling under on today’s gospel charts. Plus, it’s hard to go wrong when the lead off track is the feisty “God’s Got It,” recorded by Jimmy Hicks and Diana Hicks Hay (Voices of Integrity) with a cameo by Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson.

Gospel Mix ’08 is different from the WOW series, however, in that Disc Two is comprised entirely of music videos. The set also includes more quartet offerings than is typical for the annual WOW collection, and while most of the songs on the mix are current singles, others are emerging hits, such as Evelyn Turrentine-Agee’s “God’s Been Good “ and Martha Munizzi’s “Change the World.”

Especially appealing in the collection are “He Always Makes a Way” and “More of You,” courtesy of Zacardi Cortez, the church-wrecking lead vocalist on James Fortune and FIYA’s hit, “The Blood.” A bittersweet entry is “Speak to Me” by Rosalyn Brunswick McDuffie, a gospel singer who left the earth this year way too young and with her talent in full blossom.

Some of the videos on Disc Two are visual reprises of tracks included on Disc One, but the bonus disc also includes alternate selections by Disc One artists as well as groups that didn’t appear on Disc One at all, such as Shei Atkins, Manifest, Shawn McLemore and Chozen.

Although the songs don’t overlap like a proper mix, Gospel Mix ’08 delivers familiar chart-toppers as well as nice surprises.

Three of Four Stars