Kristin Smith – Expecting

Kristin Smith
Expecting
HeavenSent Records (2010)
www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/116576653-expecting

If you don’t know Kristin Smith – although most in gospel music’s inner circle do – you will know her by her musical roots.

Her aunt was Ruth Jones, an Alabama migrant who directed a church choir, accompanied an early iteration of the Sallie Martin Singers, but was best known as “Queen of the Blues” Dinah Washington. Back in the day, the family also ran a popular music store on Chicago’s west side. Smith’s mother, Clarissa, is a gospel singer, releasing God Has Got Your Back, in 2006. Her father, the late Eugene Smith, Sr. (not to be confused with the Roberta Martin Singers member), owned HeavenSent Records.

On Expecting, Smith leads with her strengths, delivering the first few songs in an energetic urban R&B gospel style with just the right touch of techno. “Give Him Your All” and “I’m Expecting,” both produced and arranged by the great Percy Bady, are the highpoints in this section.  The title of the latter track initially produced a few surprised looks when it was announced at the Gospel Announcers Guild convention last July, but when Smith sings that she is expecting, it’s not a baby but a “supernatural move” in her life.

Bady is not the only gospel talent Smith called upon for assistance. Songs by artists Maurice Griffin (“Faith”) and Donald “Buster” Woods (“UnEnding Love”) also populate the project. Damita Cox and Mona Perkins are among the various background singers.

Although the urban gospel sound is Smith’s sweet spot, she uses the CD to explore other gospel styles, too, notably contemporary, traditional and even power-rock laced with fuzz-guitar on the appropriately titled “Least Expect It.” The traditional moments come at the conclusion. The two-part “Victory in the Praise” is a churchy Chicago-style pewburner written by William Smith Jr. and Kenneth Williams.

Auntie Ruth would be proud.

Four of Five Stars

Picks: “Give Him Your All,” “Victory in the Praise.”