TBGB Pick of the Week: August 21, 2007

“I Can Go to God in Prayer”
Ami Rushes
From the forthcoming album Lifting (ARM 1004)
http://www.amirushes.com/

For her first CD Covering, Southern California Community Choir alumna Ami Rushes secured the production skills of Kurt Carr, dug into her file of traditional gospel favorites, and literally “covered” them. She continues to bring classic back on her new Kurt-Carr produced project, Lifting, and hits pay dirt with Albertina Walker’s 1981 hit “I Can Go to God In Prayer.”

Rushes dedicates her version of the song to the Queen of Gospel, and does it “Chicago style” (i.e., all stops pulled out). The result is true to the original: it’s a jubilant “having church” song with the smart timing of a Broadway showstopper. This is Rushes’ finest work to date.