Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago – The Best of Both Worlds
Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago The Best of Both Worlds EMI Gospel/Inspired People (2012) www.emigospel.com By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. It could not have been easy for Charles Jenkins to succeed the iconic Rev. Dr. Clay Evans as Pastor of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. Evans, [...]
TBGB Pick of the Week: June 18, 2012
“The Only God” Livre’ Glory2Glory Records/PRODIGY Entertainment Group http://livreofficial.blogspot.com/ Available on iTunes On their single, “The Only God,” Livre’ (pron. liv-ray – it means “free” in Latin) praises in tight, bright harmonies evocative of foreverJONES. Theirs is a gentle, pretty sound that blends CCR and gospel. While singing at the [...]
“I Remember” – Wincey
“I Remember” Wincey From the CD Time to Say (2012) www.winceycomusic.com “I Remember” is an uncomplicated, smooth-as-caramel contemporary gospel song with cheerful vocals by Wincey Terry-Bryant. The Newark native sings praises to the one who has “always been there for me,” in good times and bad, for the hurt [...]
Review of a movie of dvd – Points
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Preashea Hilliard – Live Out Loud
Preashea Hilliard Live Out Loud Blacksmoke Music Worldwide (2010) www.preshmusic.com To Preashea Hilliard, “LOL” means Live Out Loud. And loud – in energy, enthusiasm, volume and message – is exactly what her debut project, Live Out Loud, exudes. The Houstonian vocalist is the youngest daughter of Bishop I.V. and Lady [...]
“He Walked Alone (The Story of Jesus)” – Chris Jasper
“He Walked Alone (The Story of Jesus)” Chris Jasper From the forthcoming Gold City Music CD Inspired http://www.goldcitymusic.com/ Isley Jasper Isley alumnus Chris Jasper is no stranger to writing and singing sacred music. “He Walked Alone (The Story of Jesus)” is Jasper’s brief musical biography of Jesus from birth to [...]
“Surrender” – Carla Martin
“Surrender” Carla Martin 5:11 Music Group (2011) http://www.amartinproduction.com/ With a rocking beat that speeds along like a brakeless freight train, “Surrender” riffs on the irony that in the midst of trials, it is in surrendering that life begins. Don’t give up, she sings, give in. First place winner at the 2002 [...]
Chris Jasper – Invincible
Chris Jasper Invincible Gold City Records (2007) http://www.goldcitymusic.com/ Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog. Some deliver the Word with fire and brimstone, others with flatfooted, melismatic vocal power, and yet others with honey-sweetness so the message goes down easy. Chris Jasper falls into the latter category. On [...]
TBGB Pick of the Week: January 24, 2011
“Ordinary People” Minister Greg Harris Singer/Songwriter Minister Greg Harris of Little Rock, Arkansas recently released a new single, a paean to God’s use of “ordinary people…like you and me.” Ordinary people called to do extraordinary things. Given a snappy production by Minister Earl Bynum, the song rolls along with female-led [...]
The Showers Family Singers – Hear My Prayer
The Showers Family Singers Hear My Prayer Aquila and Priscilla Records (2010) www.cdbaby.com/cd/sfgs Ten siblings – ten! – who are the offspring of a pastor and his missionary wife from Louisiana blend their voices as The Showers Family Singers. Their star is on the rise, as they won Best Traditional CD [...]
Reverend John Wilkins – You Can’t Hurry God
Reverend John Wilkins You Can’t Hurry God Fat Possum Records/Big Legal Mess (2010) http://www.biglegalmessrecords.com/ Talk about old school. On You Can’t Hurry God, Reverend John Wilkins takes us way back into the North Mississippi Hill Country for sacred music, guitar evangelist style. The result is an album with the simple [...]
Charles Martin – Mary’s Son
Charles Martin Mary’s SonChuck’s Room 2010 http://www.charlesmartinmusic.com/ Praise and worship leader Charles Martin’s debut CD Mary’s Son is an outstanding example of the New Detroit gospel style. What is the New Detroit style, you ask? It’s that edgy-cool, electrifying, melodic, R&B-soaked sound that informs the work of Damita, Deitrick and [...]
Kassandra McGhee – Completely
Kassandra McGhee Completely (2007) http://www.mypower4living.com/ Singer-songwriter Kassandra McGhee of Forest Park, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago, has sung background or shared the stage with such notable contemporary gospel and praise and worship artists such as Edwin Hawkins, Phil Tarver and Vanessa Dukes of the Brown Sisters. Not surprisingly, given [...]
Kendra Carr – Unexpected Judah
Kendra Carr Unexpected Judah Commandment Entertainment 2009 www.kendracarr.com Kendra Carr is equal parts gospel singer and evangelist, and she puts both to excellent use on her first national CD release, Unexpected Judah. Unexpected Judah has the energy and timing of a live performance. It comes out of the box strong, [...]
CD Single: “Can’t Break Us” – DJ Morph feat. Frontlynaz
Can’t Break Us” DJ Morph feat. Frontlynaz From the CD International Adullam House 2008 More Holy Hip Hop from Frontlynaz, but this time, they assist the Chicago-born and now South Florida native DJ Morph with his single, “Can’t Break Us” from Morph’s fifth CD, International. “Can’t Break Us” is HHH [...]
Frontlynaz – Game Over (Frontlynaz, Inc. 2008)
Frontlynaz Game Over Frontlynaz, Inc. 2008 www.frontlynaz.com Say what you will about Holy Hip Hop, but the Stellar-nominated HHH group Frontlynaz spits rhymes and drops beats with the power and urgency of a brakeless freight train. Their Game Over grabbed my attention and held it with clenched fists from beginning [...]
Blogging from the Gospel Music Workshop of America: Thursday, August 18
My final day at GMWA was Thursday, though the convention would not conclude until Friday evening. The morning was spent receiving updates on new music projects from record label owners and promoters. Sandra Smith from Blackberry Records told us about Henry Green’s solo project to be released in January, and [...]