“Can’t Wait” – Red Hands feat. Jonathan McReynolds
“Can’t Wait” Red Hands feat. Jonathan McReynolds Black Suit Music (release date: October 29, 2021) By Robert M. Marovich The six-member Ohio band Red Hands sways and swaggers like The Roots sans brass while Jonathan McReynolds moves and grooves as the featured vocalist on “Can’t Wait.” The funky and optimistic [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: January 3, 2022
“A Million Dreams” Laila Adele & One Nation feat. Jonas Engstrom Independent (release date: June 17, 2021) www.onenation.se By Robert M. Marovich For decades, songs from the Broadway stage have been anointed with sacred oil through covers by gospel artists. Among these are “Sunrise Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof [...]
“Truth” – Charles Martin
“Truth” Charles Martin Chuck’s Room (release date: September 2020) By Robert M. Marovich A singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of Deitrick Haddon’s Stellar Award-winning group Voices of Unity, Charles Martin flexes his melodious tenor voice on “Truth,” an atmospheric ballad he co-wrote with Rachard “Chardyroc” Williams. The song is [...]
“Jehovah Jireh” – Zak Williams & 1/Akord
“Jehovah Jireh” Zak Williams & 1/Akord Enon Music Group (release date: September 17, 2021) By Robert M. Marovich “Jehovah Jireh” celebrates God and old-school ('80s) gospel, Philly style. Representing the City of Brotherly Love, Zak Williams & 1/Akord offer a praise song with an agile arrangement noted for full-throated staccato [...]
“Class Clown” – Mandala
“Class Clown”MandalaIndependent (release date: December 17, 2021)https://mandalaraps.com/ By Robert M. Marovich Born in Joliet, Illinois, Mandala is a self-proclaimed “radical” Catholic rapper who uses the fire and brimstone rhymes of Protestant holy hip-hop to wage legit war against the world’s wrongs. As a graduate of the University of Notre Dame [...]
JGM Pick of the Week – December 27, 2021
“Covered” Anisa Fowler RNU Records (release date: November 12, 2021) www.anisafowler.com By Robert M. Marovich “Covered” identifies Long Island's Anisa Fowler as an emerging gospel singer-songwriter of note. The melodic ballad, which Fowler co-wrote with Joshua Arnoux, reckons with the anxiety of the times by reminding listeners that no matter [...]
“Someone Has to Care” – Christian Scharen
Someone Has to Care: The Roots and Hip-Hop’s Prophetic Calling. By Christian Scharen. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books. 130 pp. (paperback). Illustrations, Notes, Bibliography. ISBN 978-1-5326-1217-6. $18.00 By Robert M. Marovich As Christian Scharen observes in his new book, Someone Has to Care, the titles of albums by hip-hop group The [...]
“I’m Gonna Say Thank You Lord”
“I’m Gonna Say Thank You Lord” Ricky Paul From the independent CD Just a Country Boy (release date: March 26, 2020) https://www.heavensound.com/artists/rickypaul.htm By Robert M. Marovich Gospel quartet music and country music are not as dissimilar as one might think. Artists from each genre heard one another on the radio [...]
1K Phew & Lecrae – No Church in a While
1K Phew & Lecrae No Church in a While Reach Records (release date: December 3, 2021) www.reachrecords.com By Robert M. Marovich Christian hip hop artists don’t need the four walls of a church to spread the good news and save souls. They never have. Quite the opposite – they do [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: December 13, 2021
“Troubles Don’t Last Always” Mona Fenner From the forthcoming EMG Alliance album I’m Still Here www.monafenner.com By Robert M. Marovich Encouraging people to keep the faith in the midst of trials and tribulations is something gospel music does better than any other music genre. In many ways, it’s what makes [...]
“There is a Time” – Garrick V. Morgan & Valerie V. Gay
“There is a Time” Garrick V. Morgan & Valerie V. Gay Cloud Records (release date: December 20, 2021) www.cloudrecordsllc.com By Robert M. Marovich Garrick V. Morgan and Valerie V. Gay blend their polished and passionate voices on “There is a Time,” which transforms Ecclesiastes 3 (“For everything there is a [...]
“He Brought Joy” – Bryan Andrew Wilson feat. the Wilsonettes
“He Brought Joy” Bryan Andrew Wilson feat. the Wilsonettes Bryan’s Songs / CE Music By Robert M. Marovich On the super up-tempo “He Brought Joy,” gospel stylist and Danville, Illinois, native Bryan Andrew Wilson contemporizes “I Can Tell the World,” a song first recorded about a century ago by the [...]
“Go Tell It on the Mountain” – Maverick City Music
“Go Tell It on the Mountain” Maverick City Music feat. Melvin Crispell III, Chandler Moore, and Mav City Gospel Choir From the Tribl Records album A Very Maverick Christmas (release date: November 30, 2021) www.maverickcitymusic.com By Robert M. Marovich Maverick City Music has taken the gospel music world by storm. [...]
JGM Pick of the Week December 6, 2021
“I’ll Say Yes” Ritchea Hodge Independent (release date: May 17, 2021) https://www.teammade.ca/ritchea-hodge By Robert M. Marovich It’s always a treat to hear fresh new voices in any genre, and Ritchea Hodge is one of them in gospel music. Born and raised in Brampton, Ontario, and a member of the Toronto [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 29, 2021
“I Believe” Fred Jerkins feat. Bishop Paul S. Morton From the DarkChild Gospel album A Project of Healing By Robert M. Marovich Not the 1953 inspirational pop song nor the James Fortune composition, this “I Believe” was written by Fred Jerkins and is the fifth radio single from A Project [...]
“El Shaddai” – Marjane’
“El Shaddai” Marjane Independent (release date: November 12, 2021) www.marjanemusic.com By Robert M. Marovich Who knew that the Hebrew words for Almighty God could sound so sinuous when lifted in a quiet storm jam? BET Sunday Best finalist Marjane’ (pron. Mar-ja-nay) proves it in her latest single, “El Shaddai.” The [...]
Darius Droc Jackson – The Great Commission
Darius Droc Jackson The Great Commission Independent (release date: July 17, 2020) www.youtube.com/mrdroc2010 By Robert M. Marovich I've heard plenty of independently-produced holy hip hop projects that leave me feeling meh. Whether it’s the hasty production, derivative beats, or humdrum rhymes, they fall short of their promise. Not so The [...]
Quentin Walston – The Good Book Suite
Quentin Walston The Good Book Suite (release date: November 20, 2021) www.quentinwalston.com By Robert M. Marovich Pianist-composer Quentin Walston’s The Good Book Suite is a four-part instrumental jazz piece with a spiritual foundation. A trio of piano, drums, and bass interprets Bible passages that brought Walston and his family through [...]
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