JGM Pick of the Week: December 5, 2017
“I’m Saved” Dexter Walker & Zion Movement (release date: December 1, 2017) Available from Amazon.com By Bob Marovich Chicago is a choir town. Always has been. One of Chicago’s current crop of choir stars is Dexter Walker & Zion Movement. Crowned the best church choir in America at the 2012 [...]
Norris Garner / Szymon Markiewicz: God Created: Musical Oratorio (DVD)
Norris Garner / Szymon Markiewicz God Created: Musical Oratorio (DVD) Norris Garner Music (2017) norrisgarnermusic@gmail.com By Bob Marovich Several years ago, singer, director, and songwriter Norris Garner (“He’s Blessing Me”) wrote “God Created” while teaching gospel music workshops in Poland. His Polish colleague, conductor Szymon Markiewicz, suggested he turn the humble [...]
Liz McComb – Merry Christmas
Liz McComb Merry Christmas GVE (release date: November 24, 2017) www.lizmccomb.com By Bob Marovich Liz McComb is one of the finest exporters of American soul and gospel to Europe. For her first-ever holiday album, Merry Christmas, she has mined traditional carols as well as Christmas songs from the African American [...]
Dr. Clarence Eggleton and the Singing Ecclesiastics (s/t)
Dr. Clarence Eggleton and the Singing Ecclesiastics (self-titled) Clareton Music (2015) Available from Amazon.com By Bob Marovich Dr. Clarence Eggleton, a GRAMMY-nominated songwriter who wrote for artists from the Reverend James Cleveland to Sara Jordan Powell, convened several talented vocalists to breathe life into a dozen compositions from his catalog of more [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 27, 2017
“I Am Triumphant” Michelle Brooks-Thompson (2017) www.michellebrooksthompsonmusic.com By Bob Marovich On her new single, “I Am Triumphant,” gospel songstress Michelle Brooks-Thompson and her background singers console those who feel defeated by letting them know they are already winners. Their victory is already in the bag, through Christ Jesus. After the collective establishes the [...]
“Don’t Take Christ Out of Christmas” – Angelo and Veronica
“Don’t Take Christ Out of Christmas” Angelo and Veronica www.angeloandveronica.com By Bob Marovich Many Christmases ago, while driving through a suburb of Chicago, I passed a house with a giant lighted plastic Santa on the back deck. On the ground, in Santa’s shadow, was a miniscule Nativity scene. For me, Enormous [...]
The Gospelaires of Dayton, Ohio: Moving Up – The Early Years 1956-1965
The Gospelaires of Dayton, Ohio Moving Up – The Early Years 1956-1965 Gospel Friend (release date: November 17, 2017) www.gospelfriend.com By Bob Marovich The Gospelaires of Dayton, Ohio, were one of the hardest singing quartets on the gospel highway during the genre’s storied golden era. The quartet was part of [...]
“Not Alone” – Eric Maurice Clark feat. Minister Tim White
“Not Alone” Eric Maurice Clark feat. Minister Tim White From Songs from the Heart (release date: October 2, 2017) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ericmauriceclark By Bob Marovich For his album Songs from the Heart, emerging songwriter Eric Maurice Clark gathered together seasoned gospel singers and musicians to interpret his compositions, which range from Praise [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 21, 2017
“Come Too Far” New Golden Crowns of Louisville, KY Sharp Records (release date: June 1, 2017) Available from Amazon.com By Bob Marovich Organized in 1940 as the Golden Crowns, an a cappella quartet, the New Golden Crowns of Louisville, Kentucky, are comprised of a mixture of new members and a [...]
Ruth La’Ontra – I Got You
Ruth La'Ontra I Got You ALJR Music Group/Tyscot Records (release date: September 22, 2017) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich To the best of my recollection, the last time a Ruth Jones was in gospel music, she was a teenager singing with Sallie Martin. Finding it difficult to keep boy-crazy Ruth in [...]
Cheryl Fortune – Simply Cheryl
Cheryl Fortune Simply Cheryl LuDawn Music / Tyscot Records (release date: October 13, 2017) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich On a selection from her album Simply Cheryl, gospel singer-songwriter Cheryl Fortune sings: “You don’t know the half of it, and I just can’t tell it all.” Cheryl, a background vocalist for Kirk [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 14, 2017
“Sweet Beulah Land” Eddie Ruth Bradford (release date: September 25, 2017) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/eddieruthbradford3 By Bob Marovich The gospel songbird of Clarksdale, Mississippi, is at it again, this time with a mournful hymn about the eternal home. Backed by minimal instrumentation and the producer’s voice multi-tracked to simulate a male quartet (and a [...]
Geneatha Wright – In His Presence
Geneatha Wright In His Presence Godfather Records (release date: June 30, 2017) www.geneatha.com By Bob Marovich Since the untimely and tragic passing of the Reverend Timothy Wright in 2009, the Wright family has endeavored to sustain his gospel legacy through their own contributions to the genre. In particular, Wright’s son, [...]
Swingin Hammers – s/t
Swingin Hammers (self-titled) (release date: November 10, 2017) www.swinginhammers.com By Bob Marovich When one of the titles on an album is “Hangman,” you know the artist has experienced some kind of something. Confessional is the overall mood of Swingin Hammers, the self-titled debut album of singer-songwriter Benjamin Rupe, who performs [...]
“Just Fine” – Mama Sheila feat. Bryan Andrew Wilson
“Just Fine” Mama Sheila feat. Bryan Andrew Wilson Bryan’s Songs Records (2017) By Bob Marovich To a traditional gospel melody, a kick drum backbeat, and featuring preacher-style prompting from her son Bryan Andrew Wilson, Sheila Davis Wilson, as “Mama Sheila,” strings together familiar church sayings as her testimony about getting [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 6, 2017
“Wood and Nails” Josh Garrels and Audrey Assad From Work Songs: The Porter’s Gate Worship Project, Volume 1 (Live) (release date: October 6, 2017) www.portersgateworship.com By Bob Marovich "Wood and Nails," Josh Garrels and Audrey Assad’s feather-light and stunningly gorgeous duet, has its foundation in contemporary Christian music but its simplicity seems [...]
Chris Jasper – Thank You Jesus
Chris Jasper Thank You Jesus Gold City Music (2015; re-release date: August 11, 2016) www.ChrisJasper.com By Bob Marovich Someone once asked a singer to define the difference between gospel and jazz. The artist answered with two words: the lyrics. The same can be said about the difference between gospel and [...]
Higher Vision – For Your Kingdom
Higher Vision For Your Kingdom Syntax Distribution (release date: October 6, 2017) www.highervisionworship.com By Bob Marovich For Your Kingdom is the debut offering from the worship team of the 3,000+ member multigenerational Higher Vision Church, located in California’s Santa Clarita Valley. The album is an hour-plus of high energy stadium-sized [...]
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