Kirk Whalum on Jazz: A Way to “Experience the Savior Who is Indescribable”
Photo Credit: Anna Webber By Bob Marovich From Mary Lou Williams to John Coltrane, jazz musicians over the years have, as Kirk Whalum puts it, “made a spiritual offering through their music.” With his celebrated series, The Gospel According to Jazz, Whalum makes his own spiritual offering, using [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: May 18, 2015
“Hero” AsOne feat. Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise From the Capital Christian Music Group CD AsOne (release date: May 23, 2015) www.asoneofficial.com By Bob Marovich Lisa Wright and Theresa Bailey are AsOne, billed as the first interracial gospel duo. Backed by the estimable strength of Lamar Campbell & Spirit [...]
Kirk Whalum: The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV (DVD)
Kirk Whalum The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV – Film/DVD Running time: 148 minutes Rendezvous Music (release date: May 19, 2015) www.kirkwhalum.com By Bob Marovich Whether you did or did not purchase the CD version of Kirk Whalum’s The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV when it was released this [...]
The Showers – (self titled)
The Showers The Showers A&P Records/Habakkuk Music/INgrooves (release date: April 21, 2015) www.theshowers.org By Bob Marovich The Showers is the national debut album for the Showers Family of Hammond, Louisiana, siblings who have been singing together since knee pants and recording since 2009. The octet pulled out all the stops, [...]
Funk Justice: 15 Fixes for Your Ministry Funks (Tami Rowbotham)
Funk Justice: 15 Fixes for Your Ministry Funks Tami Rowbotham Ministry Entrepreneur Press (2014) 251 pages Available from Amazon.com By Bob Marovich Confession time: I was once a burned out music minister. Years of organizing the music for a local church, Sunday after Sunday, had taken its toll. Music ministry [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: May 12, 2015
“All My Help” Pharis Evans Jr. & Loved Ones From the Fountain of Life CD Due Season www.facebook.com/fountainofliferecords Grammy- and Stellar-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer Pharis Evans Jr. comes from great musical stock—his uncle is Rev. Dr. Clay Evans and his father is Rev. Pharis Evans Sr. 'Nuff said. Not [...]
Tracey McFadden – I Still Believe
Tracey McFadden I Still Believe www.traceymcfadden.org By Bob Marovich Chicagoan Tracey McFadden’s debut album, I Still Believe, was recorded live at her home church, Bread of Life Missionary Baptist Church. An intimate gathering of friends and congregants support their home girl as she moves through eight selections. The best thing [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: May 5, 2015
“I Need U” Criss Righteous Rank 1 Entertainment Mention the name Criss “Righteous” Johnson to those in the know, and they will tell you he is a skillful accompanist who has worked with gospel quartets for decades. He even served as the longtime guitarist for Pastor Shirley Caesar. With “I [...]
Boyz of Triumph – Praise His Name
Boyz of Triumph Praise His Name Sharp Records (2015) www.reverbnation.com/theboyzoftriumph By Bob Marovich The Boyz of Triumph from Sycamore, Alabama, is a seven-member gospel quartet that blends the close harmony tradition with the contemporary gospel style. The harmonies are front and center on Praise His Name, the quartet's nine-track disc [...]
Murk – P31
Murk P31 Dedicated Music Group (release date: March 31, 2015) www.murkp31.com By Bob Marovich Christian hip hop artist Murk is a P31 girl. On her sophomore EP, P31, Murk employs rhymes and beats to encourage other women to join her in the movement. "P31" is a reference to Psalms 31, which sets [...]
The Gospel Angels – Turn It Around
The Gospel Angels Turn It Around (2012) www.thegospelangels.com By Bob Marovich The Gospel Angels of Washington, DC, have traveled the country and the world for more than three decades, serving up heaping helpings of church wisdom with a savory traditional gospel quartet flavor. Some of the songs on the group’s [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: April 27, 2015
“Just Jesus” Bishop Jonathan Greer Released February 3, 2015 Now when is the last time you heard “Just Jesus” sung as a single? Thank God for Bishop Jonathan Greer II and his choir. They righteously reprise the good old Zion song, which Greer did originally with the Cathedral of Faith [...]
Casey J – The Truth
Casey J The Truth Marquis Boone Enterprises/Tyscot Records (released April 21, 2015) www.tyscot.com By Bob Marovich The next best thing to a live gospel music program is listening to a live gospel music program on a recording. That’s why it was smart for Casey J to release her debut album, [...]
“Something Big” – Jekalyn Carr
"Something Big” Jekalyn Carr Luneal Music Group/Malaco Music Group (2015) www.malaco.com By Bob Marovich Young singers and pop music go together like bacon and eggs. In the gospel music industry, however, it can be more difficult for a young person to gain traction. Even though churches offer a variety of [...]
Robert E. Person – Love Divine
Robert E. Person Love Divine REP Music (2015) www.roberteperson.com By Bob Marovich The first thing you notice when listening to Robert E. Person’s new album, Love Divine, is the bigness of the singer's voice. It’s Broadway musical big, regardless of whether Person is summoning deep bass notes or launching into [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: April 20, 2015
“But God” Pastor Judge Gardner Jr. presents The Voices of Testimony Ensemble Twitter: @LTMCHICAGO Who can resist a hand-clapping choir rouser, Chicago style? I sure can’t. “But God” by the Voices of Testimony Ensemble from the Living Testimony Church on Chicago’s Southeast Side (Judge Gardner Jr., Pastor) satisfies the appetite [...]
Brother’s Keeper Explores Power of Forgiveness, Grace, and Suffering
Brother’s Keeper Desert Wind Films In Theaters May 29, 2015 www.brotherskeeperfilm.com By Bob Marovich Faith-inspired films can sometimes come off as one-dimensional as Hallmark made-for-TV movies. Not so Brother’s Keeper. Directed by T. J. Amato and Josh Mills and released by Desert Wind Studios, Brother's Keeper employs a smart and ever-unfolding storyline [...]
The Naddiks – 21CB
The Naddiks 21CB Manga Republic (2014) www.thenaddiks.com By Bob Marovich Inspiration comes from every direction, from around the world, and through all styles of music. On their EP 21CB (i.e., 21st Century Believer), Canberra, Australia rock trio the Naddiks blend the proto-punk of Stiff Little Fingers and the Undertones (or [...]
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