Book Review: Nothing But Love in God’s Water
Nothing But Love in God’s Water: Volume 1: Black Sacred Music from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement Robert Darden Penn State University Press (224 pages) By Bob Marovich “A singing army is a winning army, and a singing labor movement cannot be defeated.” So proclaimed labor leader [...]
“Mary Did You Know” – The Bishops Quartet
“Mary Did You Know” The Bishops Quartet From I Know What Prayer Can Do (2014) www.thebishopsquartet.net Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene’s “Mary Did You Know” is one of the two or three Christmas songs to come out in recent times with real "legs," or longevity. The Bishops Quartet gives it [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: December 3, 2014
“Do Life Big” Jamie Grace From the Gotee album Ready to Fly (2014) www.gotee.com Isn’t it a pity and a shame how many in the gospel music community ignored Jamie Grace’s “Beautiful Day,” despite its longevity on the Billboard charts? It reminds me of how songstress Heather Headley won a [...]
Fred Hammond – I Will Trust
Fred Hammond I Will Trust RCA Inspiration (release date: November 17, 2014) www.rcainspiration.com By Bob Marovich One thing’s for sure: listen to Fred Hammond and you can't help but have a good time praising the Lord. His latest album, I Will Trust, is packed to the CD's brim with bracing [...]
Various Artists – Motown Christmas
Various Artists Motown Christmas Motown Gospel (2014) www.motowngospel.com By Bob Marovich Motown Christmas is the best yuletide album I have listened to in years. Gifted executive producer Aaron W. Lindsey (who also plays, writes, and sings on the album) seamlessly blends the old and the new with the sacred and [...]
JGM Christmas Pick of the Week: November 29, 2014
“Share Some Love” The North Carolina Community Choir From A Malaco Christmas (2014) Malaco Records www.malaco.com The irresistible North Carolina Community Choir offers this easygoing reminder of the real reason for the season. A team of tuneful soloists handles the verses, the choir harmonizes on the chorus, and a saxophone [...]
Bishop Charles R. Lyles & the New John Howard Gospel Caravan – “According to the Power”
"According to the Power” Bishop Charles R. Lyles & the New John Howard Gospel Caravan From the EP Payday (released August 2014) www.JHGCaravaninc.org The musicians set the drum machine tempo to rapid-fire, then all instrumentalists (including the human drummer) and the singers join in on this church-wrecking selection. Bishop Charles [...]
The Williams Brothers – Songs of Worship, Praise & Deliverance
The Williams Brothers Songs of Worship, Praise & Deliverance Blackberry Records (2014) www.blackberryrecords.com By Bob Marovich With more than 50 years of harmonizing under their belt, the Williams Brothers are an institution in the quartet community. The group’s longstanding willingness and ability to adapt to the latest in sacred and [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 25, 2014
“Real” BeWill www.bewillmusic.com Virginia singer, songwriter, rapper, and producer Will Stewart (aka BeWill) offers a brisk, refreshing ode to faith. It’s about the power of a God who he can’t see but nevertheless knows guides him throughout his day and provides beautiful gifts “from up above.” The inspirational message is [...]
Fisk Jubilee Singers impress audience with history, vocals | The Daily Beacon
Fisk Jubilee Singers impress audience with history, vocals | The Daily Beacon.
“Are You Ready” – J. Maddox
“Are You Ready” J. Maddox Jadox Music Group (2014) www.IAmJMaddox.com On “Are You Ready,” urban AC gospel artist William Jermaine Maddox (aka J. Maddox) knows what to do to prepare, should Jesus come “like a thief in the night.” Later in the song, he turns the question outward, to the [...]
JGM Christmas Pick of the Week: November 19, 2014
“Christ Is Born” Maurice Griffin From the CD My Holiday (2014) www.MauriceGriffinOnline.com Maurice Griffin’s new single, “Christ Is Born,” is a Christmas hymn and Praise & Worship song all in one gift-wrapped package (though I have a friend who thinks all P&W songs sound like Christmas songs). A finalist on [...]
“Fix My Choir” Helps Gospel Group Find Its Soul
“Fix My Choir” With Deitrick Haddon and Michelle Williams Wednesday, November 19, 2014 – 10 p.m. ET/PT Oxygen www.nbcunv.com By Bob Marovich To borrow the main conceit from The Wizard of Oz, Deitrick Haddon and Michelle Williams helped the Harmonistic Praise Crusade of New Orleans find its courage on the premiere episode of "Fix [...]
Bessie Jones with the Georgia Sea Island Singers and Others: Get In Union
Bessie Jones with the Georgia Sea Island Singers and Others Get In Union: Recordings by Alan Lomax 1959-1966 Tompkins Square (released, October 28, 2014) www.tompkinssquare.com By Bob Marovich Students of ethnomusicology and folk music enthusiasts fortunate enough to hear the two or three LPs of Bessie Jones and the Georgia [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 17, 2014
“I Got the Victory” Signature From the Birmingham Entertainment/Epic Entity Music Group album Bigger Than All (2014) www.WeAreSignatureMusic.com “I Got the Victory,” the latest single from Birmingham, Alabama female trio Signature, pulls its extroverted beats and holy swagger from the musical playbooks of Mary Mary and Trin-i-tee 5:7. Signature sings [...]
KSE Sunshine Band – Children in Perfected Praise: Live From Kansas City
KSE Sunshine Band Children in Perfected Praise: Live from Kansas City (2013) Available from digital music retailers By Bob Marovich Early in Church of God in Christ history, founder Bishop Charles Harrison Mason tasked the denomination’s Women’s Division to establish sunshine bands, or choral groups, to provide COGIC children with [...]
Kim Dexter – Reaching
Kim Dexter Reaching (released June 2014) www.kimdexter.com By Bob Marovich Completed thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, Reaching is the sophomore effort of singer-songwriter Kim Dexter, the Phoenix-born former lead singer of the Christian rock band, Mayfair Laundry. Reaching is a melodically lovely, atmospheric set of praise songs that pulls [...]
JGM Pick of the Week: November 11, 2014
“Sanctified Circle” Roy Tyler & Raphael Saadiq www.reverbnation.com/roytyler (510) 839-2884 – call between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time Former Gospel Hummingbird Roy Tyler and former Tony! Toni! Toné! member Raphael Saadiq have been teaming up recently to keep the standard of R&B-flavored gospel uplifted. This includes a recently [...]
