David Billingsley House of David – Volume 1 Intersound (release date: July 31, 2020) www.billingsleymusic.com By Bob Marovich Only two months after his album debut, Hymns from Grandma’s Living Room, jazz pianist David Billingsley has released his sophomore project, House of David, the first volume of self-penned instrumental jazz compositions. A Racine, Wisconsin, native now living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Billingsley is founder and executive director of the Billingsley School of Music and Arts, an academy that offers K-12 students access to arts education. The selections on House of David – Volume 1 are contemplative and thoughtful, designed to conjure the ...

“Ain’t Gonna Whistle Dixie Anymore” Paul Metsa and Willie Walker feat. Sounds of Blackness Rock the Cause Records (release date: August 8, 2018) http://irockthecause.org/aint-gonna-whistle-dixie-anymore-paul-me By Bob Marovich This multi-cultural mashup of genres—think Nitty Gritty Dirt Band meets gospel choir—is the ideal backdrop for a song denouncing white nationalism and its brazen disregard of historic fact and common sense. Reflecting on the memory of recent marches, hate crimes, Nazism, and symbols of the Confederacy, Twin Cities folk singer Paul Metsa, blues singer Willie Walker, and the award-winning Sounds of Blackness declare they “ain’t gonna whistle Dixie anymore.” In a play on the original lyrics ...

“He Saved Me” YaLonda Lolar-Johnson Thysongbird Music Group (release date: July 2017) www.thysongbird.com By Bob Marovich YaLonda Lolar-Johnson is distinctive in gospel music for hailing from two environments not particularly well known for producing many gospel artists: St. Paul, Minnesota; and the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Nevertheless, gospel is her favorite genre and on “He Saved Me,” a song written by vocal instructor Dileesa Archer, Lolar-Johnson admits she was to blame for some of the problems in her life. She also had too much pride to ask for help, so she threw herself a pity party. But out of her emotional darkness, ...

By Bob Marovich From the outside, it appeared as if Darnell Davis was on top of the world. He and his gospel group, Remnant, had signed with a major label, RCA Inspiration. They earned Dove Award and Stellar Award nominations for their 2014 release, Moving Forward. The CD cover photo depicted a smiling, confident Davis, mid-stride into a promising future. But in the midst of this, Davis was going through a divorce. It felt “like a physical death,” he told JGM. “Two people being literally ripped apart.” Those he thought were his friends stopped speaking to him. “I had to minister to people,” Davis explained, ...