Rev. Dr. Clay Evans Passes Fellowship Choir Torch

The Chicago Tribune reported on the ceremonial passing of the torch of Fellowship MB Church's choral legacy from Rev. Dr. Clay Evans to current pastor, Rev. Charles Jenkins.

It occured during a live recording session Sunday, May 30, which was Jenkins' first as pastor. Previously all Fellowship recordings were made under Evans' leadership.

One quick correction: the article states that the Fellowship choir made its first recording in 1965. Its first album was actually recorded in 1962.

Read the article here:
Rev. Dr. Clay Evans

TBGB Pick of the Week: May 31, 2010

“I Found Love (Cindy’s Song)”
BeBe Winans
From the CD Still 2009
www.malaco.com

It appears that BeBe and CeCe Winans’ long-awaited comeback CD Still has produced yet another smash single, number three and counting.

“I Found Love (Cindy’s Song)” is a smooth BeBe solo with crossover potential to the contemporary R&B charts. “When I found you, I found love,” croons BeBe, and I can imagine this song will be heard at more than a few nuptials during the coming wedding season. On the other hand, change a word or two and “I Found Love” could also be a profession of love to one’s Savior, as well.

Chicago Celebrates Black History Month with Gospel Music Symposium

From Mack Mason:

Chicago Celebrates Black Music Month with a Gospel Music Symposium and Youth Gospel Concert!

OPENING NIGHT - DISNEY TV MOM SINGS AS GOSPEL DIVA

Mack C. Mason's THE GOSPEL TRADE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM 2010 kicks off on Friday, June 18, 2010 at 8:00 PM with an Opening Night Gala production featuring television's T'KEYAH CRYSTAL KEYMAH'S SALUTE TO GOSPEL'S ORIGINAL DIVA.

Votes are being cast and comments posted on various blogs (www.theblackgospelblog.com) and Keymah fan pages on networking sites like Facebook, where some say Mahalia Jackson is the original gospel diva. Others say Clara Ward or Rosetta Tharpe. Find out in this rousing evening of gospel song!

Keymah is a Chicago native, and a former Miss Black Illinois winner. In addition to her TV roles on Disney's "That's So Raven," Fox TV's sketch show "In Living Color," and CBS' "Cosby," Keymah is known for her stage performances singing as Dinah Washington in ETA Theatre's The Regal Theatre. Most recently, Keymah played the late COGIC Mother Elsie Shawn in Crowns - the Musical at her alma mater Florida A&M University.

Joining Miss Keymah and performing music by the Rage of the Gospel Age will be Symposium host Mack Mason, author of Saints in the Land of Lincoln, which has been hailed as Gospel Music 101.

If you love and remember the traditional sounds of Gospel's golden era, make plans to attend opening night at Christian Tabernacle Church, located at 4712 South Prairie Avenue (Tickets are: VIP $25, General $20, available at Christian Tabernacle 773.548.2500, Fletcher's One Stop 773.874.4484, and New Sound Gospel Store 773.785.8001. Groups of ten, call 630.336.5379 for 20% discount)

DAY TWO - YOUTH GOSPEL CONCERT with LEON LACEY
(FREE CDs to attendees while supplies last)

Day Two of the Gospel Trade Symposium features speakers, workshops and a spectacular Youth Gospel Concert on Saturday, June 19, 2010 at the historic Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ at 4021 South State Street in Chicago, IL.

Registration has been priced especially for our youth at only $10 (Lunch ticket additional $7, Limited sponsorship available).

Registration and Continental Breakfast begins at 9:30 AM, followed by worship group, Private Appointment with God.

10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Speakers and workshop panelists will include:

Symposium Host - Pastor Mack C. Mason on "WHY INDIES MATTER: From Precious Lord through Oh Happy Day until now." Mason encourages aspiring artists to begin preparing, commit to excellence and despise not day of small things.

Michael Weatherspoon, A&R dir. for Kingdom Records (Shekinah Glory, Kim Stratton, Brown Sisters) and Wilfred Moore of Las Vegas based Lerae Records will offer tips on quality demo production. Before you spend money on a demo you need to know WHAT RECORD COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR. Also how to get your demo into the right hands and heard by the right ears.

Professor Reginald Miles of Howard University with Bob Marovich and Mack Mason will reprise CHICAGO SCHOOL OF GOSPEL, their breakthrough history presentation during Bobby Jones Gospel at the Gospel Complex for Preservation and Education last year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Grammy winning producer, songwriter and speaker Tracy Williamson (Rance Allen Group) - "ANOINTING VS AMBITION IN AGE OF AMERICAN IDOL." Sheer talent is not enough. We must have a Biblical understanding of the anointing and maintain a holy life of worship which is key to lasting success.

Author and worship artist Sarah Byrd of St. Luke COGIC says, As seen on TV, dancing can be sensual entertainment. However you need insight into the praise dance phenomenon. Byrd asks, are you "DANCING WITH THE STARS OR DANCING LIKE DAVID?"

Paula Hayes Clarke of Atlanta, GA, organizer of Association of Gospel Songwriters, will empower aspiring songwriters with an exploration and understanding of "SUCCESS IN TODAY'S SONGWRITERS MARKET."

Many singers and songwriters unknowingly sign away their careers before they begin. Atty. Elliott Powell and TV actress T'Keyah Crystal Keymah will share on "CONTRACT BASICS: AVOIDING DANGER ON THE DOTTED LINE." Entertainment law is a specialized field. You need to know who to find the right attorney and the right agent for the right deal.

Day Two will conclude with a YOUTH GOSPEL CONCERT featuring finalists from The Urban Unction New Artists TV Showcase. It will feature Lerae Records artist Jack Yates of Minneapolis, MN, and from New York City, special guest LEON LACEY (songs like "Winners," "Who Else But God," "Deliver Me From Myself," "Swagg Like Christians"). Leon Lacey's super talent is only exceeded by his tremendous humilty and his desire to reach out to young people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Leon Lacey is a member of Eastern NY Second Jurisdiction and has appeared with his Live Orchestra at New York's Lincoln Center backing Kim Burrell; on Motown's anniversary with Michael Jackson at Madison Square Garden; Kirk Franklin; Yolanda Adams; and has written for Hezekiah Walker. Lacey's CD Prophecy features guests such as Donald Lawrence, Jackie McCollough, Nikki Ross and the late Pastor Timothy Wright.

This day has been prayerfully designed to minister to our youth as schools close for summer, in the midst of tremendous violence.

Pastors, Youth Leaders, Music Directors are invited to bring your youth. Come and reach out with us at THE GOSPEL TRADE SYMPOSIUM & YOUTH GOSPEL CONCERT.

For more information, contact: Mack Mason, 630-336-5379

"Holy to the Lamb" - Genita Pugh

“Holy to the Lamb”
Genita Pugh
Eternity Records Company
vids.myspace.com/genitapugh

Gospel singer Genita Pugh (“You Made it Possible”) delivers a flawless performance on “Holy to the Lamb,” a simple, traditional piece arranged in a “rocking chair” waltz tempo. The background voices provide a suitably strong foundation for Genita’s straightforward vocals, especially during the dramatic and beautiful conclusion.

Just goes to show that in gospel music, less can definitely be more.

TolumiDE - My Love

TolumiDE
My Love
TolumiDE Music 2010
www.tolumiDEmusic.com

Born in Canada, raised in Nigeria and now living in Washington, DC, the lovely female vocalist TolumiDE (an elision of her first and last names) has already made an impact overseas and in Canada, where she has won awards and nominations as a soloist and as a member of the all-female band, Woman Ah Run Tings. Her sound, which you can sample on her debut full-length CD, My Love, is as deliciously lilting as the proper pronunciation of her name (toe-LU-me-day).

My Love is at once different and in tune with today’s urban contemporary gospel sound. As the title track (and current single) demonstrates, the album combines the vibrancy of African polyrhythm, explosive techno and TolumiDE’s fetching African accent with lyrics that uplift, empower and inspire while remaining grounded in the realities of modern life. For example, “For Me” examines the internal struggle virtuous single women face even when looking for love in all the right places. “Because You Know” is an uncomplicated plea for universal love and peace that deserves a companion video. On “All Cell Phones,” the singer lets her hair down and calls for everyone to raise their cell phones in the air (the safe substitute for lighters, natch) and dance away in the spirit.

TolumiDE sings two songs in her native Yoruba language, “Ekabo” and “O Lagbara,” though the album never veers far from its African roots. An exception is “Colours of Life;” its poetic, melancholy beauty and generous swaths of melody sound like something from the creative genius of Michael Jackson.

My Love blends songs from TolumiDE’s first EP, Specialty, with brand new tracks, and the sum total is sweet, jazzy, soulful, powerful and an effective combination of world beats with inspirational lyrics and practical lessons. So turn up the volume, wave your cell phone in the air, and enjoy TolumiDE. Lagbara!

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “My Love,” "O Lagbara," “Colours of Life.”

Lil Beezy - Believer

Lil Beezy
Believer
Sharper Brothers Records 2010
www.sharperbrothersusa.com

“New Alpha” is a track on Lil Beezy’s album, Believer. It means “new beginnings,” and while Lil Beezy uses the term in its sacred context, it could just as easily describe Atlanta-based Sharper Brothers Records’ foray into holy hip hop.

Born Brandon Gooden in College Station, Texas, Lil Beezy entered the world of holy hip hop as a member of Troops In Combat (TIC) before taking his ministry solo at 18. Although Lil Beezy has several mix tapes and an underground CD under his belt, Believer is his first over-the-counter label release. It’s an auspicious national debut for a promising young Christian hip hop artist.

First off, Lil Beezy is an articulate rhymer who can conjure up so many similes in a row that his English teacher must be proud. The album’s production is crisp and holds its own against any HHH project out there. The songs bleed seamlessly into one another, giving Believer a three-dimensional feel.

“Can’t Lose” (“I will always be a winner” with God) features a techno-fueled CD skipping technique with a portion of Lil Beezy’s vocals channeled through auto tune. “Christian Lady” describes a relationship formed through Christian commonalities, while “March” is just that: a marching beat for the soldiers for Jehovah, an image that seems to serve as the album’s subtext. Meanwhile, “That Word” has a catchy melody, with Lil Beezy chanting what could ostensibly be his mission statement: to “show Christ to the youth.”

The Sharp/Sharper Brothers label group is best known for its quartet output, but with Believer, it may have stumbled upon a fortuitous new area of exploration. It certainly is the best product I’ve heard from the label thus far.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Can’t Lose,” “That Word.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Sean C. Johnson - Simply a Vessel Vol. 2: Faithful

Sean C. Johnson
Simply a Vessel Vol. 2: Faithful
Self-produced 2009
www.SeanCJohnson.com

Oklahoma’s Sean C. Johnson describes his style as “neo soul gospel.” Without a shred of ambiguity, the singer-songwriter's latest project, Simply a Vessel, Vol. 2: Faithful, bears this out.

Like the male counterpart of Lauryn Hill (although hopefully without all of the personal drama), Johnson and a battery of producers paint an inventive musical canvas on Faithful, blending samples of smooth soul, bursts of cool jazz and a hint of post-modern techno with an easy urban R&B groove. Check out the neo soul arrangements of the gospel hymns “What a Friend I Have in Jesus” (“What a Friend”) and “I’ll Fly Away” (“Fly Away”) and hear it for yourself.

Recommended tracks on Faithful include “Well Done,” on which Johnson welcomes his eventual transition beyond the earthly pale as a time when “I won’t have to pretend” and can “hang out with old friends.” (Take that, Mozart and your scary but stunning Requiem.) “Christian” is a simple ode to living by Christ's teachings, and “5 O’Clock” exposes just how tough that life can be, such as when a friend calls you in the middle of the night (morning) with a problem he or she needs you to solve. Johnson’s “It Ain’t Worth It” is a prayer for strength in the midst of temptations and devilment, but the singer is clear that he won’t give in “because I’ve got so much to lose…it ain’t worth it.”

For those lost in the music or taking in the lyrics at their surface level, Johnson uses the back cover to provide corresponding scripture references for each track.

I haven't heard Simply a Vessel Volume 1, so I cannot compare this volume to its predecessor. Nevertheless, I found Simply a Vessel Vol. 2 a fascinating and enjoyable work by a talented artist. Johnson's ability to marry compelling melodies with a kaleidoscope of well-placed sounds encourages multiple spins.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: "Well Done," "5 O'Clock," "Christian."

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

RIP: Alberta Carter Bradford, Minister of Music and Wife of Alex Bradford.

From Gregory Gay, who received the information from a friend in the Chesapeake Choral Union of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC):

On Friday, May 21, 2010, Mrs. Alberta Bradford went home to be with the Lord.

A celebration of life for Mrs. Bradford will be held Friday, May 28, 2010 at the Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church. The church is located at 2100 West Baltimore Ave., Baltimore, Maryland.

Viewing - 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Homegoing Services - 11:00 am

Let's pray for continued strength and comfort for her daughters Lisa and Denise.

Mrs. Bradford shared many hours of great gospel music with the Chesapeake Choral Union. As the union's first Minister of Music, she shared the good old songs of her late husband, Mr. Alex Bradford, as well as the songs that she was inspired to write.

In addition, she was a noted pianist and played for several groups, including Bradford's group, the Stars of Faith, and traveled with the cast of Black Nativity.

The Cheseapeake Choral Union has been asked to sing at Mrs. Bradford's homegoing services this Friday. Our attire will be black, we ask that you come help us celebrate the life of such a great woman.

Chicago Honors Its Gospel Legends June 4

Chicago is the birthplace of gospel music and on Friday, June 4, 2010, on the eve of the city's annual Gospel Fest, "Gospel Music According to Chicago" will honor its living legends, and bestow some posthumous awards, during its inaugural Hall of Fame.

The event will take place at Christ Universal Temple.

TBGB understands that tickets are selling quickly so to order yours, or for more information, visit the Gospel Music According to Chicago website at:
www.chicagogmac.org.

Various Artists - How Sweet It Was

Various Artists
How Sweet It Was: The Sights and Sounds of Gospel’s Golden Age
Shanachie/Spirit Feel 2010
www.shanachie.com

I didn’t think gospel authority Anthony Heilbut could top his superb compilation from 2005, When Gospel Was Gospel, but he has done so and then some with How Sweet it Was.

For one thing, How Sweet It Was includes a CD and DVD (hence the subtitle) so gospel enthusiasts can hear and see the genre’s leading performers in their prime. Secondly, the package contains several rare-as-hens-teeth unissued audio tracks that are for the most part live performances. Among these are cuts from Mahalia Jackson’s 1951 appearance at the Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts. Heilbut calls Mahalia’s Music Inn program a “triumph,” and hearing her trumpet “Didn’t It Rain” before a mixed audience, you realize it is as close as you can get to the raw, unfiltered New Orleans Halie from "back 'a town" before she signed with Columbia Records and became a household name.

On an unissued live performance of “Coming Home” by Dorothy Love Coates and the Gospel Harmonettes, Dot sings herself happy and Claude Jeter of the Swan Silvertones steps in to finish the song, giving listeners a unique opportunity to hear the two iconic artists working the same number.

Among the previously released selections, Morgan Babb and the Radio Four’s “My Imagination of Heaven” (1955) takes off on a rollercoaster of rhythm propelled by a washboard or string bass, or both. This Nashville quartet was cranking out the explosive rockabilly rhythm an easy two years before Elvis, Scotty and Bill raised the roof at the Memphis Recording Service in July 1954.

The project's DVD is compiled from “TV Gospel Time” performances of the early '60s and offer us rare glimpses of the performance techniques of artists such as Madame Emily Bram-Bibby, the Rasberry Singers, Robert Anderson, and Sister Jessie Mae Renfro. If you believe, as I do, that gospel artists are at their best when in front of a congregation vs. in front of a studio microphone, the DVD will strengthen your argument.

Toss in an authoritatively-written 32 page illustrated booklet by Heilbut, author of the classic book The Gospel Sound, and How Sweet It Was is not just a retrospective of that sweet, sweet spirit of gospel, it is a teaching opportunity.

Five of Five Stars

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

2010 Chicago Gospel Fest - The List of Performers

The 2010 Chicago Gospel Music Festival will be held Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 in Millenium Park, which is at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street.

Below is the list of currently scheduled artists (subject to change). TBGB recommendations are in boldface.

Saturday, June 5th

Walgreens Day Stage
Noon – Slayton Palms and Little Mount of Hope
12:45 pm – Mind Over Matter
1:30 pm – The Brown Brothers
2:30 pm – God’s House of All Nations
3:30 pm – Kenny Lewis & One Voice with Special Guest JJ Hairston

Inspiration Youth Stage
12:30 pm – St. James Ministries Youth Choir
12:55 pm – Dance – TBA
1:10 pm – Takaira
1:25 pm – Open Mic
1:45 pm – Youth In Christ
2:05 pm – Charles Middleton
2:20 pm – Brandon Smith & Under Thee Influence
2:45 pm – Open Mic
3:05 pm – The Turner Sisters
3:30 pm – Chrystal Harris
3:45 pm – New Nazareth Youth Choir
4:10 pm – Open Jam

Jay Pritzker Pavilion Stage
4:30 pm – Ricky Dillard & New G.
5:20 pm – Bishop Darrell McFadden & the Disciples
6:00 pm – Kathy Taylor
6:40 pm – Byron Cage featuring Mark Hubbard & The Voices
7:55 pm – Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Choir

Sunday, June 6th

Walgreens Day Stage
Noon – Doc and the New Heavenly Band
12:45 pm – Chicago Travelers
1:30 pm – The Chosen Ones
2:30 pm – Tony Tidwell and Favor
3:30 pm – Malcom Williams & Great Faith

Inspiration Youth Stage
12:30 pm – TBA
12:55 pm – Allison Jones
1:10 pm – Studio One – Little Ones
1:25 pm – Open Mic
1:45 pm -Pamma Jamma Girl (Gospel Rap) & Voice of Variety
2:05 pm – Studio One – Teens
2:20 pm – TBA
2:45 pm – Open Mic
3:05 pm – The Joy Choir of Christian Love
3:30 pm – Lucinda Jones
3:45 pm – Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir
4:10 pm – Open Jam

Jay Pritzker Pavilion Stage
4:30 pm – The Caravans (photo, above) featuring Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, Inez Andrews & Delores Washington
5:25 pm – Evangel Celebration Choir
5:55 pm – Pioneer/Legends featuring Elsa Harris and Paulette Bush
6:35 pm – Richard Smallwood and Vision
7:50 pm – Fred Hammond

The Gospel Festival is scheduled and presented by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. For more information, visit www.chicagogospelmusicfestival.us.

TBGB Pick of the Week: May 24, 2010

“You and Me”
dRenauld
From the album Sincere Praise (2010)
www.dRenauld.com

Born in Washington, DC, gospel artist dRenauld started singing at age five and hasn’t stopped since. He has been a member of Forgiven and SetApart, and currently serves as a worship leader at his church.

But it’s his captivating and earnest vocal delivery, an urban sound that is melodic and memorable, to say nothing of well-produced, that has me scratching my head as to why he remains unsigned by a major label. This guy brings the goods!

“You and Me” is an example of dRenauld's honest, genuine style. It is a ballad on the freeing power of Jesus’ death. dRenauld reminds us of the obvious, “He didn’t have to do it, but he did it anyway.”

Other songs from his Sincere Praise CD, such as "Touch" and "Got This Feeling," are equally superb. For fans of Marvin Winans, Jr., Jai Reed, Claude Deuce. dRenauld is one of the freshest sounding artists I’ve heard this year.

Mahalia Jackson's Neighborhood in New Orleans

While in New Orleans for the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) annual conference, where I presented a paper about the New Orleans influence on the performance style of Mahalia Jackson, I visited the area of Mahalia's "merry city" where she was raised.


The section of New Orleans, around Magazine and Walnut adjacent to Audubon Park, was cited in Lorraine Goreau's Just Mahalia, Baby as the singer's childhood community. Here are a couple of photographs of the area that I took on May 20, 2010.

Sighting in NOLA: Kevin Nutt of "Sinner's Crossroads"

While attending the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) annual conference in New Orleans this week, TBGB had a chance to say hello to fellow gospel announcer Kevin Nutt.

Kevin hosts the vintage gospel music program "Sinner's Crossroads" Thursdays from 7 to 8 p.m. on WFMU (www.wfmu.org).

He is pictured here displaying his fine collection of CaseQuarter recordings and a paper fan featuring the Silver Quinette's Vee Jay recording of "Sinner's Crossroads." Excellent advertising, Kevin!

"I Win" - Brittney Wright

"I Win”
Brittney Wright
From the forthcoming album The Beginning (release date: August 24, 2010)
YSC Muziq Group/Emtro Gospel
www.emtro.com

New artist and songwriter Brittney Wright’s urban contemporary single, “I Win,” is about overcoming adversity through belief in divine protection and the confidence that your success is sealed.

This talented, passionate singer puts heart and soul into the performance, but by the conclusion she is in danger of being swallowed whole, melody and all, by the complex rhythms and a massive wall of music. Let the lady sing!

Cadillac James - The Message in the Music

Cadillac James
The Message in the Music
(private press) 2010
(478) 228-3714

For The Message in the Music, “Cadillac James” Cotton from the famed Cotton Brothers gospel family of Macon, Georgia raids the smooth soul sounds of the 1960s and 1970s, and a portion of the funky 1980s, to clothe his church-based messages in vintage garb.

James even borrows some memorable melodies from the past, as well. You’ll hear Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” as the basis for James’ “Draw Back Your Bow” and the soul classic “Sideshow” for “When Praises Go Up.” Meanwhile, the timeless folksong “Kumbaya” governs “Stay Right Here Lord.”

Vocally, James reminds me of 1950s R&B singer Johnny Morisette (aka “Johnny Two-Voice”) because he sings with a rootsy blues nasality but can soar into falsetto (think the Spinners’ Philippe Wynne) at a moment’s notice.

In varying the musical styles on The Message in the Music, James does make two wrong turns. The twangy country sound of “Angels in a Heaven” and an uptempo, dare I say disco, version of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” simply do not fit.

Otherwise, the album ranks among Cadillac James’ best output, with his version of “When Was Jesus Born” reminiscent of the Patterson Singers’ pulse-racer from the 1960s. The album’s opener, “Uh-Oh, Something Good is Gonna Happen 2 U” is another high point, which comes complete with a line dance called the “Cadillac Slide.”

Three of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “When Was Jesus Born.”

Smokie Norful - Worship & A Word

Smokie Norful
Worship & A Word
EMI Gospel 2010
www.emigospel.com

EMI Gospel has made it possible for you to spend an hour, or two, or almost three with one of its biggest stars, Smokie Norful…the pastor.

As most know, Norful (“I Need You Now”) has parlayed his successful singing career into the establishment of his own church, the Victory Cathedral Worship Center in suburban Chicago. But if you cannot travel to hear the good pastor in person, you can listen to him speak via the new Worship & A Word series.

Each of the series’ three CDs – “According to Your Faith,” “The Myth of Unmet Needs,” and “Matters of the Heart” – runs from 45 minutes to an hour and showcases Norful’s engaging and personable repartee. He’s not a whooping preacher but a motivational teacher. He reminds the congregation that his messages are lessons, not sermons, and keeps things lively with generous doses of humor and relevant references. Norful is alternately playful and serious, but in all cases, he keeps it real. The congregation responds positively and affectionately to its leader, although their specific responses are hard to hear because the audience doesn’t sound miked.

The most poignant moment on the set occurs during “According to Your Faith.” Here, Norful recounts his parents’ hard-knocks upbringing in Arkansas, narrating a story of two people who struggled to make ends meet so their children could enjoy a better life than they did. For those unfamiliar with Norful’s back story, this will be an especially eye-opening experience.

Pastor Norful concludes each lesson with a brief song selection from his recorded portfolio that reflects the message lyrically.

Sermon albums are not the rage they once were. Labels such as Randy’s Spirituals, Jewel, Nashboro, Checker, Peacock, and Savoy used to pepper their gospel and spiritual catalogs generously with album-length messages by the country’s most popular ministers. Some, such as Revs. James Cleveland, Cleophus Robinson and C.L. Franklin, could be heard preaching and singing. Perhaps Worship & A Word will ignite a resurgence of commercially available sermons and sermonettes so they do not end up entombed in the catacombs of church tape ministries or, worse yet, erased and lost forever.

Four of Five Stars

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

"Soldier of Love (freestyle)" - JunSix

“Soldier of Love” (freestyle)
JunSix
From The Braindrain Mixtape
(anticipated release date: May 2010)
www.junsixmusic.com

On his new single, “Soldier of Love,” Christian rapper JunSix (“Same Sa-Song”) tells the truth: there “ain’t enough soldiers of love…but many soldiers of hate.” With all the devilishness in the world, he’s “waiting for love to come and turn this game around.” Me too. All this to an appropriately melancholy marching beat.

TBGB Pick of the Week: May 17, 2010

"Searched All Over/Nobody Greater"
VaShawn Mitchell
From the forthcoming EMI Gospel album Triumphant (available August 10, 2010)
www.emigospel.com

At a live recording session in the Atlanta area last August, the multi-talented VaShawn Mitchell laid down the tracks for his forthcoming album, Triumphant. The current single from the album is "Searched All Over/Nobody Greater."

VaShawn is known as one of gospel's "triple threats" because he is a songwriter, singer and producer. He likes to inject a little churchiness into his work, too, but for this single, the writing and producing are by Darius Paulk and the amazing Daniel Weatherspoon, respectively. The result is a low-key, atmospheric praise song with a mantra-like chorus: "Searched all over/Couldn't find nobody greater than you."

From what I'm hearing, signs point to this becoming a solid single for the young man who should more appropriately be referred to as a "triple blessing."

Edwin Hawkins Fellowships with the Chicago Area Gospel Announcers Guild

Living legend Dr. Edwin Hawkins (right) was the guest of honor in Chicago this afternoon at a special pre-celebration of the 40th anniversary of his breakout gospel recording, "Oh Happy Day."

President Dennis Cole and the Chicago Area Gospel Announcers Guild, along with the Edwin Hawkins & Walter Hawkins Music and Arts Love Fellowship Conference, presented today's event, which was held at the historic Fellowship M.B. Church.

Several Chicago-based artists, including Rev. Walter Butts and the Brown Sisters (below), offered their own renditions of the now iconic song, which upon its release in 1969 by the Northern California State Youth Choir heralded the urban contemporary gospel sound and catapulted Hawkins and his family into mega-stardom.

The 29th Annual Edwin Hawkins & Walter Hawkins Music & Arts Love Fellowship Conference will be held in Chicago June 20 - 26, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare. The Pre-Conference Musical will take place at Greater Harvest Baptist Church and the Mass Choir live recording at Christ Universal Temple.

For more information, visit www.musicandartslovefellowshipconference.org.

Photo credit: Bob Marovich

It's Getting Late in the Evening - The Miller Singers

The Miller Singers
It's Getting Late in the Evening
Sharp Records 2010
www.sharprecordsusa.com

The Miller Singers is a family group from Birmingham, Alabama that specializes in down-home, traditional gospel music. Their sound is raw but genuine, recalling the bass-driven soul gospel that was particularly popular in the 1970s.

It's Getting Late in the Evening, the Miller Singers' seven-track CD for Sharp Records, is hit-and-miss. The group shows potential on the up-tempo "Some How" and the closer, "Oh Church," and the harmonies on "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" are lovely. The musicians keep a steady, rhythmic firmament for the singers. On the other hand, the group has difficulty tightening up the harmonies on, and arrangement of, "Something On My Mind."

More than likely, the Miller Singers are best enjoyed live and interacting with an audience or congregation. Should they decide to do another CD, therefore, they might want to make it a live recording.

Two of Five Stars

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

TV Star T'Keyah as Gospel's Original Diva

But which gospel diva is the original?

You have to attend to find out! Call (630) 336-5379 for information and tickets.

F1 Diamond - "God Loves the Hood": The Video

You read about F1 Diamond's "God Loves the Hood" right here. Now watch the video:

Everywhere I Go - The Voices of Clouds

The Voices of Clouds
Everywhere I Go
VOC Records 2009
www.thevoicesofclouds.com

While the Voices of Clouds have been around for more than fifty years, waxing their first singles in the late Sixties for the Song Bird label, Seventies soul gospel enthusiasts will remember Charlie Wells and the quartet from their successful recordings on Hoyt Sullivan’s HSE imprint. Truthfully, and thankfully, their sound hasn’t changed much since then.

Proof positive: on their new, self-produced release, Everywhere I Go, the hard-singing quartet originally from Panama City, Florida demonstrates their commitment to the traditional sound that has carried them up and down the gospel highway. Sure, some of the instrumentation and harmonies have been adjusted to meet today’s contemporary standards, but the repertory is out-and-out traditional. For example, the title track is also known as “You Must Come In at the Door.” “Pilgrim and a Stranger,” “I’m a Soldier,” and the upbeat “Yes, My Jesus Cares” are quartet favorites.

“All I Had is Gone” is a story song in the Pilgrim Jubilees tradition: a mother gone on home, the loved one who grapples with the loss, and the wise quartetter who works extra hard to help the bereaved, his old schoolmate, get through his pain.

The album contains more mid- and up-tempo tracks than you find on most quartet projects. True to its theme, “Old Revival Going On” is a driving number on which the group exudes the excitement and fun of quartet singing. Ditto for “I Want My Crown,” one of the set’s best selections, which contains a superb hard-sung vamp. “Who” chugs along at mid-stride, but it ends suddenly, as if the producer halted the performance to set up another take.

Everywhere I Go is a delightful listen from a group that has held fast to the old time way.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Old Revival Going On,” “Yes My Jesus Cares,” “I Want My Crown.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

"Closer" - Donna McAfee

“Closer”
Donna McAfee
www.cdbaby.com/Artist/DonnaMcAfee

Los Angeles-based Donna McAfee released her contemporary gospel debut CD So Blessed some years ago, garnering praise from Billboard. Since then, she has been a willing worker behind the scenes, producing award-winning commercial jingles and successful programs such as the gospel hip hop show, "West Coast Praze."

Donna has now decided to release some new music of her own, starting with "Closer," a lovely, intimate inspirational ballad. She sings this ode to acquaintance with the Almighty in a sweetly smooth pop voice like Minnie Riperton, but in a slightly lower register. Piano accompaniment keeps the arrangement light and airy.

TBGB Pick of the Week: May 10, 2010

“So What”
5 A.M. Praise
From the forthcoming Born Again Records album
All From Above – The Best of 5 A.M. Praise
www.5ampraise.org

“So What” is from biological sisters Temera and Toy, better known as the Stellar Award-nominated duo 5 A.M. Praise. It’s the first radio single from their third upcoming album, All From Above-The Best of 5 AM. Praise.

Amidst an insistent marching beat and techno wallpaper interrupted occasionally by swirls of polyrhythm, the sisters shrug off bad vibes and negativity with a “so what” because they “stand on the promises of God.”

The song has an interesting back story: MSG John B. Royston, Jr., who co-wrote “So What,” is serving in the U.S. Army and actually wrote some of the lyrics while in Iraq. The song’s intensity was no doubt inspired in part by life in a war zone.

Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir Forming; Seeks Members, Musicians

From a press release:

(Brooklyn, NY – May 10, 2010)

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Council Member Letitia James will announce the formation of the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir, co-founded by Francisco (Frank) A. Haye, Jr., at Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street (between Court and Adam Streets), Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, June 10 at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Auditions to join the choir will be held on both Thursday, June 10 and Saturday, June 12.

Thursday auditions will be held at Borough Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday auditions will be held at Elim International Temple in the Tabernacle, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., 20 Madison Avenue (between Classon and Franklin Avenues), Brooklyn, New York where Archbishop Eugene J. Blount is Senior Pastor.

The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir is an ensemble committed to bringing the city together through artistic expression. The ensemble will encourage residents to appreciate, learn and celebrate the diverse cultures which make the City of New York great.

“The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir is a group of performing ambassadors that will spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ through song,” said Frank A. Haye (photo above). “The choir will not only perform in the tri-state area, but throughout the United States and abroad. The ensemble will record and minister to different denominations, outdoor music festivals, concert halls and private functions. All members of the ensemble will receive world-class musical training and an opportunity to fellowship with musicians from diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. Our motto is simple…One Great City, One Great Choir to the Glory of God."

With the support of many in the community, the event will be co-hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Council Member Letitia James. "I am thrilled to join Council Member Letitia James and co-founder Frank Haye in 'singing the praises' of the new Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir. The choir's diverse voices will use artistic expression and 'perfect harmony' to add yet another verse and chorus to the 'beautiful music' of our city -- Brooklynites and New Yorkers from all communities living side-by-side each and every day."

Central Brooklyn is known for its cultural arts institutions and initiatives, and the choir’s home base will be located in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, where Council Member Letitia James represents the 35th District. "I first witnessed Frank Haye's work as a choir director and musician during his tenure at Emmanuel Baptist Church, my home church in Brooklyn,” said James. “Frank's incredible knowledge and love of gospel music, as well as his gifts as performer and mentor are the perfect combination for his next career venture to head up the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir. As Council Member my free time is limited, but my singing skills are above average and if I could carve out time, I would not hesitate to sing under the tutelage of Frank Haye."

Community residents throughout New York City and the tri-state area interested in joining the choir should come prepared to sing one of the following songs of their choice acapella for 30 seconds. The list of songs include "Amazing Grace," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," "I Won't Complain," "We Are The World," "I Need You To Survive," "Speak To My Heart," "Even Me," "My Soul Is Anchored In The Lord," "Jesus Is Love," "Center of My Joy," "Stand," and "Blessed Assurance." All participants will be notified of their involvement in the choir following the auditions.

All musicians should come prepared to play a song of their choice and participate in a 15 minute interview. Musicians should bring their own instrument(s) to play with the exception of the piano. All interested participants must be at least 18 years old.

In September 2010, The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir will begin regular rehearsals twice a month for all choir members and musicians. Further information on start date, time and rehearsal location will be forwarded at a later date. For information on the auditions, please call 718-307-7808 or email at BICAuditions@aol.com.

Photo Credit: Crystal Blake

George Moss - "Go Hard or Go Home": The Video

TBGB reviewed George Moss' single, "Go Hard or Go Home," in March.

Now Dreamlight Entertainment announces the release of the original music video of “Go Hard or Go Home." The Grand Rapids-based Moss played a large part in writing, producing and directing the video, which premiered on Rapzilla (www.rapzilla.com) Tuesday, May 4th.

Moss wrote and choreographed the catchy and innovative video, along with Chris Fugitt of Chris Fugitt Photography. Fugitt is also responsible for filming the video. “It was great to be involved in every aspect of the process – from directing and producing to editing,” says Moss. “I like the subtle imagery that I was able to incorporate.”

Watch the video below:

"My Momma Song" - Cadillac James

"My Momma Song"
Cadillac James


Gospel artists have delivered more odes to mother than have been heard since the Victorian era. Praying mothers, singing mothers, shouting mothers, dying mothers. Even the absence of the family matriarch (aka "Motherless Child") is a cause for tuneful remembrance.

"Cadillac James" Cotton of the famed Cotton Brothers adds "My Momma Song" to the collection. This Mother's Day salute is a simple, melancholy tribute to the woman who "made our house a happy home" and dedicated to "all the mothers, all over the world."

"My Momma Song" is another holiday tribute for the Cotton Family. The Cotton Brothers' radio single about New Year's Day, "Another New Year," was remixed recently by Cadillac James, who also released a Christmas album.

Copies are available for sale at:
Queen's Management
PO Box 3191
Macon, GA 31205
or Call 478-461-4357
or 478-228-3714

Give Me the Gospel Truth - Dr. W.L. Mobley Sr. & the Gospel Truth Choir

Dr. W.L. Mobley, Sr. and the Gospel Truth Choir
Give Me the Gospel Truth
(private press) 2008

Dr. Wealthy L. Mobley is my newest role model for healthy living.

At 89, Mobley is fit and trim, looking like he's preparing for the Olympics. He runs a successful church on Chicago’s far south side, sings, preaches, feeds the local senior citizens, and – with music director Min. Theodore Gilmore, Jr. – released dynamite in a package: Give Me the Gospel Truth. This project, recorded live at the church in May 2007, is proof that self-produced CDs can be every bit as powerful as major label releases.

Mobley served as assistant to recording preacher Rev. H.R. Jelks of Chicago's Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and was a childhood chum of Sam Cooke and the Cook Family, so he knows something about traditional. The album is rife with back-in-the-day arrangements and new versions of longtime favorites, including Mobley’s own conversational take on the Boyer Brothers’ “Step By Step.” The choir gives “Eyes Have Not Seen” an uncharacteristic but engrossing up-tempo treatment. Appropriately spirited choral singing can be found on “We’re Going To Have a Good Time.”

The fantastic hard singing Rosetta Stokes puts you in the front row of church with “Take Your Burden to the Lord,” while Gilmore leads the brisk, quartet-style “Fix It Lord Jesus.”

Give Me the Gospel Truth is as genuine as its namesake church and a joy to hear.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Fix It Lord Jesus,” “We’re Gonna Have a Good Time,” “Eyes Have Not Seen.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Roy Tyler and New Direction - "A Better Home" Live

West coast quartetter Roy Tyler is no stranger to The Black Gospel Blog.

Tyler sent us a video from the October 2009 Mill Valley (California) Film Festival, on which he leads New Direction on "A Better Home." It's a song he recorded back in the day with the Gospel Humming Birds (Bar-Tone).

Tyler and New Direction kick into full gear about 1:50 and sound as if they could have gone all night long.

"Still Got Work" - Totally Dedicated

“Still Got Work”
Totally Dedicated
From the forthcoming album QuarTemporary
www.totallydedicated.net

QuarTemporary. The title of Totally Dedicated’s forthcoming album describes the group’s sound perfectly (and it's a better term than "ConTet").

The group's latest single, “Still Got Work,” offers the vocal smoothness of the Christianaires, but with a funkier beat and a more soulful groove. The lyrics exhort everyone to keep working until you are living right. Not all who pay tithes and praise with arms raised are there yet.

The members of this Louisville, Kentucky-based group are Charles "Noo" Simmons, Ben "Black" Bush, Raymond "Three" Noah, Steve "Stuff" Frazier, Demarcus Everett and Ricky Wiggington. Enthusiasts of contemporary and traditional quartet will enjoy this track.

Pastor Ray Berryhill & the Evangel Celebration Choir - Celebration Live (Vols. 1 and 2)

Pastor Ray Berryhill & the Evangel Celebration Choir
Celebration Live, Volumes One and Two
www.evangelchicago.org

Oh, if only every church had a choir like the Evangel Celebration Choir.

Listening to Celebration Live, two privately-pressed CDs by Evangel World Outreach Center on Chicago’s north side, it’s no surprise that the Evangel Celebration Choir was selected best in Chicago and a finalist in the 2009 Verizon How Sweet the Sound Competition. Pastor Ray Berryhill’s intercultural ensemble has a big sound without screaming or pushing their voices. The choir also demonstrates an arsenal of vocal techniques as effortlessly as Olympic skating teams performing their compulsories.

The choir’s style is traditional with a touch of the contemporary, and contemporary with a touch of the traditional. It’s also 100 percent churchy, a can’t-miss for fans of Ricky Dillard, Father Hayes and the Cosmopolitan Warriors, and Walt Whitman, the latter who was a member of Pastor Berryhill's gospel group Ray Berryhill & Company back in the day.

Beautiful, rich tones accompany the group’s performances of gospelized anthems, such as Volume One’s appropriately titled “Majesty” and “The Heavens are Telling,” the latter a showcase piece for early twentieth century senior choirs in mainline Protestant churches of the urban north. The choir’s prayerful majesty shines through on “Grateful,” a extended track on Volume Two.

Especially interesting from the historical perspective is Berryhill’s programming of First Church of Deliverance gems, such as the Spiritual church’s arrangement of the Angelic Gospel Singers’ “Touch Me, Lord Jesus,” which would make Julia Mae Kennedy smile with contentment. The rousing handclapper “I’m So Glad Jesus Lifted Me” opens Volume One’s “Praise Medley,” which by the conclusion becomes a fiery evangelical piece, courtesy of a hard singing female vocalist.

It is the resurrection of classic gospels such as “Touch Me Lord Jesus,” “The Blood Will Never Lose its Power” and “Is Your All on the Altar” on these CDs that are most memorable. But no, the group’s signature arrangement of Richard Smallwood's “Total Praise” from the How Sweet the Sound competition is not on these CDs. You'll have to get your dose of that via YouTube, at least for now.

Interested parties will need to contact the church to purchase Celebration Live, but if you enjoyed Evangel Celebration Choir at How Sweet the Sound this past year, there is no doubt you want to hear more.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Yes I Know Jesus,” “Praise Medley,” “The Lord Is Blessing Me.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Margaret Aikens-Jenkins on YouTube

Many know the name Margaret Aikens from her songwriting ("Stranger in Galilee," "Brighter Days Ahead," "Thy Grace is Sufficient for Me"); her publishing work with Ollie Lafayette (Aikens and Lafayette); her record label (Mag-Oll); or her singing (Ladies of Song, Meltones).

Margaret was a Chicago mover and shaker who moved to California and remained active in the local gospel music scene for many years. She received so many awards that her walls were packed with them.

"Aunt Margaret" has since gone on home to her eternal reward. This short video, courtesy of her daughter Marie Wakefield, demonstrates that she sang and played with that petite charm and gleam in her eye until the very end.

So if you have never laid eyes on Margaret, who may not be as well-known as other gospel pioneers but deserves every bit the same props, or haven't seen her in a long while, here you are!

Ladies and Gentleman, Chicago's own Margaret Aikens-Jenkins!

Chicago's Tracy Worth on BET Sunday

Go, Tracy, Go!

From a press release:

Black Entertainment Television (BET) is celebrating Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 11:00 AM EST when the Sunday morning staple “Video Gospel” premieres new videos that every mother will love.

A very poignant moment will be when the show broadcasts the premiere of Tracy Worth’s new video, “Christ Is All.”

The Chicago-based singer is best-known for her 2005 radio smash “I’ll Follow You” with Melvin Williams of The Williams Brothers. Since that time, she has endured a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. She’s also survived breast cancer and two rounds of chemotherapy. In one scene, (spoiler alert!) Worth is looking in a mirror as she pulls off her wig to showcase the hair loss due to her therapy. She says that through her illness, she learned that “Christ Is All” for her and recorded the song in gratitude to God for her healing her.

TBGB Note: Tracy's selection of "Christ is All" is not happenstance. She is a fan of the gospel compositions of another Chicagoan, the late Mr. Kenneth Morris, who wrote "Christ is All." Coincidentally, many of Morris's finest compositions were written while he was struggling with his own health issues.

The song is now available for digital download on itunes and amazon.com.

Smokie Norful Presents Victory Cathedral Choir

Victory Cathedral Choir
Smokie Norful Presents Victory Cathedral Choir
EMI Gospel (2010)
www.emigospel.com

Although the Victory Cathedral Choir, from Pastor Smokie Norful’s Victory Cathedral Worship Center in west suburban Chicago, is comprised of the church rank-and-file, it certainly sounds as professional as they come. The members represent a range of ages, but together, the choir exudes a youthful energy that shakes the walls of Chicago’s famed Fellowship M.B. Church where its self-titled debut album was recorded.

The soloists on the album, most of whom are choir members, are superb, most especially choir director Keshia McFarland. On “Your Latter,” a song that reminds the listener that “your best is yet to come,” McFarland transitions easily from hard singer to fiery aisle-walking evangelist by the reprise.

The choir performs the whole spectrum of gospel sounds, from the rhythmically exciting “Come Too Far” (as in “I’ve come too far to stop now”) and the churchy hand-clapper “The Greatest Name” to the reverent worship anthem “You Are Holy,” with McFarland again working her magic as lead vocalist. “I’m Still Here” is a new song penned (and led) by Norful but driven by the classic Baptist “rocking chair” beat. It has all the elements of a gospel single.

The stellar lineup of musicians includes Inez Andrews’ son Richard Gibbs on organ and the always capable Joey Woolfalk on guitar.

An especially nice touch in the liner notes is the list of all choir members by section. When some artists fail to acknowledge their key musicians on the CD, the fact that Norful gives props to each and every chorister is notable. Not surprising, though: Pastor Norful sounds proud as a new papa as he introduces his church choir to the world.

Four of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Come Too Far,” “The Greatest Name,” “I’m Still Here.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

TBGB Pick of the Week - May 3, 2010

"It's All God"
Soul Seekers feat. Pastor Marvin Winans
From the My Block Records CD SS2 (2010)
www.facebook.com/thesoulseekersmusic

The eight-member Soul Seekers quartet blends lovely harmonies with a message and old-school singing from Pastor Marvin Winans on the live "It's All God."

The collective suggests on this lulling ballad that when "just anybody" has plenty of material possessions and friends for which to be grateful, he or she says, "It's all good," but they "know better," and say instead, "It's all God." From the live audience's clear assent to "It's All God," the first single off the quartet's sophomore album, SS2, their message clearly hit the mark.

The Soul Seekers are Teddy Campbell, Warryn Campbell, Nisan Stewart, John "Jubu" Smith, Gerald Haddon, Charlie Bereal, Craig Brockman and Eric Seats.

Laymetha - Cornerstone

Laymetha
Cornerstone
(private press) 2009
www.laydsingproductions.com

Laymetha Reed-Guy of Chester, Virginia pursued a pop career, writing and performing her own songs. She won a major competition and even had a Capitol Records contract in hand nearly twenty years ago, but nothing ever happened. She turned to singing gospel almost immediately, and hasn’t looked back since.

Her most recent project, Cornerstone, is a short, simple CD, a no-frills reading of traditional gospel songs with contemporary flair. Laymetha is the kind of straight-ahead singer who opens a gospel program and gets the congregation warmed up and in the spirit.

While she is a songwriter, Laymetha chose for this project to include all classics, such as “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” “Since I Met Jesus,” and “Because He Lives.” Her accompaniment is traditional as well, with piano, organ drums and bass laying down the musical foundation.

The CD concludes with soundtracks for four of the songs so you can sing them yourself…but bring your own lyrics, because the liner notes do not include them.

Three of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Because He Lives.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.