Category: News

“Make Me New” – Mali Music and Together We Stand Community Choir

“Make Me New”
Mali Music and Together We Stand Community Choir (2011)

By Shaundria Williams
Special Contributor

Check it!  My “baby cousin” Mali Music is the business.  He ministers to my inner head banger especially in the intense worship single “Make Me New.”  He is featured on The Alaskan Project 2010 which was recorded live in Fairbanks, Alaska with the Together We Stand Community Choir. 
“Make Me New,” written by Jamaal “Mali Music” Pollard, takes you through the humble conversation of renewal between the creation and the creator.  It then bursts into the bold fight through the pain and turmoil of feeling unworthy and disconnected from the Savior before ushering you into a fresh and new beginning in Christ.  The vamp mellows back to the peace you remembered before.  Awesome worship!  
According to its bio, Together We Stand is a Christian non-profit corporation and charitable outreach ministry under the covering of True Victory Baptist Church.  The organization was founded by Minister Anthony and Louis Buie.

Rev. Dr. Luke Powery to serve as Duke Chapel’s first Black dean

Duke University recently announced the new dean of its historic Duke Chapel.  Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, scholar, preacher, and singer, has been named the chapel’s dean and is the first Black to fill this position in the chapel’s history.  Newsobserver.com has the feature here.

“I Still Have A Praise Inside of Me” – Georgia Mass Choir

“I Still Have A Praise Inside of Me”
Georgia Mass Choir (2012)
Savoy Records
Available on iTunes

Rev. Milton Biggham and the Georgia Mass Choir are mainstays in traditional choir music.  Whether shooting movie scenes (The Preacher’s Wife), appearing at athletic events (the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta) or being featured on their own recorded DVDs and CDs, their sound appeals to both church and mainstream.  In fact, the opening lines of Georgia Mass Choir’s slow and introspective current single “I Still Have A Praise Inside of Me,” lyrically channel Kirk Franklin and God’s Property’s “More Than I Can Bear.”  After having reflected on the hardest of life’s trials–fires, floods, brokenness, and the like–the choir’s resounding refrain, led by Rev. Biggham and Victor Broughton, is the triumphant “but I still have a praise inside of me!”

Georgia Mass Choir’s single is a timely message of resilience in the midst of trying times.

Regina Belle talks about health, new project

NPR.org recently published an inspiring interview with singing sensation Regina Belle during which she details her health struggles and discusses her latest gospel music project.  You can hear it or read the transcript here: Gospel Singer Regina Belle Reaches ‘Higher’.

“Destiny” – Desirée

“Destiny”
Desirée (2012)
http://www.desireelive.com/

“Everything you go through in life is meant to bring you to your destiny.”

Desirée Ogali delivers this line as if taught from experience.  Indeed, the inspirational gospel artist’s bio explains that her current single “Destiny” is the story of her life.  A simple keyboard and drum track support her soprano vocal.

Music has been a major part of Desirée’s life for as long as she can remember.  Her mother is a singer and her father is a singer/band leader in their home country of Nigeria.  By the time she was nine, Desirée was writing and tapping out tunes on the keyboard herself.  She is presently a music director and worship leader in Miami, FL.

“How Glorious and Excellent is Our God” – Freda Battle & The Temple Worshippers f. Rodney Posey

“How Glorious and Excellent is Our God”
Freda Battle & The Temple Worshippers feat. Rodney Posey
From the upcoming CD, How Glorious and Excellent is Our God (Available July 17, 2012)
Peace-O-Mind Music

Just right for a hot summer day of driving along the freeway with the radio up and windows down is “How Glorious and Excellent is Our God,” the feel-good, worship-filled, bumpin’ single from Freda Battle & The Temple Worshippers’ new CD by the same name.  The forthcoming album is their first in six years.

Produced by brothers Gerald and David Langford, “How Glorious and Excellent is Our God” goes hard with big horns, big bass, and big voices–all declaring the greatness of the Lord.  Interposing the hymns your grandma churched on, Battle and the choir insert a stanza of “It Is Well With My Soul” before handing the song over to guest vocalist Rodney Posey and taking it back for their next interjection, “I Will Trust in the Lord,” between the song’s choruses.  Battle then returns the lead chores to Posey for the remainder of the declaration of God’s glory and excellence.

The full-length project drops Tuesday, July 17.

“Giving God the Glory!”

Calhoun

Jacqueline Calhoun of Anderson (TX) and Stephanie Jackson of St. Louis (below) usher in the presence of God through their solo offerings at the GMWA Quartet Division’s Tuesday night program.

Jackson
Editor’s Note: On Thursday, July 12, Stephanie Jackson was named the winner in the solo category of the GMWA Quartet Division’s “Quartet Quest.”  The group G5, consisting of preteens and teens, earned top honors in the quartet/group category.  Winners received a cash prize and will be given a chance to record with quartet producer and CEO of MILestONe Enterprises, Milon Fenner.

Africa's Glorious Lamps make their first GMWA appearance

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Twenty-two years ago, they were all incarcerated for refusing to serve in a force engaged in killing their fellowmen.  Today, they are shouting “hallelujah” and giving God praise for their spiritual and physical freedom.

The Glorious Lamps (left) brought the GMWA crowd to its feet at the Monday night musical, as much for their testimony as for their energy and uptempo song.  Sometime after being incarcerated, the men were overheard singing together, and the rest is simply divine intervention.

“You guys don’t belong in here,” they were told by the official who overheard them.

“And he backed up the truck,” recalls a group member, “and put us on this truck, and [carried] us to the next liberated country, the Ivory Coast.”
Other house-wrecking performances during the Monday night musical were Atlanta’s Chosen Aggregation (“God Specializes”), Timiney and Anasia Figueroa (“I Decided to Make Jesus My Choice”), and the Cincinnati chapter of GMWA with a sweltering medley (“Two Wings/I’ll Fly Away”).  The Dallas chapter’s charging number about the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus was so contagious that the audience spontaneously reprised the vamp as the choir exited the stage.  One spontaneity led to another as a mic toss ensued and “Mama” Sue Roseberry (BET’s Sunday Best 4 finalist) was pulled from her seat in the audience to add fuel to the Holy Ghost fire. 
Last night was a clear indicator that the old songs of the church have not been abandoned for the new.

After 70 years, Pearly Gates still spread the good news with aptly named CD

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

For more than 70 years, they’ve ventured into many a highway and hedge, singing God’s praises.  Initially called the Mighty Pearly Gates, their notable songs have included “Help Somebody Else” and “Holding On.”  In 2003, they altered their moniker to the New Pearly Gates while continuing to spread the same “mighty” good news.

On the heels of the New Pearly Gates’ present release, Through It All, GMF’s Libra Boyd asked manager/musician James Bell to talk more about the VA group that has shared stages with the likes of the Sensational Nightingales, the Canton Spirituals, and Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s.

Libra:  Who are the members of the New Pearly Gates?

Bell:  You have Pastor James Harden (lead singer); Deacon Raymond Perry (lead singer/background vocalist), Montell Hill (2nd lead/background vocalist), Javon Johnson (background vocalist/bass player), Rodrick Jennings (background vocalist/drummer), David Bullock (lead guitar player), and yours truly, James Bell (keyboard player).

Libra:  Your group originated more than 70 years ago as the Mighty Pearly Gates.  Are the group’s current members the offspring of the originals?

Bell:  No. No offsprings, but Pastor James Harden used to be the drummer for the group at that time.  Then God gave him a vision to restart the group which is now called the New Pearly Gates.

 

 
Libra:  Your new CD is Through It All.  What is the theme or focus of this project?

Bell:  Well, our focus for this project is to let the people know that no matter what problem you may face or what trial you may encounter, when God allows you to open your eyes to see another day, that should be a sign to let you know that “through it all, I made it.” I made it through the storm, and I’m here to still tell the world that it’s going to be alright ’cause as long as you continue to trust God, everything is going to be alright.

Libra:  The song “I’m Still Here” is autobiographical.  Tell us more about the lead vocalist and the inspiration for this song.

Bell:  Well the lead vocalist, which is Deacon Raymond Perry…he used to be able to walk like you and me… put his pants on, put his shirt on, take a bath.  All the little things that we take for granted, he can’t do anymore.  He was struck with a disease that caused him to be this way, and the song is a true testimony of his life and the journey that he is going to continue to walk on. 

Libra:  The New Pearly Gates have performed with some of gospel’s heavy hitters.  What else is on the horizon for the group?

Bell:  Well, we have our anniversary coming up August the 18th….It’s going to be a very big event and we’re looking for a sold out affair. Also, we will be heading to South Bend, Indiana for a nomination that we received for the Black Essence Grammy Award, and that will be October 6th.

Libra:  Congratulations on both!  It has been a pleasure to learn more about the New Pearly Gates.  How can GMF’s readers get Through It All?

Bell:  They can get our CD on www.cdbaby.com or contact us through our official website at www.wix.com/jkeyz03/thenewpearlygates.

 

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Chicago Gospel Festival 2012 continues through weekend

explorechicago.org

For the first time ever, the Chicago Gospel Festival will not be downtown.  Instead it will be on the South Side, in the Bronzeville neighborhood, not too far from historic Pilgrim Baptist Church–home of “The Father of Gospel Music” Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey.  The weekend will be filled with concerts by Mary Mary, Fred Hammond and others, workshops, and a film screening of the acclaimed documentary Say Amen, Somebody.

More information and the complete schedule is at www.explorechicago.org.