Category: Reviews

The Hymns of the Church – Reverend Lawrence Thomison

Reverend Lawrence Thomison
Reverend Lawrence Thomison Sings The Hymns of the Church
Indie (2011)
Available at CD Baby 

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

In case there is doubt about whether or not there’s still room for hymns in today’s churches, let Rev. Lawrence Thomison assure you in the affirmative with his fittingly titled CD Reverend Lawrence Thomison Sings The Hymns of the Church, produced by Jonathan Winstead and Chris Carr.

Backed by a 40-voice
choir with singers from the Nashville and Memphis areas, Thomison relies
heavily on his traditional gospel background to pour out each of the 11 sacred tracks
with fervor.  His charisma is as infectious on the handclapping “On the
Battlefield” (featuring Jennifer Selvy-Carr) and mostly a cappella “Let Jesus Lead You” as his worship is tangible on “Great Is
Thy Faithfulness,” over Julius Fisher’s soothing piano accompaniment.  Even a contemporized version of “Thank You Lord” has ample traditional flavor to be well received in either
style of worship.

In addition to Selvy-Carr’s appearance, other tag team efforts on this project are notable too. The always soulful Wess Morgan guests on “Yes, God Is
Real,” as does Michelle Prather on “Have A Little Talk With Jesus,” lifting every round of the bluesy, horn-laced song higher and higher as Rev. Thomison, choir, and band thrust her forward.

If you’ve actually seen him perform during his tenure with Dr.
Bobby Jones and the Nashville Super Choir–or even as a soloist–you’ll
wonder how Rev. Thomison managed to stand stationary at a studio mic long
enough to record “Blood Medley” without hotfooting like one whose shoes are ablaze, especially when he transitions from the Crouch
classic “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power” to uptempo selections “Power in the Blood” and “Oh The Blood of Jesus” before the climactic “I Know It Was the
Blood.”

Four additional hymns round out this churchy offering to make it
an enlivening interpretation of the music that has ushered many a
generation through the jerks and snatches of life.  Surely, if you think of hymns like a cached webpage on a newly updated website, then Reverend Lawrence Thomison Sings The Hymns of the Church is like hitting “Refresh” on your Internet browser.

Favorites
“Have A Little Talk With Jesus” – “The Blood Medley” 

Fever Meter 
SIMMERIN’ (3 of 5 Stars)

"Thank God I'm Still Here" – Renee Spearman

“Thank God I’m Still Here”
Renee Spearman
From the CD, Whoa to Wow! (2012)
JDI Records

Bringing up the rear of Renee Spearman’s successful Whoa to Wow! CD is the funky “Thank God I’m Still Here.”

The musically multi-talented Cali native pumps out her self-penned groove of gratitude “for life, health and strength / activity of my limbs,” accompanied by a heavy bass and drum backdrop that would have provoked Godfather of Soul James Brown to get his shout and shimmy on for sure.

Produced by Michael Bereal and Professor James Roberson, “Thank God I’m Still Here” thumps with prominent live horns and a rhythmic downbeat that makes it downright irresistible to dance while giving thanks for the oft mentioned blessings that are also just as often taken for granted.

“Heaven” – Changed

“Heaven”
Changed (2012)
Baby Boy Records

Mississippi has bragging rights when it comes to great traditional
quartet music, and Changed of Natchez is doing its best
to maintain those rights with the single “Heaven,” produced by Castro
“Cat Cole” Coleman on his Baby Boy Records imprint.

Besides lyrics describing the sweet by and by and its stark contrast to the troubles of this world, “Heaven” is a classic gospel soul groove that nearly convinces you that
Changed met up with The Williams Brothers and then hooked up with Rance Allen’s band on
their way to Cat Cole’s lab.

“God Will Make A Way” – Shirley Caesar

“God Will Make A Way”
Shirley Caesar
From the upcoming CD, Good God (Available March 26, 2013)
Light Records (2012)
Available on iTunes

Written and produced by James Fortune, the Queen of Gospel knows how to solicit the talents of current cutting edge artists to keep her at the forefront of gospel music.

Pastor Shirley Caesar’s single “God Will Make A Way” encourages that through friendlessness, bad reports from doctors and the like, “the God I serve, He’ll be right there–I know He will!”

The James Fortune imprint is all over this slow and soulful single that gradually builds into a robust declaration that “God will make a way / I know that He will / I’ve seen it and He will!”

Churchy Christmas/Joy to the World – Beverly Crawford & JDI Christmas

Beverly Crawford and JDI Christmas
Churchy Christmas / Joy to the World
JDI Records (2012)
 
By Libra Boyd
 

You need not hear anything beyond this CD’s opening track to understand exactly why it’s called Churchy Christmas.

If your spirits need uplift this holiday season, Beverly Crawford and her labelmates at JDI Records have just what you need. Crawford herself kicks off Churchy Christmas with “Joy to the World,” a traditional Christmas carol recorded live in Dallas that she transforms into a high energy fire-starter. She’s backed by the 200-voice Antioch Fellowship Voices of Praise. (GMF recently shared the official video.)  The scorcher is followed by Shanika Bereal’s “Precious Lamb of God” and Gary Mayes and Nu Era’s “Don’t 4get the Baby,” featuring the sensational Nakitta Clegg Foxx (of the Kurt Carr Singers).  Both selections stand out beautifully for tenderly rendered vocals.

But it’s not just the ladies who deliver on this project.  Professor James Roberson ministers a flawless interpretation of the BeBe Winans ballad “I Wanna Be More,” and Patrick Lundy and The Ministers of Music sprinkle in some Yuletide funk with the bouncy “Emmanuel” (written by Cedric Thompson).  Earnest Pugh comes along and serenades the Savior on the jazzy “Hosanna” (which hints ever so slightly to Kool & the Gang’s “Joanna”), elevating the chorus after announcing, “I feel a key change in the house right here!” There’s still room for one more drive though, and that belongs to Chester D.T. Baldwin on “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” backed by a jubilant choir and band as he takes us on modulation after modulation.
 
Genita Pugh (“Holy to the Lamb”) and saxophonist Donald Hayes (“What Child Is This”) round out Churchy Christmas, making this CD one of the nicest and churchiest I’ve heard this season.
 
Favorites
“Joy to the World” – “Don’t 4get the Baby” – “Holy to the Lamb”

Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)

“Children Go Where I Send Thee” – Yolanda Rabun

“Children Go Where I Send Thee”
Yolanda Rabun
From the CD, Christmastime (2012) 
Yolanda Rabun could turn a jazz club into a makeshift sanctuary with her rendition of “Children Go Where I Send Thee.”  In fact, Rabun would do that. The tune is from the contralto smooth/soul jazz vocalist’s sophomore CD Christmastime, which features soul, R&B, gospel, folk, and smooth and traditional jazz holiday music; but in actuality, “Children Go Where I Send Thee” sounds as if it’s being enjoyed on scratched vinyl.
 
As the pianist and bassist comp, Rabun briskly recounts the “fo’ for the fo’ that was knockin’ at my do’ / Three for the three wise men….”  Her diction reflects the vernacular of the peoples who likely first sang the negro spiritual.  With the percussionist keeping time with brushes, she trots on: “One for the little bitty baby / Wrapped in swaddlin’ clothin’ / Lying in a manger / B-o-o-o-r-n, Born oh, born in Bethlehem.” 
 
Rabun has worked with Isaac Hayes, Jennifer Holliday, and is opening later this month for the Isley Brothers at the Durham (NC) Performing Arts Center.

“A Saint’s Christmas” – Various Artists

“A Saint’s Christmas”
Various Artists
From the CD, Ronnie R. Riles Sr. Presents Family and Friends Praising God (2012)
www.upthapraise.com

Incorporating elements of R&B and hip-hop, “A Saint’s Christmas” offers a lyrical explanation for the meaning of the sacred holiday from a believer’s perspective.  The birth of the Savior and God’s everlasting love are what make the holiday a “M-E-R-R-Y  C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S!”

The slow R&B flavored groove features Riles, Sr. and Jesse Wortham and is part of the 15-track CD entitled, Ronnie R. Riles Sr. Presents Family and Friends Praising God.

“Hosanna” – Joyceland McCaster and Victorious Soul

“Hosanna”
Joyceland McCaster and Victorious Soul
From the CD, The Journey (2011)
www.joymcvs.com

Joyceland McCaster and Victorious Soul create a jubilant atmosphere of praise with “Hosanna,” the lead single from their CD The Journey.

“God of glory, show Your glory / Hosanna, we praise Your name!” vocalizes the rhythm and praise group in celebratory fashion.  “God of power, show Your power / Hosanna, we praise Your name!”  Easy-to-learn lyrics and feel-good music make “Hosanna” a praise team-friendly song of adoration.

Formed in 2007, Joyceland McCaster and Victorious Soul have shared the stage with such greats as Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond.  This year, they earned a win at the Urban Inspirational Awards for Rhythm and Praise Group of the Year.

"Imagine Me" – Alexis Spight

“Imagine Me”
Alexis Spight
From the upcoming CD, Set Me Free (available March 12, 2013)
Music World Entertainment

From day one of her appearance on BET’s Sunday Best 5, it was apparent to thousands of viewers that Alexis Spight had what it took to go to the finals of the gospel singing contest.  Among her memorable performances was a cover of Kirk Franklin’s “Imagine Me.”  If you were watching that particular Sunday night, you recall that Franklin himself was quite impressed with the 19 year-old red-haired sensation’s arrangement.  Her remake is now heating up radio as the debut single from her forthcoming first album, Set Me Free. 
Spight’s version of “Imagine Me” might strike you simply as nice–that blah nondescript adjective–until you hear her drop a rhyme that reminds you why she stood toe to toe with season winner Joshua Rogers right down to the end.  The Lauryn Hill-esque rap verse along with her smooth-to-the-taste flow, reminiscent of Kim Burrell, is the icing on the cake that elevates her cover of “Imagine Me” from nice to sweet.

"Christ in Me" – Jacqueline T. Powell

“Christ in Me”
Jacqueline T. Powell
From the upcoming CD, Christ in Me (Available October 2012)
www.jacquelinetpowell.com

“Christ in me covers me consistently…” croons Jacqueline T. Powell in her current single “Christ in Me.”  While there is “a war going on,” Powell (who also plays eleven instruments) reminds us that Christ is at work in our lives to free us from our past and propel us toward our purpose.