Tag: Reviews

“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.

"He's A Miracle Worker" – The Angelic Shaw Sisters

“He’s A Miracle Worker”
The Angelic Shaw Sisters
From the CD, He’s A Miracle Worker (2012)
www.angelicshawsisters.com

From Dallas, TX, the Angelic Shaw Sisters bring you “He’s A Miracle Worker.”

The vocal and music stylings resemble that of a 1970’s soul/R&B girl group, and the story itself is told by Helen Shaw-Coleman in the fashion of a children’s storyteller.  Indeed, her lead vocal is just that: a simple spoken-word narrative of Jesus’ water-to-wine miracle and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood.  After each account, the sisters chant, “He’s a miracle worker/He’s a miracle worker/I know He is…”  Eventually, Alice Shaw-Piper takes the lead and inserts her personal testimony, choosing to sing it rather than tell it.

The mild tempo and 70’s groove give this song its seasoning, and the easy hook you’ll find yourself humming.

Living on the Lord's Side – Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC's

Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s 
Living on the Lord’s Side
MCG Records (2011)

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s are one of the most beloved quartets on the circuit today, and their fans were eagerly awaiting–and I do mean eagerly–more great music like the relatable songs (such as “I’ve Learned to Lean” and “I Can’t Give Up Now”) that caused the group to skyrocket to the height of quartet acclaim.  It’s no surprise that some wonder why their current project Living On the Lord’s Side is filled with recycled material; nine of the twelve tracks were released on the group’s prior albums.

MCG Records says the reason Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s re-recorded these songs is “the vast number of written and verbal testimonies that they’ve received and the impact that these have had on so many lives.”  I suppose that’s justifiable, but it would have been great for these tracks to have had some kind of refreshing quality about them–a musical twist, an added bridge, or some reconstructed runs.  “Good Time” is the one rollicking pewburner that delivers on musical newness.  It boasts a thumping bassline, stabbing horns, and an extended vamp that graduates from “good time” to “thank You.”

The mid-tempo title song “Living on the Lord’s Side,” one of the three new tunes, is not quite as engaging.  In fact, it could even be considered a bit bland.  Given the soulful and often bluesy character of the group’s music, it lacks the fervor that one is used to hearing in Williams’ repertoire.  “Touch Me” is the toe-tapper that follows, but the previously released versions remain superior.  Williams has recorded it at least twice before (with his group and with the Racy Brothers), and on this one his voice just isn’t at its best.  What’s more is that he omits the second verse, thereby creating an awkward turn the QC’s didn’t sound altogether ready for.  Additionally, once he’s in the run, he tells a Biblical story (about the woman with the issue of blood) twice verbatim, seeming to have lost his place in the song.  A studio overdub could’ve remedied this.  Nevertheless, by the song’s end, the flat-footed singer’s heartfelt insistence compels listeners to respond to his repeated inquiry, “Did He touch you?!”

“Call Him” is another new track and it features a guest lead by Willie Legon.  Legon’s pleasing tremulous tenor guides the song along its turtle-paced ascent until he tags Williams to drive it to its climax.  “Call Him” mimics the tempo of “I Can’t Give Up Now” and the intensity of “You’ve Been Good” (from the album Good Time); the only real critique here is that at times Legon’s words are not so easy to understand.  An overdub could’ve fixed this, too.

Production issues were the snare (literally and figuratively) for the remake of the mega hit “I’ve Learned to Lean.”  The stomper sounds great until the verse, when the snare’s tone suddenly brightens but then becomes muted again in the chorus. This brightness/mutedness alternates throughout the song, making it completely annoying to listen to once the ears lock in.  The fact that “I Can’t Give Up Now” brings up the rear and features Williams’ emotional testimony makes this otherwise lackluster project redeemable.

Gospel’s iceman Williams and the Spiritual QC’s have secured a place as one of the leading quartets in the nation. The production issues combined with the lack of freshness in the remakes is hard to overlook.  I really wish more time had been spent on post-production to give listeners the caliber of project traditional quartet lovers know the group is capable of.  Living on the Lord’s Side leaves those of us who enjoy the ministry of Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s a lot to anticipate for the group’s next project. 

Favorites
“Good Time” – “I Can’t Give Up Now”

Fever Meter
WARM (2 1/2 of 5 Stars)

Victory – Douglas Miller

Douglas Miller
Victory
Universal Music (1993) 

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

A few weeks back, Douglas Miller shared a copy of his CD, Victory, with me.  Although it was one of his releases from the early 90’s, his music reminds one why some gospel songs are hopelessly dated while others are auspiciously timeless.

As one of the most recognizable voices in gospel, Miller’s uptempo choir numbers like “Soldier,” “Victory” (the title track), and the churchy-fied “Trouble Won’t Last Always” carry both a sound and message for Sunday morning 2012 (especially if the church minister of music wants to give the choir baritone a solid lead vocal).  With Miller’s rich tone resonating clearly and beautifully throughout, the slow selections work, too.

While none of the 10 tracks stands up to the classic “My Soul Has Been Anchored,” the flavor of Victory whets one’s appetite for something new by one of the industry’s most unique voices.

Favorite
“Trouble Won’t Last Always”

Fever Meter
SIMMERIN’ (3 of 5 Stars)

"I Trust in God" – John Thorpe and Family

“I Trust in God”
John Thorpe and Family
From the CD, Child Of God (2012)
Available at CD Baby

John Thorpe and Family "Live" with Dr. Bobby Jones art work

Kudos to the groups and choirs of today that reserve spots for a traditional, minimally altered hymn or two in their otherwise trendy, radio-friendly repertoires.

McCollins Thorpe, Sr. solidifies this space for John Thorpe and Family with “I Trust in God,” an arrangement of the W.C. Martin hymn, “My Father Watches Over Me.”  It’s Thorpe, Sr., the eldest brother of the 14 siblings, whose vibratic tenor hinges on the upswings and downward slopes of every note to create a moderately slow but soulful number that baptist pastor Martin himself, were he to overhear from Glory, would give a nod to.

While John Thorpe and Family are a choir that occasionally consists of all 14 brothers and sisters plus a niece and nephew, their material is crafted with a traditional quartet-like vibe—a subgenre in which the Thorpe brothers, who are the primary lead singers, are firmly planted.  This is why Thorpe, Sr. is able to guide them from the flowing expressive verses right into a toe-tapping chorus and vamp with ease, adding just the right amount of spice to the sweetness of the early 20th-century composition.

"Don't Forget About Me" – Cat Cole

“Don’t Forget About Me”
Cat Cole
From the digital mixtape, Strait from Da Soul of Cat Cole (2012)
Available at Soundcloud

“Can I do an old Tommy Ellison song?” Cat Cole asks at the start of “Don’t Forget About Me.”  Cole has a way of merging sounds of yesteryear with a style that appeals to gospel quartet lovers, R&B heads, and young folk alike.

Right after his question, the song he’s asking about struts off in shuffle rhythm while Cole pours out his lines with the intensity of a 1970’s soul singer.  About halfway in, the rhythm falls into a good ol’ straight quartet pocket as he turns the corner on the run and petitions, “Come on, Jesus.”  The background vocalists sing the same, falling slightly behind the beat.  It’s a groove you have to hear for yourself.  And you can–absolutely free.

Cole, whose real name is Castro Coleman, made this and several other tracks available online for free, last month.  He says Strait From Da Soul of Cat Cole is the first of several mixtapes that will drop every 90 days while he works on his upcoming album, The Favor Factor, which is scheduled for release later this year on the 4Winds/Malaco label.  Cole is the lead singer of Castro Coleman and Highly Favored and the music director for the Williams Brothers.