Tag: Traditional

"Trouble in the Street" – The Pilgrim Jubilees

"Trouble in the Street" The Pilgrim Jubilees cover art
“Trouble in the Street”
The Pilgrim Jubilees
From the vinyl LP, Trouble in the Street (1997)
 
By Libra Boyd
 
The Pilgrim Jubilees were thought by some to be ahead of their time when they released their 1997 album, Trouble in the Street. The album’s evocative title song, in particular, raised eyebrows and perked up ears with haunting sounds of gunshots, sirens, and authoritative voices shouting, “Get on the ground, Boy!”
 
Written by the Jubes’ frontman Clay Graham, “Trouble in the Street” is an emotive message song with social commentary that, sadly, is as relevant today as when first released.  When the song first came out, however, it failed to garner radio airplay.  The reason, Clay recalled in Alan Young’s book The Pilgrim Jubilees(University Press of Mississippi), was that some deejays thought lyrics about violence and senseless deaths were too pessimistic for the listeners.  Still, Clay remained hopeful that the time would come for his outcry to be heard.  After all that has happened in the nation in recent weeks and months, this may be that time. 

“We need Jesus!” proclaim the Jubes.

Fill This House – Shirley Caesar

Shirley Caesar
Fill This House (2016)
eOne Music 
www.shirleycaesar.com
 
By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever
 
Fill This House is Pastor Shirley Caesar’s most refreshing body of musical work in recent years.  Many who bought the project, helping it debut at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Album chart, will probably agree.
 
The album kicks off with the immediately infectious “It’s Alright, It’s OK,” featuring soulful R&B singer and fellow North Carolinian, Anthony Hamilton.  Following the opening track, she takes us straight to church with the testimony-charged “He Won’t Fail You,” praise-break inducing “Survive This” with Bishop Hezekiah Walker, and worshipful title song “Fill This House.”
 
Although head-bobbing comes standard with “Need Him Now,” the traditional-contemporary groove is the backdrop for sobering social commentary:

Look at all of the trouble today–war and killing flooding the land
You know it’s time to pray
No prayer in the schoolhouse, and wrong is right in the White House
We need Him right away…

During the last ten seconds, crank up the volume and check out some of Pastor Caesar’s wordless improvisational sweetness.
 
Having recorded more “mama” songs than perhaps any other gospel recording artist, it is entirely appropriate that Fill This House also features a matriarchal ode of sorts—this one to the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church, site of the devastating Charleston church massacre.  “Mother Emanuel,” penned by Chip Davis and Dony and Reba Rambo-McGuire, is the poignant, moving standout of the project, elevated in emotion when President Obama begins to read the names of the victims. 
 
“Prayer Works,” written by V. Mike McKay, brings Fill This House to a high energy, inspirational end and solidifies the project’s place among the great releases of 2016. 

The saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  There is certainly nothing broken or in need of a fix when it comes to the music of Pastor Caesar and the writing and production of her longtime music director, Michael Mathis.  Still, their collaborations with this project’s host of creative writers, producers, musicians, and background singers has reinvigorated the Caesar sound and brought out the best in one of the best to ever sing or preach a gospel message. 

I have never made such a bold prediction and do not know what the rest of the year holds for highly anticipated music releases, but I believe Fill This House may net the reigning queen of gospel Grammy number twelve. 

Favorites
“It’s Alright, It’s OK” – “Need Him Now”

Fever Meter
SWELTERIN’ (5 of 5 Stars)
 

"Let Him Work on You" – Arthur Roland

“Let Him Work on You”
Arthur Roland
From the CD, Stepping Out of Myself (2015)
Nosmoke Records

Arthur Roland Stepping out of myself cover artBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

In his self-written and self-produced toe-tapper, Arthur Roland recounts a list of frustrations common to mankind—hard times, failed plans, and bad news.  Then, he urges, “Turn ya life over to Jesus; let Him work on you!”

“Let Him Work on You” is from Roland’s CD Stepping Out of Myself, inspired by the Michael Brown incident.

In 2014, Roland, a 30-year industry veteran, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of Lucille Pope and the Pearly Gates.

"Caught Up" – Conrad Miller

“Caught Up”
Conrad Miller (2015)
www.millconmusic.com

Conrad Miller Caught Up art work

Conrad Miller sings exultantly about the second coming of the Savior in his newest single, “Caught Up.” The uptempo contemporary flavored traditional song is written and produced by Stellar winner Earl Bynum.

The tune kicks off with an exuberant horn section that continues for the track’s four-and-half-minute duration.  Miller’s technical training as a vocalist is evident and his diction is precise as he describes Christ’s return. 

Miller is no stranger to the traditional gospel scene.  His music career stretches over 20 years as a singer, composer, arranger, and recording artist.

"Take Your Burdens" – Juan Santiago and Uninhibited Praise

“Take Your Burdens”
Juan Santiago and Uninhibited Praise (2015)
www.jsuplive.com

Juan Santiago and Uninhibited Praise Take Your Burdens art work

Juan Santiago and Uninhibited Praise’s single “Take Your Burdens” can be summed up in one word: churchy.

 
JSUP, an aggregation of vocal talent recognized in and beyond the country for its captivating style of praise and worship (with songs like “Holy is the Lord” and “Healing Rain”), presents a markedly different sound with “Take Your Burdens.”  Vocalist Jeneal Johnson and JSUP’s cascading choir vocals make this moderately paced scorcher of a traditional choir number redolent of South Side Chicago Sunday mornings, Jackson Sunday afternoons, and Memphis Sunday evenings.

Vintage music of two NC quartets featured on Swedish producer’s compilation CD

The Gospel Harmanaires of Oxford and The Carolina Kings of Henderson have songs on a compilation that highlights gospel music from 1959-1962. 


Best of Revelation Records, 1959-1962 cd artBy Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

The year was 2005.  It’s the year Sweden-based producer Per “Slim” Notini began collecting vinyl singles recorded on Bobby Robinson’s short-lived small, independent record label called Revelation Records.  Notini continued to unearth gems over the years and from his treasure has now produced and released a 27-track disc entitled Best of Revelation Records, 1959-1962,for NarroWay Records.  Among the singers featured on the golden era CD compilation are two NC quartets, The Gospel Harmanaires of Oxford with “Too Close” and The Carolina Kings of Henderson with “What A Blessing.”

“Too Close,” featuring James Thornton and bass singer Ray Gill on lead, takes off in uptempo fashion.  It’s a contrast to Alex Bradford’s composition of the same name, which was popularized by quartets like the Brooklyn Allstars and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. 

A few tracks later, paradoxical to its title, “What A Blessing” opens noticeably somber with organ and the tremolo-heavy guitar of the song’s writer, George Hargrove.  Soon enough though, listeners are captured by Lonnie Heggie’s resonant tenor and the sturdy backing vocals of The Kings.  Not unusual for songs of the era, the track length falls 15 seconds short of the three-minute mark.  Given the immediate attention the music and vocals command despite the song’s brevity, “What A Blessing” sounds like it might have been a perfect opening number for The Kings’ concerts.

The CD is accompanied by essay liner notes and photos compiled and composed by Notini about Revelation Records, Bobby Robinson, and the label‘s producer John Bowden.  The essay also contains photos and bios on most of the featured artists.  Notini says he regrets not having any information about the Harmanaires and The Kings at the time his notes were written.  Scouring the Internet yielded no biographical information on either group.

Hargrove, the founder and only surviving original member of The Carolina Kings, talked with GMF about his group’s 61-year history (the group was formed in 1952) and original members (General Rainey, Goodrich Rainey, Prince Moore, William Nowell, and Hargrove). He also recalls appearing frequently on programs with The Gospel Harmanaires, but he believes all the group’s members have now passed on.

Hargrove is thrilled that his group’s music has been preserved and presented in this format.  This is just one of at least 27 reasons Best of Revelation Records, 1959-1962 is a gospel collector’s joy.  If not for the efforts of Per “Slim” Notini, such gems would very likely remain hidden from the present-day generation of traditional gospel enthusiasts.

Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers Recordings 1949-1958

Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers
Recordings 1949-1958
Gospel Friend (2013) 

Clara Ward and the Ward Singer cd cover

By Libra Boyd, Founder & Editor
Gospel Music Fever

Fans of Golden Era gospel will enjoy the current release on the Gospel Friend imprint, Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers. Strolling, strutting, and sometimes shouting down Memory Lane with Clara Ward and the ladies presents 25 reasons “famous” managed to work its way into the group’s name.

Step back at least 55 years, and you will hear gospel singing at its finest. Prior to the days of heavy studio overdubs, electronic instruments, and pitch correction software, there were skilled voices honed from raw talent. Frances Steadman, Henrietta Waddy, Thelma Jackson, Willa Ward Royster (to whom the CD is dedicated), Marion Williams, and Clara were all top-notch lead vocalists. On this particular CD, Marion Williams–the only bona fide gospel artist to date to receive a Kennedy Center Honor–leads several of the numbers, including one of their hits, W.H. Brewster’s “I’m Climbing Higher and Higher” and her self-written “I’ll Be There.”  In contrast to Marion’s robust delivery is Clara’s refined soprano on Robert Anderson’s “Prayer Changes Things,” as well as Willa’s recognizable timbre on “Glory, Glory Hallelujah” and Frances Steadman’s stirring near-baritone on “God’s Amazing Love.”

As I said earlier, forget about the presence of the studio enhancements that give a lot of today’s gospel its marketable sound.  You won’t find them on this CD. What you’ll find are pure and piping unobstructed vocals complemented by piano and organ on the earliest dated tracks, and then drums and “sacred steel” guitar as the 1950s ushers in additional musical accompaniment.

I do not own Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers on vinyl, so I am ecstatic that producer Per Notini of Sweden has made this collection available in a format that gospel music aficionados can enjoy for years to come. If this reissue is ice cream, then the cherry on top is Robert Sacré’s comprehensive liner notes with photos interspersed.

In the United States, Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers is available at www.cityhallrecords.com.

Favorites
“Prayer Changes Things” – “God’s Amazing Love” 

Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)

"He's Very Much Alive" – Sue Roseberry

“He’s Very Much Alive”
Sue Roseberry (2013)
www.sueroseberry.com

Sue Roseberry He's Very Much Alive art work

Sue Roseberry, aka “Mama Sue,” has been making waves on the traditional choir scene for a long time, and ever since her stay on BET’s Sunday Best 4, fans have eagerly awaited the release of new music from the endearing vocalist.  Well, the wait is over and Roseberry is here with a brand new single, “He’s Very Much Alive,” from her forthcoming CD, Magnificent God.

With a shuffle feel, octave-toggling bass, swelling horns, and a cast of soulful background singers, Roseberry communicates the truth of the matter in an inimitable style that her audience readily identifies as praise-provoking: “He’s not on the cross, He’s not in the tomb—He’s alive! Jesus is alive!”

Besides being the vocal powerhouse you came to know and love from the Sunday Best competition, Roseberry is a writer with more than 300 compositions to her credit.  Additionally, she is a favorite at Gospel Music Workshop of America gatherings and an encourager to her industry compatriots.

"Lord, You're the Landlord" – Mississippi Mass Choir

“Lord, You’re the Landlord”
Mississippi Mass Choir
From the CD, Then Sings My Soul (2011)
www.mississippimass.com

It takes an aggregation like Malaco’s tenured Mississippi Mass Choir to pull off lines like, “Lord, You’re the landlord, and there’s a leak in Your building. Fix it, fix it like You said You would.”  Voiced by some other choirs, such words might come off as demanding; to the new school, maybe even a little corny.  Not so with Miss Mass.

Original member and principal vocalist Lillian Lilly capably leads this Frederick Knight composition (previously recorded by labelmate Eddie Ruth Bradford) with the faith-filled fervor that the informal and simplistic lyrics call for, while the multi-award winning choir concurs: “I can’t fix it….You’re my landlord….Fix it like You said You would.”

The metaphor may not necessarily strike a chord with younger listeners, but “Lord, You’re the Landlord” is definitely your grandmother’s kind of hand-clapper.

"No Weapon" – Pastor Linwood Dillard and The Voices of Citadel

“No Weapon”
Pastor Linwood Dillard and The Voices of Citadel
From the CD, Pastor Linwood Dillard Presents Churchin’ with The Citadel (2012)
http://citadelofdeliverance.com

Put your dancing shoes on, because you will surely need them for “No Weapon.”  Pastor Linwood Dillard and The Voices of Citadel’s exuberant single is an extended praise break with a layer of lyrics proclaiming the obvious: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”

The high energy stomper begins with an igneous 13-second homily before the band thrusts the choir into its emphatic declaration.

Superintendent Linwood Dillard, Jr. is the founding pastor of Citadel of Deliverance Church of God in Christ in Germantown, TN, and the International Youth Department President of the Church of God in Christ, Inc.