Tag: Traditional

Speak Myself Free – Robert Jamison and Victory

Robert Jamison and Victory
Speak Myself Free
RJM Publishing (2011)
www.robertjamisonandvictory.com

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Robert Jamison and Victory are on a mission to spread the hope and joy of salvation to all who will receive their message.  The Kentucky native and his gospel ensemble are off to a fairly good start with their four-song introductory project, Speak Myself Free.

Described by Jamison as “good ol gospel music,” the CD opens and closes with two uptempo tracks (“Warfair” and “Can’t Find A Friend”).  The slow ones (“Speak Myself Free” and “I Cannot Make It”) are sandwiched in the middle.  All were written, produced, and arranged by Kyri Demby.

“I Cannot Make It” is the best of the foursome.  Tonya Thomas’s soprano really soars just as the song passes the five-minute mark.  Jamison takes the lead on the last number, “Can’t Find A Friend.”

Constructively speaking, the CD doesn’t quite hit the mark musically.  There are pitch problems in a few spots with both the lead and choir vocals, which a bit more rehearsal time and fine-tuning could remedy.  Were I watching the ensemble perform live, perhaps I wouldn’t notice the lengthy intros to “Warfair” and “I Cannot Make It” (forty seconds and one full minute, respectively), plus the latter features nice guitar work by Mark “Lupe” Hamilton.

Robert Jamison and Victory are on the right track with their mission and their zeal, and they’ve already taken hold of opportunities to share their music with radio markets in Chicago and Dallas.  I’m looking forward to the choir’s growth as they persist in developing their gifts and talents.

Favorite
“I Cannot Make It”

Fever Meter
WARM (2 of 5 Stars)

"A Story to Tell" – North Carolina Community Choir

“A Story to Tell”
North Carolina Community Choir feat. Darrell Luster
4Winds/Malaco Music Group (2012) 
www.malaco.com 

Originally posted March 20, 2012 at 7:58AM
Last Updated March 21, 2012 at 11:52AM

Darrell Luster takes the lead on North Carolina Community Choir’s new single “A Story to Tell.”

“What’s that behind that smile on your face?” the choir inquires over the unhurried horn-laced musical backdrop. “What kind of pain are you trying to erase?  How do you hide it–hide it so well?”

“I’ll bet you’ve got a story,” Luster interposes.  The choir returns, “A story to tell!” 

The choir was originally formed in 2008, under the direction of Ray Braswell, Jr. and James Bellamy in Rocky Mount, from the vision of Dr. Thomas L. Walker (known for his circa 1980 gospel gold album One Day at a Time).  At that time, the aggregation was called The Promise Choir.  Sometime later, the choir was revamped and renamed with Luster, Braswell, and songwriter Brian Foster at the helm.

The choir has performed on Bobby Jones Gospel, and has sung on projects by The Sensational Nightingales (Live in Rocky Mount), Darrell Luster & F.C. Barnes (“He Won’t Change”), and Lil’ Blair & The Fantastic Heirs.

“A Story to Tell” is a compelling preface to the North Carolina Community Choir’s upcoming CD memoir.

“The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow” – Aretha Franklin

“The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow”
Aretha Franklin
From the CD, This Christmas (2008)
DMI Records

I love a good hymn.  And a good hymn is made great when sung by a skillful singer who does it justice.  Enter the “Queen of Soul” with a signature composition by the “Father of Gospel,” the late Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey.

I am really not sure why “The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow” is on Aretha’s Christmas album.  It does prove, though, that there’s always room for classic gospel.  Aretha infuses this gem with soul for your soul.  Add some funk to the ageless lyrics and you have yourself a song for all seasons.

"I Love to Praise Him" – Mississippi Mass Choir

“I Love to Praise Him”
Mississippi Mass Choir
From the CD, Then Sings My Soul (2011)
http://www.mississippimass.com

Mississippi Mass Choir and Mosie “Mama” Burks don’t believe in messing up a good thing.  The choir’s popular silver-haired lead vocalist has become known for putting her spin on hit songs of yesteryear written by the likes of Dorothy Love Coates (“Holding On” and “They Got the Word [City Built Foursquare]”), Inez Andrews (“I’m Not Tired Yet”), and others.  Rev. Milton Biggham’s arrangement of the late Rev. Jessy Dixon’s “I Love to Praise His Name” is about as appropriate as any to continue the trend.

This hand-clapper adheres to the pattern of Mama Burks’ other high-speed classics: a big brass section, a rocking choir, and a spirited frontwoman with vigor and vibrato.

Live from Los Angeles – Vol. 2 – Beverly Crawford

Beverly Crawford
Live from Los Angeles – Vol. 2
JDI Records (2010)

By Libra Boyd
Gospel Music Fever

Recall Bobby Jones and New Life’s glory days and you will readily recall the voice that made the group a favorite throughout the early 90’s.  Several solo projects, a Grammy nomination, and a Stellar award win later, Beverly Crawford returned again in September with Live from Los Angeles – Vol. 2, and we can see she is still giving God the glory, ministering to His people, and singing us into frenzies.

The project’s opening number “It’s About Time for a Miracle,” set to what may as well be called “shouting music,” ignites the fire that burns throughout the album.  By the time “Miracle” graduates to its vamp, I can most certainly envision that Crawford and her audience are singing, praising, and pickin’ ’em up and puttin’ ’em down all at the same time.

Next up is “It’s So,” a tempo contrast to the preceding track.  Crawford, who serves as co-pastor at Gainesville Family Worship Center with her husband Todd, delivers the verses just like the singing preacher that she is.  By the song’s end, the preacher is in high gear, exhorting us in sermonette fashion to “name it, claim it, believe it, accept it–it is so!”

From there, she sprinkles a fair amount of quartet-flavored seasoning on the Doug Williams-penned “Born Again,” making the choir tune just right for down-home Sunday morning church.  She then reminds us that she not only can take us to church, but can also lead us into worship with the self-penned “For Who You Are”–easily the centerpiece of this project.

Another standout is “Everything Will Be Alright” (written by Shawn McLemore), the James Brown-esque groove with sassy, brassy horns for which Crawford and her friend and industry contemporary Shirley Murdock team up. As expected, the two make a great tag team, taking turns with the soaring lead vocals.  (You’ll likely be hearing them again on Murdock’s upcoming live CD/DVD.  See GMF’s related post here.)  “Serve You Well” is the beautiful ballad that follows.  Then Crawford is joined by her youngest daughter, Latrina Crawford, on “Radical Praise.”  It’s “I Need A Word” however, where Latrina’s vocality as a soloist shines.

Rounding out the project is “Marvelous,” written by Myron Butler and Ted Winn.  Crawford brings Murdock back in the reprise to riff over the climactic vamp, and the two have us headed straight into another frenzy.

With Michael Bereal and Professor James Roberson handling the production of this project, Live in Los Angeles – Vol. 2 encompasses all that we’ve come to enjoy about Beverly Crawford’s ministry through the years and affirms why she remains a force to be reckoned with among today’s female traditional gospel artists.

Favorites
“Born Again” – “For Who You Are” – “Everything Will Be Alright” – “Marvelous”

Fever Meter
SMOKIN’ (4 of 5 Stars)

Sizzlin' This Week (4/18/11) – "I Know It Was the Blood"

“I Know It Was the Blood”
Smokie Norful feat. Joe Ligon & the 12th District AME Mass Choir
From the CD, How I Got Over…Songs That Carried Us (2011)
EMI Gospel

Regardless of whose project he’s featured on, it’s safe to say that if Joe Ligon is singing, it’s going to be churchy.

Well, this time the quartet legend teams up with the phenomenal Smokie Norful, and just right for the Lenten season is their rendering of “I Know It Was the Blood,” on Norful’s How I Got Over…Songs That Carried Us.  Church is exactly where they take you, singing about the blood of Jesus with such conviction that you have the impression that they were eyewitnesses to that dark hour at Calvary.

"Shine On Me" – Mary Griffin

“Shine On Me”
Mary Griffin
Walker Entertainment Group / Mahogany Music (2011)
Available at CDBaby

Nothing stirs your soul like an oldie, and Mary Griffin delivers “Shine On Me” with the fervor that this soul-stirring spiritual requires.  To say that Griffin’s voice is powerful is an understatement.  It is soulful.  It is unique.  It is full of expression.  Hearing her belt out this number takes me back to my childhood days in the Baptist church when, just before leading the worshipers in prayer, the church mothers would make their way to the altar petitioning God, “Let the light from the lighthouse shine on me.”

Griffin is very much in her zone performing soulful music.  She is currently touring with George Clinton and Patti LaBelle, and one of her songs, “I Surrender,” was re-recorded by Celine Dion.

Is there any doubt that the light is shining on her?

Sizzlin' This Week (4/4/11) – "In His Name"

“In His Name”
John K. Thorpe
From the CD, In His Name (2007)
Available at Apple Music

Simple musical accompaniment and the opening lyric, “Let us take this bread together in His name,” introduce this worshipful Communion selection.  By the time John Thorpe arrives at the second verse, “Lord, they drove nails in Your hands; they drove a nail in Your feet, but Lord you knew that wasn’t enough to save me,” it is apparent that this is a beautifully written song of reflection and gratitude fitting for the Easter season too.
 
Thorpe provokes us to remembrance of the sacrifices of Jesus and the power of His name.  By the song’s end, the listener’s heart is filled with thanksgiving and the atmosphere is filled with worship.
 

Sizzlin’ This Week is the GMF editor’s gospel music pick of the week from her personal playlist.  Every style. Every era.