Smokie Norful- Live
May 23, 2009
Since dominating adult contemporary and R&B radio with his bonafide crossover ballad hit “I Need You Now,”, Smokie Norful survived one-hit wonder status and even impressed the Academy by taking home a Grammy win for his 2004 album Nothing Without You in the Best Contemporary Soul Gospel category. Yet it is relevant to add that the coolness of Norful’s career and his relevance on the charts has simmered down some since his goldmine hit. On Live, Norful rediscovers the most popular trend in gospel music by using the live audience to once again build up his army of supporters. Taped at Memphis’ Canon Center, Norful isn’t a total stranger to the live atmosphere. In an effort to meet the surging demand of Norful’s quickly-growing fan base, he recorded the ten-track EP, Limited Edition, months after I Need You Now. Being a full-time pastor of Victory Cathedral Worship Center in Romeoville, IL also benefits him with interacting with his audiences. But the singer/songwriter isn’t as seasoned as a Donnie McClurkin or John P. Kee in a live audience. He stumbles over words and his thoughts during his introduction of “Justified” and he appears to be in rare form only when the music is going. Even his introduction of Heather Headley on the project lacks the oratorical emphasis it deserves.
Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com
Mike Farris- Shout! Live
May 23, 2009
A careful look at Mike Farris paints images of a young upcoming Johnny Cash with a cool rock edge. Hearing him sing anything conjures the great legends of soul and gospel with a grain of country-rooted rock like American Idol finalist Bo Bice. Last year, he proved to be a strong contender in the underground gospel community with his highly-praised gospel debut Salvation in Lights project, after jumping the broom from performing bluesy rock for the Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies in the 1990s. The shift to gospel came after attending a funeral of his best friend and a near-death experience from an accidental drug overdose. With just little experience, he sings the gospel like an Old Testament prophet like he’s been singing it all his life. And the musical experience feels just like that when he takes on a parade of hymns or Rosetta Tharpe selections using his old-school style of arranging obscure oldies. And while it was a studio effort, Farris sung with such an intensity and conviction that amazingly gave the production a raw, live concert. On Shout! Live, Farris capitalizes on the strengths of his debut by putting them into an intimate lounge setting at the Station Inn without losing the savor of his accompanying horn section or the explosiveness of his revival-anchored music.
Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com
Ann Nesby- The Lula Lee Project
May 23, 2009
Whether she’s doing mainstream or gospel, Ann Nesby is a force to be reckoned with. Her voice, bubbling with the soulful connections of Aretha Franklin, is highly distinguishable and remains synonymous with the Sounds of Blackness’ glory years. Her tenure with the group, although quite short in the eye of mainstream pop music, is extremely relevant for her career; breaking her into big R&B hits and even placing her in the company of super tag-team producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. After her two-album deal with Jam & Lewis’s Perspective label, she hit the independent scene and even made her mark on the dance world with blazing recordings with house mixer DJ Spen (Jasper Street Company) and her #1 club hit “Lovin’ Is Really My Game.” The tedious journey led her to a cameo appearance in the motion picture The Fighting Temptations, a successful gastric bypass surgery, a GRAMMY-nominated album (This Is Love) and a most-recent label signing with Tyscot Records. On her first Tyscot album, The Lula Lee Project, Nesby takes the high road into superfluous alter-egos learning from the likes of Beyonce’ (Sasha), Mariah Carey (Mimi) and Tonex’ (too many names to print) by introducing us to Lula Lee. But thankfully for a 54-year old grandmother and an established veteran singer in the gospel world, the backdrop of the story isn’t as shallow as it may appear. Lula is the first word of her birth name and Lee is the last name of her husband and manager, Timothy Lee. Still, the super move along with the glossy photos and the recent music video seems to stir up the idea that Nesby may be playing with the familiar tactics of most sophisticated and established diva personas.
Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com
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