On Friday, January 13, 2012, BMI held its annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music awards luncheon at Nashville’s Rocketown. The invite-only industry gathering has become the hottest ticket in town.

This year, BMI saluted the music and ministry of Bishop Hezekiah Walker and Kirk Franklin.

A virtual who’s-who was in attendance… Kim Burrell, Israel Houghton, Fred Hammond, Isaac Carree, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Jason Nelson, Jonathan Nelson, Jessica Reedy, Virtue, Asaph Ward, Ricky Dillard, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, BeBe Winans, DJ Rogers, David & Tamela Mann, Dayna Caddell, Brian Courtney Wilson, Dorinda Clark Cole, Marvin Sapp… my fingers are tired, but just think of EVERYONE in gospel music.

Check out these photos from the event!

From the Heart, the debut album from Jessica Reedy seems to have been long-awaited since before she was actually working on it. The season two Sunday Best runner-up collaborated with some of gospel music’s finest writers and producers (Warryn Campbell, Big Jim Wright, Daniel Moore and more) to create the 13-track project that Reedy says is truly an outpouring of what God gave her to do.

At first listen, I was a bit taken aback. While I wasn’t expecting a churchy traditional gospel album, I also wasn’t expecting the progressive, soul-laden music that Reedy has delivered. Once I got past my own expectations, though, I could listen to the songs for what they are– testaments of love and gratitude, straight from Jessica Reedy’s heart to God’s ears. And I can’t deny that the impressive vocals, creative songwriting and tight production now have me returning for more.

The album is mellow for sure–a bit cozier than I would want on a road trip– with only a few up-tempo tunes. Among them is the project’s latest single, the bouncy ”Put It On the Altar,” and “Doctor Love,” the clever remake of the 70′s classic dance club tune, featuring Faith Evans.

Musically, From the Heart is jam-packed with soulful sounds, at times even featuring Motown-styled production and doo-wop backrounds vocals. Tunes like “Marching On,” which is reminiscent of an Otis Redding groove, and the tight harmonies of “Always,” resonate with my old school heart and take me back a musical era or two.

Jessica also dabbles in urban flair, though, as heard on songs like “So In Love With You (Amazing),” which is first driven by a thunderous bass before it reaches an ethereal chant of “so amazing,” with Jessica ad libbing in worshipful gratitude. Or, just listen to “Something Out of Nothing,” an R&B-styled ballad that showcases greater vocal range than we’ve typically heard from her.

Lyrically, the album’s messages are often couched in more abstract prose than this industry gets on a regular basis. The Mali Music-penned “Blue God,” for example, is a knock against our selfishly skewed relationships with God, demonstrated through wittily placed punctuations of “my” this and “my” that. Listen closely and the sarcasm screams loud and clear– it’s not about us.

Though progressive, the rich heritage of gospel music is foundationally present in gems like “I’m Still Here,” an excellent collaboration between Jessica Reedy and The Soul Seekers, blending Jessica’s rich tone with the group’s quartet-style background vocals, and lead singer Teddy Campbell’s classic crooning. It’s also heard in “God Has Smiled On Me,” the full arrangement of the mellow groove that placed Jessica as a frontrunner on Sunday Best in 2009.

Throughout From the Heart, Jessica’s passion is felt in her pulsing vibrato and colored tone. She intensely delivers each note as if it counts the most. For her, it does.

I won’t deny it– making this album was risky. At first listen, it’s not what the fans are expecting. But, as she shared in a recent interview with me, Jessica knows that and isn’t really phased by it. It’s clear that she is most interested in expressing herself musically than impressing people.

But, with From the Heart, I believe she’ll do both. It’s good music… from-the-heart music. And in an industry increasingly dominated by numbers games and PR gimmicks, it’s a relief to know that an artist decided to simply be herself, express herself, and leave the rest out of the equation.

Listen and buy it on Amazon, iTunes, or right here–

Word has it that BET is putting together the finishing touches for the 2011 Celebration of Gospel, which will be taped in Los Angeles next Saturday, December 11th.  A preliminary list of performers has been announced and the line-up looks promising!

Viewers can expect to see– Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Kim Burrell, Dr. Bobby Jones, James Fortune & FIYA, VaShawn Mitchell, Smokie Norful, Earnest Pugh, The Rance Allen Group, Beverly Crawford.

Also on tap is Jessica Reedy, Kelly Price, & Faith Evans (sounds like a little “Troubled World” on the horizon?), El DeBarge (this is how a comeback is DONE) and Chaka Khan.

In addition to some special tributes to Walter Hawkins and Albertina Walker, there are a few more artists still being added to the line-up.

What do you think of the roster so far?

Have y’all heard 2009′s Sunday Best runner-up Jessica Reedy on the new album from Faith Evans?  She’s featured on Faith’s tune, “Troubled World,” along with powerhouse vocalist Kelly Price.

Jessica Reedy opens the song with her signature contralto, smooth tone and agility. In my opinion, she holds her own with Evans and Price, whom I consider to have two of the greatest voices in the current music landscape.  Not a small task! Kudos to ya, Jessica!

Listen to it here–

What do you think???

This morning, I BLASTED the new album from Karen Clark Sheard and Ted Winn’s Balance CD.  Such great projects!  And I was about to go to Kierra’s This Is Me project (an all-time fave), until I realized that I actually didn’t feel like hearing gospel music at that moment.

We’re being real, right?  A big part of my job focuses on listening to, and making commentary on, gospel music.  And I love it.  But uhh… I take breaks.  Often.

It’s not that I don’t wanna hear about God or anything.  I just don’t want to hear the music sometimes– the progressions, the syntax.  Want to experience Him a bit more… implicitly.

Now, I know some of you still are not “allowed” to listen to anything else, but for those of you who have a varied music collection and don’t cover your ears to avoid the radio when you go shopping (hehehehee), do you ever have those moments?

Today, I listened to Radiohead and Maroon 5.  And, other times, I find myself jammin’ to Brandy, Luther Vandross, Faith Evans or Anita Baker.

Just curious– in those moments, who do you listen to?

On Monday, some of the biggest names in the music industry were invited to re-record the global hit song “We Are The World,” to assist with relief efforts in Haiti and to commemorate the tune’s 25th anniversary.

An 81-member choir– comprised of The Jonas Brothers, Brandy, Jennifer Hudson, Kanye West, Celine Dion, Wyclef, Usher, Nancy Wilson, Jamie Foxx, Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Faith Evans, Pink and many others– gathered to record at Henson Studios in Los Angeles.  Included among them– gospel’s favorite sister duo, Mary Mary.

Lemme tell you… I half-way expected for them to get an Oscar nomination yesterday because Erica & Tina Campbell are, by God’s grace, UNSTOPPABLE.  Proud of you, ladies!  Thanks for representing Christ and the gospel community.

Peep a behind-the-scenes video right HERE:

NBC is expected to premiere the video for the song, “We Are The World – 25 For Haiti” in 3D on Friday, February 12th, during its coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It should be available for purchase after that and, of course, all proceeds will go to benefit Haiti.

Whatd’ya think???

In the gospel music industry, collaborations are BIG.  You wanna create a crazy buzz about your project before it hits the stores?  Tell folks you’ve got an exciting collabo on it.  You wanna kick up your television performance a notch?  Perform a collabo.

This year was a great year for collaborative work.  But I’ve decided to narrow the list down to my 5 favorite collabos.  In order, they are:

5.  “You Bring Out The Best In Me” – Vanessa Bell Armstrong feat. Rance Allen (from Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s The Experience)

When Vanessa Bell Armstrong decided to remake her own 80′s hit on her latest album, she prolly could’ve just done it herself and knocked it out of the ballpark.  But she’s a kind and gracious woman, apparently, because she gave us the gift of some classic Rance Allen moaning and groaning that took this live performance to a whole… ‘notha… level.  Their two voices grooving over some Donald Lawrence-produced background vocals– you kinda don’t want the track to end.

4.  “The Joy Of The Lord” – Coko feat. Israel Houghton (from Coko’s The Winner In Me)

Coko is a masterful collaborator in gospel.  It’s like she reads our minds and gives the mic to the VERY folks we’re aching to hear.  On her debut album, she featured everyone from Faith Evans to her mama (Lady Tibba).  This time around, she kept her mama, plus grabbed Kelly Price and Canton Jones.  My fave collabo on the album, though (and, thus, one of my faves of the entire year), was with Israel.  It’s a feel-good track with great vocal performances from both of ‘em… a true treat.

3.  “Available To You” – Melinda Watts feat. J Moss (from Melinda Watts’ People Get Ready)

After a much buzzed-about debut album, Melinda Watts entered the gospel scene with a project that had a little something for everyone.  Perhaps one of her strongest tracks was this duet with J Moss.  Kudos for taking a song that is performed too much at midnight musicals and making it fresh for us again, and double kudos for enlisting the vocal assistance (not that Melinda was at all in need) of one of the best male vocalists in the game.

2.  ”Every Prayer” – Israel Houghton feat. Mary Mary (from Israel Houghton’s The Power Of One)

When I saw that the Marys did a song with Israel, the last thing I thought I’d hear was a jazzy contemporary gospel track.  But they mastered the performance like the pros that they are and it quickly became one of my favorite songs on his album, if not of the entire year.  And there’s a GRAMMY nod to show for it.

1.  “Wait On The Lord” Donnie McClurkin feat. Karen Clark Sheard (from Donnie McClurkin’s We All Are One)

I hear that Karen Clark Sheard wasn’t actually the original choice for this song– it was gonna be Tramaine Hawkins.  That, too, would’ve been an incredible performance, but God does all things well and He knew that this duet was gonna dominate the charts and our iPods.  On this song, Donnie stays true to his strengths– his a classic vocalist who can render a soaring ballad like few others– while Karen gives, arguably, one of her greatest performances in years.

Which collabos were among YOUR faves this year???

Remember when mainstream artists (especially in R&B) used to end their albums with a gospel track?  Sometimes, it was like “awww… bless you.”  But SOMETIMES, it was like “that’s IT!”

Fewer artists are doing it these days, but I had a HIGH TIME today listening to some older projects with gospel tracks on ‘em.  I realized “I used to LOVE these songs!!!”

So, here’s a short list of some of my faves…

1.  Kelly Price – “Lord Of All” on her debut project, Soul Of A Woman

2.  Blackstreet – “The Lord Is Real (Time Will Reveal)” on their Another Level project

3.  Brandy - ”Give Me You” on her debut album, Brandy

4.  Faith Evans – “Keep The Faith” on her Keep The Faith album

I could go on and on… but y’all weigh-in and lemme know some of your favorite gospel tracks from mainstream artists.  You can go as far back as you’d like!  Talk to me!

Oh yeah, just cuz… here’s Kelly Price’s “Lord Of All”… still classic.

You’ll NEVER be able to tell me that this woman ain’t one of the singin’-est women in the game today.  She’s been one of my favorite singers since she first came out over a decade ago and she’s no joke. At all.

Here, Faith Evans is singing “Speak To My Heart” at a BET Celebration of Gospel several years ago.  Enjoy:

YES????

The performers for next week’s BMI Trailblazers Award Luncheon have been announced.  If you recall from my earlier post, Twinkie Clark, Donald Lawrence and CeCe Winans will be honored this year at the annual Stellar Awards-weekend event.

Well, on hand to salute them will be:  Kirk Franklin, Faith Evans, Karen Clark-Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Kierra Sheard, Kim Burrell, DeWayne Woods, Crystal Lewis, Lalah Hathaway, Heather Headley and more.

Sounds reeaaaally good.  We’ll see if I get in… pray without ceasing, folks!