Take 6 is, hands-down, one of my favorite groups ever– tight blend, tight harmonies, tight tones, tight songs. Open and shut case.

They’re back with a new single, titled “One.” Its lyrics are playful but intentional, and the vibe is classic “Take 6.” The single is the title track from their upcoming album, One, in stores on March 27, 2012.

I also hear that they just wrapped a video shoot for the single, featuring Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight and Lalah Hathaway.

I just posted it to the Pundit Player, so click here to take a listen!.

Pioneer… consistent… mainstay… teacher… classical… foundational…

Those are just a few words that sum up “the maestro” Richard Smallwood, one of gospel music greatest living treasures.  And on his new album, Promises, (in stores today, July 19, 2011), Smallwood continues to demonstrate these qualities like few can.

Spurred along by the lead single, “Trust Me,” Richard Smallwood’s 15th album is a 15-track collection of music that is consistent with the Smallwood brand, but welcoming of new styles and approaches to “classic Smallwood.”

My immediate favorites on this project include:

– “Facts Are, Truth Is,” written by Donald Lawrence.  The collabo was such a no-brainer that I’m slightly hoping for a full album of Lawrence and Smallwood-written, arranged and produced tunes– can you IMAGINE?!  The sheer bliss of the track is further secured by Vision vocalist Charisse Nelson-McIntosh, known for her now-famous leads on earlier tunes like “Anthem of Praise” and “Thank You.”

– ”Mender,” which is an instant classic to me. It’s what you WANT Richard Smallwood & Vision to sing, and it goes JUST like you want it to go.

– “Sow In Tears,” another classic that just sounds RIGHT.  The chords and vocal performance from Vision remind us why they’re one of gospel’s most respected ensembles.

Other notable tunes include the jazzy “Praying for Peace,” which features Lalah Hathaway (whose father, the late Donny Hathaway, was a classmate of Smallwood’s at Howard University) and “Unchangeable,” which feels like a well-done homage to a 90′s urban choir cut.

Fans of Smallwood’s classical side will enjoy tunes like the single, “Trust Me,” and “God of Promises,” all of which are woven with rich orchestration and arrangements, as well as his signature piano.  You will also enjoy the feel-good rousing chorus “I’m Forgiven,” and the remake of the Hawkins-classic “Is There Any Way?”

Perhaps what I like most about this album is that, though Promises is Smallwood’s first musical offering since his beloved mother passed in 2005, he’s not out of touch or in any way “too late.”  On the contrary, Richard Smallwood has sculpted contemporary gospel music for decades and, as such, any visit from the Maestro is a welcome one.  He picks up where he left off– with solid tunes that are familiar enough to catch on to, but challenging enough to embarrass your church choir if you’re not careful.

Check out snippets and purchase this album right here–

If you’re like me, you’re eager to hear the new album from the “maestro” himself– Richard Smallwood.  Well, the wait is almost over, with his new album, Promises, finally to be released on July 19th.

The project, Smallwood’s 15th album, was recorded in a small live setting in the DC area last fall.  Perhaps most significantly, Promises is the first album since the passing of Richard Smallwood’s mother in 2005.  He cites that he hadn’t even written a song since then, thinking that “the gift had dried up.”

The album’s lead single, “Trust Me,” is already available on iTunes.  Featuring the award-winning ensemble, Vision, the single carries the signature Smallwood sound.  Other highlights include the Walter Hawkins classic-turned-tribute “Is There Any Way,” “Praying for Peace” featuring Lalah Hathaway, and the Donald Lawrence-penned “Facts Are, Truth Is.”

Can’t wait!!!

JUST IN!!!

Here are the winners in the gospel categories at this year’s 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards!!!

Winners highlighted below in blue.

Best Gospel Performance

“He Wants It All” by Forever Jones | Get Ready
“You Hold My World” by Israel Houghton | Love God. Love People.
“Nobody Greater” by VaShawn Mitchell | Triumphant
“He’s Been Just That Good” by Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway | The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III
“Grace” by BeBe & CeCe Winans | Still

Best Gospel Song

“Beautiful Things” by Lisa Gungor & Michael Gungor, songwriters (Gungor) | Beautiful Things
“Better Than A Hallelujah” by Sarah Hart & Chapin Hartford, songwriters (Amy Grant) | Somewhere Down The Road
“It’s What I Do” by Jerry Peters & Kirk Whalum, songwriters (Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway) | The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III
“Our God” by Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin) | Passion: Awakening
“Return To Sender” by Gordon Kennedy, songwriter (Ricky Skaggs) | Mosaic

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album

Church Music | David Crowder Band
For Those Who Wait | Fireflight
Beautiful Things | Gungor
Rehab | Lecrae
Hello Hurricane | Switchfoot

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

Beauty Will Rise | Steven Curtis Chapman
Love God. Love People. | Israel Houghton
Pieces Of A Real Heart | Sanctus Real
Mosaic | Ricky Skaggs
Tonight | TobyMac

Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel

Times Like These | Austins Bridge
The Reason | Diamond Rio
Expecting Good Things | Jeff & Sheri Easter
Journey | Ty Herndon
Live At Oak Tree: Karen Peck & New River | Karen Peck & New River

Traditional Gospel Album

The Experience | Vanessa Bell Armstrong
A City Called Heaven | Shirley Caesar
Downtown Church | Patty Griffin
Here I Am | Marvin Sapp
All In One | Karen Clark Sheard

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album

Get Ready | Forever Jones
Love Unstoppable | Fred Hammond
Triumphant | VaShawn Mitchell
Aaron Sledge | Aaron Sledge
Still | BeBe & CeCe Winans

The nominees for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced tonight during a live telecast on CBS.

In the gospel categories, the nominees are–

Best Gospel Performance
“He Wants It All” by Forever Jones | Get Ready
“You Hold My World” by Israel Houghton | Love God. Love People.
“Nobody Greater” by VaShawn Mitchell | Triumphant
“He’s Been Just That Good” by Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway | The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III
“Grace” by BeBe & CeCe Winans | Still

Best Gospel Song

“Beautiful Things” by Lisa Gungor & Michael Gungor, songwriters (Gungor) | Beautiful Things
“Better Than A Hallelujah” by Sarah Hart & Chapin Hartford, songwriters (Amy Grant) | Somewhere Down The Road
“It’s What I Do” by Jerry Peters & Kirk Whalum, songwriters (Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway) | The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III
“Our God” by Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin) | Passion: Awakening
“Return To Sender” by Gordon Kennedy, songwriter (Ricky Skaggs) | Mosaic

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album

Church Music | David Crowder Band
For Those Who Wait | Fireflight
Beautiful Things | Gungor
Rehab | Lecrae
Hello Hurricane | Switchfoot

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

Beauty Will Rise | Steven Curtis Chapman
Love God. Love People. | Israel Houghton
Pieces Of A Real Heart | Sanctus Real
Mosaic | Ricky Skaggs
Tonight | TobyMac

Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel

Times Like These | Austins Bridge
The Reason | Diamond Rio
Expecting Good Things | Jeff & Sheri Easter
Journey | Ty Herndon
Live At Oak Tree: Karen Peck & New River | Karen Peck & New River

Traditional Gospel Album

The Experience | Vanessa Bell Armstrong
A City Called Heaven | Shirley Caesar
Downtown Church | Patty Griffin
Here I Am | Marvin Sapp
All In One | Karen Clark Sheard

Contemporary R&B Gospel Album

Get Ready | Forever Jones
Love Unstoppable | Fred Hammond
Triumphant | VaShawn Mitchell
Aaron Sledge | Aaron Sledge
Still | BeBe & CeCe Winans

What do you think of the nominees???

Months and months ago, I told you guys that Kirk Whalum was getting ready to release the 3rd volume of his oh-so-incredible gospel jazz collection, The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III.  Well, the time has come– look for it on March 16th.

I’m so excited, I kinda don’t know what to do with myself. LOL

I already featured volumes 1 and 2 as part of the Slept On series, telling you that Whalum featured phenomenal musicians like George Duke and Jonathan Butler, and superb vocalists like Kevin Whalum, Kim Burrell and Táta Vega.

Well, chapter 3 promises to be just as good, with great musicianship and vocals, AGAIN. I’m particularly excited about a reworking of the Luther Vandross hit “Make Me A Believer,” a duet between Kevin Whalum (saw him live a few weeks ago… he’s so gifted, it’s almost unfair) and the incomparable Lalah Hathaway.

Check out the full promo trailer for the album:

Get your pennies, nickels and dimes together, folks… you WANT this album!

Who’s buyin’???

‘Member how we talked about the Greatest Hits album from Men Of Standard?  And how I kinda suggested that you could skip the Greatest Hits cuz you need to just go’n and buy EACH AND EVERY album anyway?

Ok, don’t do that.

Still buy every album, but get the Greatest Hits album, too.  It’s featuring two NEW tracks– “Always Remember” by Andraé Crouch and “When Your Life Was Low” by Joe Sample.  I’m excited to hear both of ‘em, but I’m already drooling over the Joe Sample re-make because the song has GOT to have one of the most hauntingly beautiful melodies ever.

For those of you who’ve never heard the song, I’m THRILLED to post the version below.  For one, it’s relevant to the post cuz it’s being re-made by MOS (I’m interested to hear it from the perspective of GOD singing to us, if that’s how they approach it)… plus, I’ve been dying to sneak a little jazz/soul into the site by any means necessary (heheheeee!).  And any time I can feature Lalah Hathaway on lead vocals (with Joe Sample on piano),  you KNOW I’ma do it.  It’s my blog.

AND, while we’re at it, click here for an oh-my-goodness-she-may-not-even-be-human video of Lalah singing this song.  [And if you want to own the whole album on which this song is featured (you sooooooo need to), it's Joe Sample & Lalah Hathaway-- The Song Lives On.]

Okay, THAT’S IT!  This is a Men Of Standard post, for cryin’ out loud!!!

Get the album(s).

Both of Kirk Whalum’s offerings under the Gospel According To Jazz title are incredible, must-have additions to your music collection.  And I think folks kinda Slept On both of ‘em.

The Gospel According To Jazz: Chapter 1 was saxophonist Kirk Whalum’s first in this series, but he didn’t hold back AT ALL.  His band featured some jazz greats, including keyboard legend George Duke.  Stand-out tracks for me on this album are “In All The Earth,” “Blessed Assurance,” and “Where He Leads Me”– the full song AND its reprise. 

Later came The Gospel According To Jazz: Chapter 2, which was JUST as phenomenal, featuring some vocal heavy-hitters like Tata Vega and Jonathan Butler.  Stand-out tracks on that project include “Falling In Love With Jesus” (your praise team was singin’ it like crazy, but you didn’t buy the album?!), “Spirit Medley,” and the love song “The Moment I Prayed,” a duet featuring Kim Burrell and Kirk’s brother, Kevin Whalum.

Oh, and while you’re rushing NOW to purchase the first two albums, you can buy the limited pre-release of The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter 3, a DOUBLE DISC CD/DVD featuring another stellar band (including George Duke) AND Lalah Hathaway. For more info: http://www.kirkwhalum.com/.

Who has Chapters 1 and 2 already?  Who slept?  Who’s buyin’ NOW?  Anyone already got the pre-release?  Lemme know!!!

Words needn’t really be uttered, nor will they EVER do justice in trying to talk about Lalah Hathaway’s voice and vocal ability.  EVER!  LOL

Listen to the rich and full tone, the unbelievable color there… the control… the musical choices in ad libbing…

Here, she’s singing the instant classic “Don’t Forget To Remember” with Donald Lawrence and ‘em at a TV One thing a few years ago.

PLEASE tell me what you think about THAT singing RIGHT THERE! LOL

The BMI Trailblazers Awards take place during Stellar Awards weekend and they are always the hottest ticket in town (perhaps moreso than the Stellars!).  This year, I spoke to soooooooo many industry folks who said it featured some of the greatest performances they had ever seen in their LIVES.  EVER!

I was so excited for last night, when Gospel Music Channel aired the awards show, full of tributes for and from gospel’s finests.  But ummm… somewhat lackluster for me.  And it wasn’t cuz the performances weren’t brilliant– it was cuz they kept cutting off the people!

I get that we have to do commercial breaks and the editors had to contend with the dragging on of gospel vamps (some folks NEVER end a song).  But still… that’s the genre.  And many lovers of the genre appreciate, no… LOOK FORWARD TO the vamps!

Case in point: Kierra Sheard.  She sang “Jesus Is A Love Song” like it was her own song and, right when she was about to demolish the vamp “Je-sus is… a love song… love… song…,” they went to commercial and that was it.  So, we’ll never know how that ended.  And they kept doing it!

I get that there’s a limited amount of air time for the show, and that they have to capture as much as possible… but can’t y’all make it a three-hour program? LOL  I’m being unfair and unrealistic, and I realize that, but I’m just sayin’…

In spite of my frustration with that, the show was PHENOMENAL.  Karen Clark-Sheard sang “Couldn’t Tell It If I Tried” like it was the original recording from Finally Karen, Kim Burrell gave new life to “Prayer of Jabez (Bless Me)” and reminded everyone why she’s oft-imitated, but never matched.  And Lalah Hathaway… God gives gifts and favor as He sees fit, but I’m just a little jealous.  Like… we’re creating human beings with voices like THAT?!  Maaaaaan!!!

Other great performances came from Israel Houghton & Tommy Sims, BeBe Winans, Donnie McClurkin (with an impromptu mic-pass to Darwin Hobbs, who I believe to be severely underrated by consumers), and Twinkie Clark, who plaaaayed that B3 organ!

If you missed it, it’s airing again TONIGHT on Gospel Music Channel at 10pm EST.

Anyone else catch it?  WHAT DID YOU THINK?