The industry is finally seeing some evidence of the fabled BeBe & CeCe Winans reunion tour… The Alliance Agency is booking dates for the gospel duo NOW.

I’m glad it’s happening and I definitely wanna go.  I just hope that the excitement and energy for it hasn’t faded away for the other fans.  If a BeBe & CeCe reunion tour can’t sell well in the gospel industry, what can?

Who’s going when it comes to your town???

On Sunday, November 29th at 6pm, gospel songstress Sheri Jones-Moffett will celebrate her birthday with a really cool performance concept in Atlanta, GA.

The event, “Up Close & Personal with Sheri Jones-Moffett,” will provide an intimate setting in which she’ll perform some of the hit tracks from her latest project, Renewed.  There will also be an opportunity to mix & mingle over good food and fellowship at the event’s location, the trendy Niche venue.

Only 100 tickets will be made available to the general public, so HURRY to buy your tickets now.  Tix are only $12 and can only be purchased online.  Click the image below for tickets!

Earlier today, I introduced you to our newest contributor, Ryan Chung (click here if you don’t remember).  And I told ya he’d be blessing us with a recap of James Hall’s live recording in Toronto, which took place on Saturday.  Well, here ’tis.

Ryan, it’s all yours, bro…

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Well, the doors were scheduled to open at 6:30pm.  6:51pm anyone?  Nah, not yet, just make the people wait.  It wasn’t until 7:11pm that the doors finally opened.

The main event was the LIVE recording of the upcoming release from “The Professor”– Brother James Hall & Worship and Praise, Live in Toronto.  It was a tedious wait, but as soon as the praise and worshippers entered the beautiful sanctuary at Global Kingdom Ministries in Toronto, Ontario, the praise really began.

Toronto’s own Echoes Of Praise (a powerful 4-voice ensemble) opened the recording and brought the house down with their own twist of “Nearer To Thee.”  They really set the mood for true worship and THE VOCALS WERE ON POINT!  Backed by Londa Larmond-Moncreiffe & Amoy Levy (I think they are some of Canada’s vocal GREATS), Echoes Of Praise ended their worship set with “To Worship You I Live,” reminding the believer that their main duty is not to be entertained, but to give praise to GOD for as long as they live.

So, yea… time was still not our friend for the night, but the crowd made sure to make the best of it (I hope that some of ya’ll that attended and are reading this GOT TO CHURCH ON TIME the next morning!).  It was around 8:30-ish when Cheryl James & VOW (Voices of Worship) went to the pulpit to lay down some heavy chords and some of the most mind-blowing vocals to EVER (I can’t stress that enough) come out of Toronto.  And this is where I began to HATE this group (in a good way…don’t worry!)  They had the audacity to sing F.O.C.U.S.’ rendition of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  There were only 6-8 singers…WHY DID THEY SOUND LIKE A FULL ENSEMBLE OF 40 SINGERS?  They are also a group to check out…straight from my home town.

9:00pm struck on our clocks…It was SHOWTIME!  Oh yea, forgot to add: it was a PACKED HOUSE.  But when you have Eddie ‘Animal’ Heyward (drums), Dewayne “DW” Wright (Timothy Wright’s son… amazing bass player), and Minister Melvin Crispell (organ) as the Musical Director, the house would have to be packed!  I also have to mention that Kurt Carr was in the building, too.  If an artist travels all the way from the States to see a recording in Toronto, you’ve done some good.

People from New York State, Kentucky, Montreal, and, of course, the host city were all in the building.  The music began, the choir members entered the stage, and the “voice” of the choir (Pastor Kevin Bond) began to speak.  Enter James Hall & Worship and Praise who, first,  ”BUSSED” our heads open with “God Is In Control.”  I might add that I never really liked the shiny lime green shirts, but Brother James pulled it off quite well with a simple black suit.

The tune was ringing, the hands began to clap, the shouts began to ring, and the praises were lifted.  James Hall represented by taking us back, doing songs like “I Never Shall Forget,” “He Shall Reign,” “Blessed be the Name” and the aforementioned “God Is In Control,” which will all appear on the upcoming CD and DVD.  NOTE: NO NEW SONGS… which was quite a bummer!

Confessional: As much as the vocalists were on point and the musicians were doing their thing, I will come clean: some of y’all who were there can testify that IT WAS A LONG RECORDING PROCESS.  I’m human– I started to become impatient…Oh Lord work on me!  I understand that mistakes happen, but I would say (I’m kind of a perfectionist): at least run through the songs before you record– it saves time and also preserves patience (for God is not the author of confusion…I’m just saying…lol).

Some details are gonna have to wait– he literally stopped the recording to tell people to stop videotaping on their Blackberries and phones, cameras, etc.  But I will note this: people that paid for the tickets really got to see how Brooklyn, NY does it, with A LOT of TORONTO FLAIR…

12:30am – The recording began to wrap up… yea I know, 12:30 in the morning!  But trust me– from this Toronto resident– the album is sure to NOT disappoint.

Holla!

Ryan

p.s. Did I mention that long-time soloist TUNESHA CRISPELL tore that church apart?!  GLORY TO HIS NAME!!

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Thanks for the recap, dude!  I understand a coupla mistakes, but I’m mad about any excessive starting and stopping business– at one recording I attended, an artist did it so many times that he finally just said “we’re gonna have to do THAT song in the studio.”  LOL  The audience thanks you!

If this project features only throwback joints, I’m lookin’ forward to it cuz I haven’t been as excited about some of their newer stuff.  I wanna be a fan again!

Y’all PLEASE show Ryan some love and thank him for the recap!

What do y’all think about the recording???  Who’s excited for the album?

You’ve prolly heard by now that CeCe Winans and J Moss are doing a quick tour from May to September, sponsored by McDonald’s, called the Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour.

I think it’s an unexpected pairing, but I love ‘em both, so I’d go.

Full schedule is as follows:

Click here for more details.  I’m a little miffed that it’s not coming to NYC cuz I do NOT feel like trekking to Jersey, but… who knows?

Anybody else thinking about going?

Guess who we’re gonna see next Saturday???  Ok, the headline and the picture prolly gave it away…

Kim Burrell at Lincoln Center (New York, NY).  It’s a concert she’s doing, called A Gospel Christmas.  I have no idea why she’s doing it (though I hear it’s gonna be a live recording, at least in part, for her next album), or what it’ll be like, but it’s gospel music… gospel Christmas music… gospel Christmas music by KIM BURRELL… need I say more?

I dunno if they have any tickets left, but you can try: Jazz at Lincoln Center.  If not, I’ll tell you how it was…