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!

The Journey is the newest project from the legend himself, Andraé Crouch, and it hits stores on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. The 15-track album is produced and co-written by Luther “Mano” Hanes, who also worked on Crouch’s last album, Mighty Wind (2006).

The songwriting, familiar but fresh, is second to none. Listeners will enjoy the fact that, though Crouch explores and experiments with new sounds and instrumentation, he never veers too far from his wheelhouse– captivating melodies and refrains so beautiful that one is compelled to sing along.

This is clearly seen in the album opener, “Somebody Told Me About Jesus,” a classic Crouch-styled upbeat gospel tune, full of movement and led by the powerhouse vocals of none other than Táta Vega. It’s also apparent on “When I Think About You,” which is a personal favorite. Led by Markita Knight (you may have heard of her from West Angeles COGIC or through her work in the COGIC Music Department), this tune has a funk element laced over a very classic sound. But no matter how “current” these songs sound, they are as classic as ever because of the pen that wrote them.

The Journey also shines because of the perfectly paired guest vocalists throughout it. Whether Linda McCrary-Fisher on “Where Jesus Is,” or Kim Burrell and Take 6 on the dramatic and melodically winding “Faith,” Andraé Crouch has selected some of the music industry’s finest and featured them on musical masterpieces.

And he is, indeed, a master of musical styles. With The Journey, Crouch experiments with the ragtime-inspired “He Has A Plan For Me,” and the almost club-danceable “All Around the World,” featuring a soulful and in-her-lane Chaka Khan on lead vocals and Sheila E. dominating the percussion.

Other notable tracks include the smooth and jazzy ”Jesus Came Into My Life,” with Daniel Johnson (perhaps best known as a part of Israel Houghton’s New Breed) on lead vocals, the hymn-like ballad ”I Can,” with Andraé Crouch passionately delivering his lead, and the project’s current single, “Let the Church Say Amen,” featuring Marvin Winans.

I’m also a huge fan of ”There’s Nobody Like Jesus,” a jazzy groove looping a standard refrain, featuring LeAnne Palmore on lead vocals. It’s actually a segment of a larger live moment, but I’m thrilled to get the snippet that we get– it’s absolutely one of my favorite three minutes on the album.

The album ends with two versions of the captivating “The Promise,” an assurance that God will never leave us. Crouch leads one version and, as a special treat for listeners, he repeats the track again, swapping out his lead vocal for that of Marvin Winans.

I cannot quite express how much consumers will enjoy this album. I can admit that, as I sat and listened for the first time, tears welled up in my eyes. I thought to myself, “this is the man who God has used to shape the sound of gospel music as we know it today… and every tune he writes, even to this day, is laced with that same power and anointing.”

I’m happy to have The Journey in my collection because it takes me back to being the young kid who simply fell in love with great music, even before I could understand the beauty of its Gospel message. But I’m happier– perhaps even ecstatic– that Andraé Crouch can deliver for me, as an adult, music that will truly encourage and bless me on this journey with Christ. It’s really “the soundtrack of life” type of music. It is Andraé Crouch at his best.

Click here to listen to snippets and pre-order it now.

Just a quick heads-up folks (as if you weren’t already planning to watch, right?)–

The finale of Sunday Best airs this Sunday, September 11th at 8pm ET.  We will, of course, FINALLY know who will take the title this season– Andrea Helms or Amber Bullock.

Also, part of the show will celebrate the 100th birthday of Mahalia Jackson and will feature key performances from some of gospel music’s biggest names, including Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Rance Allen, Lecrae, Crystal Aikin, Y’Anna Crawley, Jessica Reedy, Le’Andria Johnson, VaShawn Mitchell, Ricky Dillard and MORE.

Yet ANOTHER reason to watch!

If you’re in Tampa for GMWA, or planning to get there soon, make sure you get to this star-studded concert!

The annual ‘Tribute to the King’ concert (referring to the late Rev. James Cleveland) is always well-attended and full of great performances.  This year will be no different, featuring Kirk Franklin, Dorinda Clark Cole, Rance Allen, James Fortune & FIYA, Jessica Reedy, Myron Butler and more!

The show starts at 11pm (doors at 10pm) on Wednesday, August 17th. Check out the flyer below for details.  Anyone going???

Kirk Franklin, one of the most innovative and gifted trendsetters to ever enter gospel music, returns to the marketplace with his latest offering, Hello Fear. It’s theme? A bold, in-your-face, musical expression of stepping to our fears and, in essence, saying “so what?!”

The album opens with the beautiful title track, “Hello Fear.” Though love-song in its acoustic sound and style, its lyrics are that of an unwavering breakup letter to FEAR– “never again will I love you; my heart, it refuses to be your home; no longer your prisoner, today I remember– apart from you is where I belong.”

The project then moves into a spoken word piece, before launching the banger “Before I Die.” Many will remember loving it on BET’s Celebration of Gospel this year, but it’s even better when you can put it on repeat over and over and over… (and over).

The project seamlessly transitions to “I Am,” a great declaration of who we, as children of God bought by Christ’s blood, truly are. And more– what it means for life… real life. The simple piano accompaniment on “But the Blood” is perfectly placed, framing the simplicity of its message.

“Everyone Hurts” offers a mellow reminder of the reality of life, tagged by the promise that God will actually “heal the hurt,” before the hit single “I Smile,” encourages believers to… smile. And, listening to the playful tune, you kinda can’t help but to do just that.

Always an artist who presents varied musical stylings, Kirk doesn’t disappoint this go ’round either– the “Never Alone” interlude, which features just a children’s choir, is sandwiched between the urban pop track “Give Me” (featuring the stylized and popular Mali Music) and the oh-so-churchy “The Altar,” featuring Beverly Crawford and Marvin Sapp. Contrast those tracks with the electronica dance vibe on “Today,” and you’re reminded that Kirk really is an incredible musician, able to authentically master multiple styles of music, even if one or more of those styles don’t fit your fancy.

Fans of unbeatable male crooners will enjoy “Something About the Name Jesus Pt. 2,” which features the incomparable Marvin Winans, Rance Allen, Isaac Carree and John P Kee. I probably would have enjoyed more of an integration of the now-classic original with this new tune, aside from the “shoo doo doo doo’s” at the end. Still, you can’t beat the guest vocals on this one.

But lest you think that the guest artists make this project, “The Moment #1″ and “The Moment #2″ remind listeners that Kirk’s got some of the most gifted “backup singers” in the game. As the vocalists trade leads on multiple musical medleys, Kirk fades to virtually silent, showcasing the incredible talent, and worship, that his team brings to the table. The album closes with the playful and bouncy “A God Like You.” It’s a fun, lighthearted declaration that there is no one like the God that we serve.

I am intentionally avoiding the trite conclusion that Hello Fear is better than Album X, but falls short of Album Y.  With a catalogue as vast as his, it’s becoming difficult to make such delineations.  More than that, though, this album has a bit of something for everyone and I don’t want anyone thinking they can pass on it. At the most fundamental level, plainly– you’re going to be out of the loop if you don’t get this project.

See, with each album release, the gospel industry looks to see what Kirk Franklin will do. Maybe not to imitate it, but definitely to be informed. Kirk informs the gospel music genre, progressing it in a way that only a handful of artists can. Though younger than most “legends” in our industry, Kirk is certainly one of the gospel community’s teachers.

So, hurry to your seats… with Hello Fear, Kirk Franklin announces that class is once again in session.

Buy it NOW by clicking right here.

Kirk Franklin has announced that his 12th album, Hello Fear, will hit stores on March 22nd!

The new album, which features the lead singles “I Smile” and “I Am” (both, already making impact at radio), is a 13-track project confronts fear head-on and, as Kirk says, “invites the listener to join me on the journey of letting this familiar ‘friend’ know that his time is over.”

Backed by his incredible team of singers– Nikki Ross, Charmaine Swimpson, Anaysha Figueroa, Isaac Carree and Eric Moore– Kirk enlists the help of guest artists like Marvin Sapp and Beverly Crawford (“The Altar”), Mali Music (“Give Me”), as well as Rance Allen, John P Kee and Marvin Winans (“Something About the Name Jesus Pt. 2″).

Kirk will promote Hello Fear on a 7-city tour with funnyman Steve Harvey, starting March 19.  Tickets are available at TicketMaster.

Rance Allen is a pioneer in the gospel music community– a vocalist often studied for his before-his-time riffing style and impeccable stage performance.  The group he formed four decades ago continues to be a steady source of great music, including his latest release, The Live Experience II.

On the heels of that release, Associate Editor Troy Lilly chats with the legend himself…

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Troy: Dr. Rance Allen! It’s a pleasure and a privilege. How are you?

Rance: Troy, I’m feeling great. And yourself?

Troy: I’m well. Excited to talk with you today. Shall we?

Rance: Certainly!

Troy: We really want to know about The Live Experience II, the latest album from The Rance Allen Group, which hit stores on January 25. Tell about a little about it.

Rance: Well, you know most of us recording artists say this, and I know I may be guilty of saying it about every new one that comes out, but this truly is the best one ever. And I say it because I believe it’s true.

Troy: Ok.

Rance: Here it is a live album. We’ve recorded twenty albums, this being only the second live one. Thus comes the name The Live Experience II. And man, there was just a free spirit moving as the Holy Ghost moved how He would, and with thousands of excited people there, they made us excited.

God anointed myself and my two brothers to sing, and the band to play, and then the great guests we had were second to none.

Troy: Certainly!  Tell me about the special guests appearing on this project.

Rance: We had Paul Porter, who’s a great singer himself, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong…I call her “the voice.”

Troy: Yes, yes.

Rance: Then the First Lady of Gospel, the Pastor Shirley Caesar, and a young group named Called to Worship out of Cincinnati.

Troy: Okay.

Rance: It’s just a beautiful piece of music. I want to tell young listeners that all you’ve got to do is put it in the player. You don’t have to search around looking for a song that you like more than the others. It’s the kind of CD that you want to play from track one through track 15.

Troy: Wow. So with that kind of project on your hands, do you have any favorites? Or at least a Top 5, since you can’t have just one.

Rance: Ok, well I hope I don’t mention all 15 to you! (Laughs)

Troy: (Laughs)

Rance: But let me start with “It’s You That I Trust,” the one where Paul Porter joins us in song. It’s an awesome song… you and the listeners will love it. But there’s one that I love even more than that.

There’s a cut called “Holy One.” You wanna talk about worship? This is a song that really reaches down into the reservoirs of a person’s heart…that’s “Holy One.”  And these are both kind of like ballads, actually.

Troy: Nice! What else have you got?

Rance: Pastor Shirley Caesar helped us sing another one called “Living for Jesus.” But there’s something I’ve got to tell you about this particular song.

Many, many years ago when I had just started my church, every Sunday one of my members would get up and just turn around and say to the audience– full of excitement– “There’s something about living for Jesus that’s the best thing for me…makes me feel real, (singing) real good.”

After a while, she had said that thing so much ‘til the Lord gave us a song! And you can hear it on this new CD– “Living for Jesus!”

Troy: Wow.

Rance: Yes, but there’s some great music on here. We did a song called “Love Train.” Now it doesn’t sound like the O’Jays! It sounds like the Rance Allen Group!

Troy: Now that’s a sound. (Laughs)

Rance: We also remade “Hear My Voice,” which we originally did way back in 1984.  Oh and number 13…that’s going to be one that you and every[one] of your listeners will love, and it’s called “United We Stand.” It goes on for about eight minutes and some change. And basically, it’s our take on “We Are the World,” sort of. Myself, my brothers, all my guests sang with a choir backing it up and it just turned out wonderfully.

I told you, if you keep letting me pick out favorites, I’ll be done picked out all 15! (Laughs)

Troy: I see. But I was actually counting while you were talking, and you only gave me five and a half! (Laughs)

Rance: (Laughs)

Troy: You’re celebrating 40 years of ministry along with your brothers. That’s almost two decades longer than I’ve been alive. Who are some of the new guys or the young cats that you admire or want to work with?

Rance: I’ve been blessed, man. I have worked with so many of these younger fellows. You know about the work I’ve done with Kirk Franklin. I’ve also worked with Joe Pace, The Williams Brothers, John P. Kee, Mary Mary. I’ve been able to share with many of the younger prominent artists of this day.

Troy: And we have enjoyed it!

Rance: They are actually the inspiration that I need for this particular time. All of the young people who come to me asking me to work with them, and praising the work that I’ve done over the last four decades…all of that now is a true inspiration to me.

Troy: Now I know I greeted you as Dr. Allen, but in addition to being a multi-instrumentalist and a singer, you’re also a pastor. How are things at your church, New Bethel Church of God in Christ in Ohio?

Rance: Man, that’s still a great part of my joy. The church is doing well. God is doing a new thing and we are anticipatorily waiting to see what our next move is going to be.

Troy: With that being said, if God were to bless you with 40 more years, what would you do?

Rance: Well, hmmm. I think I probably would just do like some products read on the side of the box and…wait for further instruction! (laughs)

Troy: That is a GOOD answer, sir. Good answer!

Rance: (Laughs) Yeah, because if he lets me live that long, or even half that time…or even a third of that time, I know He has not brought me this far to leave me.  I could never tell what God is gonna do because He’s so amazing that he would take the thing that seems foolish to me and just blow my mind. So I’m waiting for further instruction.

Troy: That’s wisdom.

Rance: And as the other box says: for best results, read instructions! Wait on the Lord!

Troy: (Laughs) Absolutely. Well, there’s one more thing I want to ask about as we wrap up. There’s a Live Experience II DVD coming out as well…

Rance: Troy, listen! The only thing that could be any better than the CD is the DVD, because you get to see what you’re hearing on the album. Oh my goodness, I’m telling you the Lord met us there.  And I’m trying my best not to sound like I’m bragging. But I am so grateful to God for how He met us there until the only thing I can say is you’re gonna miss out on something if you don’t get the DVD.

Troy: I’m excited about the projects, especially the commemorative nature and all that it symbolizes. It’s good to have an original pioneer who introduced new sounds still around. And not just because I was raised Church of God in Christ, either. But it doesn’t hurt!

Rance: Yes, you’re one of my little baby brothers. And God is using you to perpetuate the best music in the world, and that’s gospel!

Troy: Thank you for your time, man!

Rance: You’re certainly welcome. And I’ll tell you like the old folks told us: come by and see us and we’ll do you good.

*     *     *

And there you have it folks.  To listen to and purchase The Live Experience II by the Rance Allen Group, click here.

What did you think of the interview???

Just a quick reminder that the highly anticipated new album from the legendary John P Kee, The Legacy Project, is in stores TODAY.  The acclaimed lead single, “Blessings,” featuring Rance Allen, is already gaining airplay at radio.

If you missed Mia’s review of this incredible project, click here to get the low down on it.

And to listen to snippets of the new album, and to buy it, visit the Discography section of John P Kee’s pundit page, right here at GospelPundit.com.

Since his first release, Yes Lord, in 1987, Pastor John P. Kee has bridged the gap between the young and seasoned saints by successfully blending traditional gospel music with modern R&B grooves. However, with the release of The Legacy Project, Pastor Kee, who wrote every song, pays homage to his musical influences from his childhood by kickin’ it old school with quartet harmonies, foot-stomping rhythms, and only a few sprinkles of R&B flavor.

Praise jams, such as “Breakthrough”, “I’ll Serve Him” (both featuring Joe Ligon), and “I Love You”, will make you wanna pick ‘em up, put ‘em down, and shout a hole into your carpet! And, while listening to worship gems, such as “Determined” (featuring Harvey Watkins, Jr.), “Praying for You” (featuring Doug Williams and Rance Allen), and “Holy Hands”, you’ll find yourself doing the church two-step with a wave offering as the lyrics pierce your soul. Pastor Kee also treats us to a few New Life Community Choir throwbacks, the “He’ll Welcome Me Medley” and “I’m Waiting”.

My personal favorites from The Legacy Project are the songs that have a few sprinkles of R&B flavor. How could I not love the Mint Condition-esque groove of the lead single, “Blessings” (featuring Rance Allen)?! “You’ve Been So Good” pairs Pastor Kee with soul star, Anthony Hamilton. The result is smooth and effortless, yet full of emotion and sincerity. And, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Pastor Kee’s duets with Fred Hammond. “I Know You” only fuels this thought. Not to mention, the music for the vamp is STELLAR! “Finally” lovingly expresses gratitude for finally coming into a right relationship with Jesus…and the lyrics couldn’t fit better with the music. It’s just not possible!

Now, usually, I can only take quartet music in small doses. I’ll be jamming for the first few songs on a CD. But, then, as the CD progresses, all the songs start sounding the same to me and I’m over it…no longer jamming, LOL. So, the fact that I was able to listen to The Legacy Project in its entirety AND thoroughly enjoy it is nothing short of a miracle! Okay, okay…maybe “miracle” is an exaggeration. It must’ve had something to do with all the songs sounding authentic and fresh. Or, maybe it was the mix of awesome guest vocalists paired with Pastor Kee’s signature sound. Or, it could’ve been the wise decision to spread out the R&B flavored songs pretty evenly on the CD, which kept me from going into old school overload! I’m thinking it was all of those elements. And, if you feel me on this, I think you’ll be surprised to find that you enjoy The Legacy Project as well.

So, what’s my final verdict? If you love kickin’ it old school, purchase it. If you like kickin’ it old school from time to time, purchase it. If you need to learn how to kick it old school, purchase it…that should pretty much cover the rest of you, LOL!

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?