1 comments about Shout! 2001.

1. My Friend and I were talking about this song one day and she told me it reminded her of how God was going to heal her little boy she said she felt like this was God letting her know that he heard her cry and that even if he is four days late he's still on time. Her son has had seizures for 2 years and just 2 months ago he was healed and we are giving God all the Glory he deserves it this CD is the best it has the most uplifting songs to make you just want to go on and feel like you can make the journey home.

5 comments about Change My Heart Oh God.

1. I love this CD, it makes me weep and appreciate what an awesome God we have!!



2. this just a simple yet anointed series from the vineyard music, i could remember still how those songs brought me closer to god each day.
   if you see them around grab it.



3. This CD has the very best of all signature music. There is the slow, deep, spiritual side plus you get the added bonus of praise and worship tracks on songs #13, 14, and 15 for hand clapping and feet tapping fast tracks. I especially enjoy "Light the Fire Again"; even after three years owning this CD it still tops my #1 favorite I carry around all day. You never get tired of this CD; and you won't be disappointed with it.



4. The beautiful music on this CD will bring your heart closer to the Lord. Also check out a similar title "Acoustic Worship Spirit Song."



5. Has a lot of good songs on it, I liked it, kind of hard to find a good praise and worship CD anymore, but this one does a good job :)

No comments about Amazing Grace: Bagpipes.

4 comments about Acoustic Worship, Vol. 2.

1. This is a collection of contemporary praise music. These are not the original cuts recorded by the original artists. The songs are also very simple. It's not acoustic by the way, but that's not important. Nuthin' fancy. The songs are only about two minutes long with many less than two minutes. Many of the songs include the choruses only.
   
   I got it so that I could learn to play the songs. I downloaded the chord progressions off the internet, and I learned the chords. Some of the songs seem a little bit faster paced than the original so if you can play along with this CD, then you are certainly ready for the church band.
   
   For my purposes, this CD is a very useful tool.



2. This worship CD will keep you singing for more. There are a lot of songs and they are really great and motivating. The music is great. It's a nice way to learn new worship material too. The only thing I didn't like was they didn't always sing all the versus to the songs. The CD is still great though.



3. It was nice to have all the popular praise songs on one CD (well - between this one and Acoustic Worship 1 there are 2 CDs). The songs were a great combination of vocals and background music. Easy to sing along to!



4. I play guitar and bass guitar for Christian gatherings, and was very pleased with this CD. There is a good choice of music, and the nature of the music is pleasant and begs you to worship God. I am looking forward to Volume 3.

No comments about Our Daily Bread: Hymns of Worship.

5 comments about Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan.

1. Bob Dylan's gospel songs and some of the world's greatest gospel artists come together in one spectacular project. 'Pressing On' and 'When He Returns' are in a class of their own--prophetic, profound and powerful.



2. If you buy this cd and ONLY listen to the Chicago Mass Choir absolutely tear into "Pressing On", you will have gotten more than your money's worth. Absolutely stunning version. I had previously bought another "Gospel Tribute To Bob Dylan" cd, and was not moved at all. I cannot say the same about this one. Highly recommended.



3. from Dylan's house in Malibu where he can "see all the way to Ha/Wa/ee" and into the soul of man and god in the fallen forlorn new world order of reification, war machines, false prophets, corruption in principalities and powers that seem so unending but are falling apart even as I write and BD keeps writing/singing on(say, Rome toppled by the Pauline principles as registered in Gospel Music serving a different higher-lyric order than that of the big studio markets). This recording is (for me at least) an essential part of the Dylan canon, too, taking it into Baptist churches and the smoke-white hills and coal mines of west virginia.



4. As reviewers have rightfully observed, Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan is not merely another Dylan "tribute." Its 55 minutes and 11 songs are on a different plane entirely. And the curious fact of the Minnesota native himself participating should not go unnoticed.

   It took some kind of courage to pay homage to this particular period of Bob Dylan's career, a period that still can evoke a scoff or dismissive chuckle from even the most diehard fan. Because this project had humble beginnings and likely had its fair share of painful moments, it must have given executive producer Jeff Gaskill tremendous joy when it was birthed...and an outside world could finally see it and feel it and think it and breathe it.

   Although Shirley Caesar kicks off the CD with a pre-song rap which includes these words--"I wanna share Bob Dylan's song with you"--it may well be the case that she's done to "Gotta Serve Somebody" what Jimi Hendrix did to "All Along the Watchtower." Like Hendrix, she wasted no time in making it her own (she recorded the song in 1980); Dylan even said, way back in 1985, that he liked her version better than his. Caesar, in this take, makes heartfelt and emotional declarations that seem anything but weak, alludes to the Hebrew scriptures at the beginning of the song (Joshua) and at the end (Chronicles) while her backup singers--with their occasional "Serve my Jesus!"--serve as an antidote to phony baloney revisionist history, i.e., Dylan really wasn't/isn't singing about Jesus, or if he was/is, that somehow he cannot claim his Jewish heritage.

   When Dylan recently sang "I Believe in You" in concert, one observer noted how it still retains the original passion and power of its '79-'80 airings. Dottie People's version on this CD makes a valiant run at the original, with a strong, convincing voice. The Fairfield Four's stab at "Are You Ready?" easily works since the medicine of Dylan's words--words like "heaven or hell," "destruction," "judgment," "swift sword," and "Armageddon"--go down smoother through the conduit of a legendary gospel group (instead of, say, a "spokesman" for the 1960s). Dylan friend Aaron Neville gives "Saving Grace," a song Dylan has recently sung, wonderful treatment. Its line, "Wherever I am welcome is where I will be" may apply not only to Dylan's destiny in eternity, but also to the earthy locations of his gigs in recent years (before U.S. presidents, rabbis, and the Pope, in gambling casinos and at outdoor fairs in the mud...wherever he is welcome).

   Regina McCrary's handling of "Pressing On," with the able support of the Chicago Mass Choir, must have sent shivers up the spines of those who heard her open Dylan's concerts back in 1979-1980 (what may have seemed like a chore at the time--an obstacle to Dylan taking the stage--turned out to be a privilege). As has been said, Dylan's performance with Mavis Staples on the final track, "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking," must be experienced. One reviewer has noted its blues orientation (very true), but also said the song is "only vaguely religious." Although we know how Dylan would react to a label like "religious," this is still wonderfully ironic. In this final track, I distinctly hear Dylan growling out lines--that he penned in 2002--that relate to, why, daily prayer ("Every day you got to pray for guidance / Every day you got to give yourself a chance"); a personal relationship with God ("Oh, Lord, you know I have no friend without you"); and the Second Coming ("Jesus is coming / He's coming back to gather His jewels"). You get the feeling that Dylan wasn't just whistling Dixie during those infamous stage raps in 1979-1980. We also get the corny humor at the beginning of this rewritten song too, so it's alright, we can also smile.

   "When he was doing the previous album, Slow Train Coming, in Muscle Shoals, he'd had this vision of Jesus, of the hand coming down and these hands reaching up. And he said at the same time he had this vision, he saw the whole album too--all the songs, everything, the whole thing was there. And he said, 'What you've drawn here was exactly what I saw'." These were the words that the late John Bauldie heard from Tony Wright, the artist who Dylan hired to paint the original cover to the Saved album. Now, over two decades later, this personal vision of Dylan's has been interpreted--through Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan--with passion and respect by a formidable group of artists. The results are pleasing to the ear and soul.

   Do yourself a favor in this New Year of 2004...spend ten or fifteen dollars and get this collection of songs. It has recently been recognized by the Grammy folks in two categories: nominated for "Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album" and "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" (the Dylan/Staples duet). So there you have it, "traditional," "soul," "gospel," and "pop," a few labels one could arguably apply to Dylan without even uttering the ubiquitous "folk" or "rock"; or the "blues" that were instilled into the revamped version of "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking" on this CD. Incidentally, this same song is a surefire home remedy for the blues, insomnia, and/or reading SnoozeWeek (inside chatter for those who've heard it).

   Scott Marshall

   author of "Bob Dylan's Unshakeable Monotheism" located at http://www.jewsweek.com (2003-2004)

   author of Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan (2002, with Marcia Ford)




5. Essential-Powerful-Fresh-Soulful-Raw - - - Not a trite tribute but an excellent gospel CD (Even for those who think they don't like gospel).

2 comments about Smoky Mountain Hymns, Vol. 3.

1. These albums, smokey mountain hymns vol 1-3 (all instrumentals) are some of the very best that Craig Duncan has done. Teaming up with Jack Jezzro makes an incredible combination which results in creative arrangements played with wonderful technical ability. Vol 3 is the best in my opinion. I purchased these as tapes back in the early 90's when they were first released, have rediscovered them and decided to buy the cds since the tapes are aging. There is a volume 4 put out under the same "series" but it is done by another group of musicians (you won't be able to tell by the label) and it is not nearly as good. I was very disappointed when I got it. The duo team up on another album called Smokey Mountain Sunday which is also very good and has a killer version of "swing low sweet chariot" and haunting version of "what wonderous love is this". Craig also sings two of his own compositions on it.



2. This CD is a tremendous addition to Volumns 1 and 2. The musical arrangements of familiar songs is wonderful. The sounds of the handmade instruments are truly pleasing to the ear. This CD would be highly recommended as soothing, relaxing background music as well as good ol' foot stomping music. The fact that the entire album is instrumental is a definite plus. I highly recommend the purchase if this album.

No comments about The Very Best of Praise and Worship, Vol. 2.

No comments about Take Us to the Crossroads.

1 comments about Shout! 2002.

1. If you like Southern Gospel music and the message of hope that it brings, this album is a must-have!