|
| Blog | Music Reviews | MSites | Services | Contact Us | Links |
|
|
 Download from:  New Britain Boogie is my latest solo piano recording. This CD collects thirteen familiar hymns and original compositions.Song titles include: "Blueberry Jam," "A Shuffle With Grace," "O Jesus, I Have Promised," "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms," "Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know," "It Is Well With My Soul," "Just A Closer Walk With Thee," "Just As I Am," "Blackberry Jam," "New Britain Boogie," "Wednesday Suite" (Recitation, Rendition, and Reflection) "A Shuffle With Grace" and "New Britain Boogie" are variations on the melody most commonly associated with John Newton's lyric, "Amazing Grace." "Jesus Is The Sweetest Name I Know" and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" are arrangements for four hands at one piano. I recorded this version of "Just As I Am" several years ago on my first solo piano release. The chord progression is considerably different from the original and the melody develops at a slower pace than you might expect. I arranged this version of "It Is Well With My Soul" around 1987 when I was doing my undergraduate work at Gardner-Webb University and playing with a local gospel group called Share. "Blueberry Jam" and "Blackberry Jam" are genuine jams. I had no precise ideas about what I was going to play when I hit Record. I recorded one take of each that ran for several minutes, then edited each one down to the final version. The final three moody selections are part of my "Wednesday Suite." It was nearly twenty years ago that I composed the final movement ("Reflection"), and probably five to ten years ago that I put the finishing touches on the other two. Here are samples from ten of the thirteen tracks: 
Order The eBook: My book is available both in paperback and eBook PDF formats. Acrobat Reader is required to view the eBook.Click HERE to buy the eBook online from Kagi.com. The price for the eBook is $12.99, with free electronic delivery via email as soon as I receive notice that your payment has been made to Kagi. Order The "Real" Book: If you prefer a copy you can physically hold in your hands, you can order my book from Amazon.com. (Amazon's price is $15.99. You can get free "Super Saver" shipping terms from Amazon if you buy $25 or more in qualifying products.) Click HERE to order. Description: Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern Gospel Music is my first book. The book is 170 pages in paperback or eBook PDF formats. Southern Gospel music has a rich heritage spanning 100 years. From the Vaughan quartets that originated in 1910 to the diverse array of artists that travel the concert circuit today, this message driven music has endured while other styles have come and gone. For the first time, the history of Southern Gospel has been compiled in an encyclopedia format. This book covers everything from little known trivia to detailed biographies about the most influential characters who shaped the Southern Gospel landscape. --David Bruce Murray
|
Featured Review
Label: Sonlite Records
Song Titles: “After The Storm,” “Give It To The Lord,” “I Want To Live My Life For You,” “You Don't Know God's Love,” “A Day In The Life Of America,” “Face To Face With Grace,” “I Still Got A Feeling,” “You Would Think He Would Learn,” “You Can't Fix It” and “Smooth Sailing”
The Dove Brothers continue to stretch their boundaries with Life. This CD includes new songs written by McCray Dove, Jerry Kelso, Raymond Scarbrough, Matt Rankin and Greg Lindsey along with songs previously recorded by Ronnie Milsap, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Monument Quartet.
"After The Storm" and "Give It To The Lord" get Life underway with driving rhythms. David Hester hits some solid foundation notes on the chorus of "Give It To The Lord." Speaking of Hester, the song “Face To Face With Grace” surprised a few listeners when they heard it the first time. A typical question asked was, “Did the Dove Brothers bring in a guest vocalist?” The lead line on this song is actually sung by Hester, but he's using his baritone range for a change of pace.
Three other not-so-ordinary cuts on Life include “A Day In The Life Of America,” "You Can't Fix It," and "You Would Think He Would Learn." "A Day..." has a unique rhythm and grabs your attention with an interesting word picture: “We wake up each morning and start every day, with coffee espresso and grande lattes.” Ronnie Milsap originally recorded this song. Monument Quartet has also covered it. "You Can't Fix It" is a remake of a recent Oak Ridge Boys song that doesn't quite match the impact of the original version. "You Would Think He Would Learn" is a McCray Dove original. The "he" in this song title is the devil.
The lyrics of “You Don't Know God's Love” (originally titled “You Don't Know My Love” and recorded by Ronnie Milsap) have been gospel-ized for Life. I'm typically critical of this practice because the results are often cheesy, but in this case, the quality of the song wasn't lost in the transition. It's actually one of the highlights of Life. There's a jew's harp vibration underneath that you don't typically hear on a Southern Gospel recording and a few moments where the instruments are allowed to come front and center. The arrangement suits McCray Dove's singing style to a tee. This is one of those rare cases where a group takes another artist's song and re-invents it, making it their own.
Several cuts on Life fall into a more typical, upbeat DBQ vein. These include “After The Storm” and “I Still Got A Feeling” featuring McCray Dove and “Give It To The Lord” already mentioned above. “I Want To Live My Life For You” features Jerry Martin on a slow cut that fans of "I Can Pray" should appreciate. Finally, "Smooth Sailing" is a blending harmony showcase with an upright bass and finger snaps adding up to a classic sound.
Is Life perfect? No, but neither is real life. That being said, I just added the majority of Life to Murray Radio, that little white box I carry around with me. With this recording, the Dove Brothers are pushing fresh sounds while maintaining a balance with more established song styles. As a result, Life isn't entirely consistent from beginning to end, but there are some real gems along the way.
by David Bruce Murray
|
Need a custom soundtrack or sheet music? Click here for more details.
Search This Site RECENT BLOG ARTICLES   Click here to visit our hosted sites or for more information on our website design services.
Site design by |
