| CD REVIEW (This review was also posted at www.701.com) |
| GOSPEL MUSIC MAKES ME FEEL ALRIGHT! - KEN WHITELEY (2004) |
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| You�ve got to admire musicians who risk alienating a certain portion of established or potential fans to record music that lyrically espouses their particular religious orientation. Fortunately, Mr. Whiteley has a long and somewhat varied musical history, including a release (Thank You, Lord!) from a decade ago that also focused on gospel music. Although rock�n�roll was at first considered �devil�s music�, it was practically invented by musicians who had originally been performing music that espoused purity of mind and body. Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone and Elvis Presley were the more popularized icons who publicly exposed their duality in temperament. For some, the conflicting beliefs would prove fatal to their personal and professional lives. Ken Whiteley has never been a �rock�n�roller� and his initial leanings towards roots and traditional jazz music were innocuous enough to garner a large following in various musical circles. His love of music, in general, but particularly gospel, has transcended any of the usual biases. This recording is a revisiting of his love for the genre and the people who inspired him towards it. He sums it up, in the liner notes, while describing �Sing with Me�: �I was thinking of the universality of songs and singing as a source of healing, culturally universal and as a companion to both our joys and sorrows.� Leaving aside the lyrical references to his Christian deity, there�s no denying that the music and vocals are superbly delivered. As well, most people will be able to relate to the themes of love, peace, faith and spiritual harmony. These are all live performances, most of which took place at Hugh's Room in Toronto in 2004. My personal favourites were �Moses� Last Miracle� and �Wilderness�, two slow blues tracks, �In Your Hands�, a traditional jazz original, and �In the Night�. In general, I preferred the shorter, quieter selections that were nevertheless upbeat in tempo. The exception would be �Voice of the Lord�, which was a bit of a rocker containing a great guitar break. The Ken Whiteley-composed title track and Mahalia Jackson�s �I Don�t Want to be Lost� are both quintessential gospel tunes, starting out at a relaxed pace and then building to a glorious vocal and instrumental crescendo. If you understand the dynamics of gospel music, you will really appreciate these two compositions in particular. The CD features Ken Whiteley on lead vocals, 6 and 12-string Lasking guitars, National guitar and electric dobro, George Koller on string bass and vocals, Colin Linden on electric guitar, electric dobro, mandolin and vocals, Chris Whiteley on harmonica, trumpet and guitar, and Bucky Berger on drums. As is usual with gospel music, it is extremely vocally-oriented, and Ken has enlisted a number of singers to assist him here � Melisa Devost, Ginny Hawker, Amoy and Ciceal Levy, Pat Patrick, Jackie Richardson and David Wall. Fortunately, none of them have lost their sense of modesty in this regard. Their talent shines through without being overblown. While I can�t say I�ve been �converted� (my aversion to religion is much too strong), this CD has inspired me to think twice about judging a book by its cover. |
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