March 29, 2000
Page B3
(Tlje }JorUanò ©bseruer
)3ortliutò
(ÌMisii mu
Metro/Religion
Urban gospel demonstrates its important strengths in J2K
Since the mid-1980s when young
Gospel groups such as The Winans,
Commissioned and BeBe & CeCe
began to add their unique sounds to
the canon o f gospel music, the voice
o f Urban Gpspel has become an
increasingly important force in the
Gospel music marketplace. While
those artists moved from the fringes
o f Contemporary Gospel to carve out
a niche for Urban Gospel, they also
spawned a new wave artists that
virtually exploded onto the scene
throughout the decade o f the 1990s.
Many o f the very special artists
formed in the birthing chambers o f
that period have com e together,
loaning their vocal, songwriting and
p ro d u c tio n g ifts to c re a te one
spectacular event album— J2K. The
thirteen original songs included on
this project reflect the essence o f the
timeless message o f Jesus Christ,
retold in a musical language that is
entirely timely.
Men o f Standard (“Love”)
Lowell Pye, Isaac Carree, Bryan Pierce
and
M ich ael
B acon
w ere
a c c o m p lish e d in th e g o sp el
com m unity as individuals years
b e fo re c o m in g to g e th e r as an
ensemble. Isaac and Lowell were
former lead singers with John P. Kee’s
New Life Community Choir, while
Bryan served as a youth minister with
Bishop Paul S. Morton, Presiding
Bishop o f the Full Gospel Baptist
Fellowship. Michael sang in a number
o f local groups in an around Dallas,
Texas. When they combined their
musical and ministry gifting as Men
o f Standard, they became one o f the
most promising new artists o f the
1990s.
Building on the rich history o f such
legendary m ale vocal groups as
Commissioned and The Winans, Men
o f Standard have firmly established
their own place in Urban Gospel
history. In ju st over 3 years as
national recording artists, their
albums Men o f Standard and Feels
Like Rain, have spawned numerous
hits, including “Winter,” and “In Your
Will.” They have also earned the
respect o f audiences across the nation
appearing in 2 major Gospel tours—
Power 98 and Shout 2000—with such
well-known artists as Yolanda Adams
and Fred Hammond. This year the
group won 2 Stellar Gospel Music
Awards, including Group/Duo o f the
Year.
Dawkins & Dawkins (“Enough Said”)
Since 1993, the brother duo known as
Dawkins & Dawkins have been
regarded as one o f the foremost U rban
Gospel artists in the business. Their
three albums have yielded such U rban
g la ssie s as “ E v ery b o d y N eeds
•Som ebody,” “ W ord U p ,” and
•‘Wrapped Up, Tied Up.”
’ Beyond their work as vocalists, the
Paw kins brothers are in an elite
p ategory o f you n g so n g w rite r/
producers with the uncanny ability
to make hits for themselves and other
artists. Having begun their industry
education as support musicians and
v o c a lists for Fred H am m o n d ’s
Commissioned in the early 1990s, their
current success is not surprising.
While always maintaining a hectic
travel scheduleoftheirow n headline
dates, this year, the brothers were
featured in their first major tour, Shout
2000, with Fred Hammond, Yolanda
Adams, Donnie McClurkin and Men
o f Standard.
Anointed (“Help Him Stand”)
For the better part o f the past decade,
Anointed has developed a reputation
for prem ier vocals andauniqueability
to move seamlessly between a wide
variety o f musical genres. In four
album s they have proved their
diversity by interspersing cuts that
alternately lean toward Pop. Gospel
and R&B influences.
Da’dra Crawford Greathouse, Steve
Crawford and “Nee-C” Walls have
amassed four dove Awards, two
Grammy nominations, two Stellar
awards, and numerous chart-topping
singles. Their unparal leled vocal and
so n g w ritin g a b ility is o n ly
superceded by their performance
prowess. In recent years the trio has
3
V e rity Records'
T o m m y B o v G ospel's
M y rrh Records'
COMMISSIONED
KIM BURRELL
A N O IN T E D
M a la co R e co rd s’
DAWKINS & DAWKINS
DUAWNE & TIFFANY
appeared on several high-profile
tours, including the “Big Voice tour”,
the “Christmas Celebration Tour” and
the “Emmanuel Tour.” They are
currently being featured along with
Christian artists, Avalon and Nicole
Nordeman on the “A Tour.”
projects, 1997’s"Free(Yes,I’m Free)",
and Relationship with released in
1999. While the flavor ofher music is
reflective o f late 1990’s Urban
rhythms, her vocal styling carries the
unm istakable essence o f church
Gospel.
Commissioned (“Before It All Falls
Down”)
G o s p e l’s p re m ie r m ale vocal
ensem ble, com m issioned stands
alone as the musical group with the
greatest impact on the sound ofUrban
music today. Combining their unique
up-front vocals with live instruments
and a huge catalogue o f classic songs
written and produced by the group’s
m em bers, the 6-man band from
Detroit, MI is credited by many
prominent artists in both the Gospel
and R&B arenas as their primary
influence. Artists like Boyz II Men
and Brian McKnight have openly
credited the group with the origins o f
their styles.
In recent years Commissioned has
become somewhat o f an institution,
springborading many o f its lead
vocalists into legendary solo careers.
Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Marvin
Sapp and Montrel Darrett, have all
passed through C om m issioned’s
hallow halls, landing in the hearts o f
music listeners o f all ages, and further
honing their special musical gifts to
expand the boundaries o f gospel
music.
Today the sound o f Commissioned
has been tailo red for the next
generation. Led by founding members
Mitchell Jones and Karl Read, their
latest album, Time& Seasons features
the notable talents o f new members
Marcus Cole and Chris Poole. The
new Commissioned is poised to re
ignite the excitement and appeal that
have made the group one o f today's
most endearing Gospel talents.
Duawne & Tiffany (“Everythang(It’s
In Me)”)
Duawne Starling and Tiffany Plamer
have graced album projects and
Gospel stages around the world with
their smooth sound. As session
v o c a lists both to g e th e r and
individually, they have appeared on
num erous chart-topping projects
with artists including BeBe Winans,
Donnie McClurkin, Angle & Debbie,
Sandi Patty, Twila Paris, Andrae’
Crouch, Yolanda Adams andCarmen.
As featured background vocalists,
they have traveled around the world
for artists including CeCe Winans,
and Donnie McClurkin.
Nancey Jackson (“Praise Awaits”)
A native o f Newark, N.J., Nancey
began singing in the choir at Saint
John’s M.E.R. Church, where her
father is the pastor. She recalls her
years in the church: “As a preacher’s
kid, I was raised in the church and
knew the church experience before I
got saved. I knew when to lift my
hands, get my shout on, and respond
when I was supposed to respond.
But, I didn’t have a true relationship
with the Lord.”
As Nancey grew, she became
in sp ire d to d e v e lo p a c lo se r
relationship with the Lord: “ I felt
hopeless and down in the dumps. But
the holy spirit revealed to me that God
called me to do His work.” That
revelation pervades her two solo
The duo met whi le both were students
at Oakwood College, the school that
served as the seeding ground for
such phenomenal talent as Brian
McKnight, Take 6 and Virtue. Soon
after meeting, they discovered they
were in fact cousins.
Their musical skills have proven to
be as co m p lem en tary as th eir
re la tio n sh ip . As so n g w rite rs,
arrangers and vocal producers, they
have a heart to inspire their generation
with a message o f hope, reflecting
their lifestyle o f faith in Christ.
LamarCampbell & Spirit o f Praise
I n the two short years since the release
oftheirself-titled debut album in 1998,
Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise
have established themselves as one
o f the bright stars on the horizon o f
Contemporary Gospel music. While
that first album yielded the soon-to-
be-classic “He Won’t Let You Down,”
their sophomore release I Need Your
Spirit proved they were more than a
one-hit choir.
With a sure hand for writing hit
songs and a dynamic gift for praise
and worship, Campbell is quickly
becoming one o f the most important
young chorale leaders in the industry.
His two Stellar Gospel Music Award
nominations for 1999’s I Need Your
Spirit (Contemporary Male Vocalist
o f the Year and Male Vocalist of the
Year) highlighted the strength o f his
special m usical gift behind the
microphone as well as in front o f the
choir.
Kin Burrell (“Woman”)
The daughter o f a pastor/musician
father and an evangelist/singer
mother, Kim Burrell began her musical
career with the Greater Emanuel
Church o f God in Christ Choir of
H o u sto n , T exas. A fter y e a rs
m in iste rin g in chu rch es and
performing on numerous recordings,
in c lu d in g
R ev eren d
Jam es
Cleveland’sGospel Music Workshop
o f America, Kim recorded her first
solo project, Try Me Again in 1995.
That project earned her a bit of a cult
follow ing am ong young Gospel
listeners, who responded to the album
and promoted the project by word of
mouth.
With the 1999 release ofher major
label debut. Everlasting Life, the
Gospel community at large got a taste
o f K in’s jazzy vocal style and soulful
passion. They quickly embraced her.
This year her sophomor ? project was
awarded a StellarGospel Music Award
for Contemporary Female Vocalist o f
the Year.
Montrel Darrett (“Save a Seat”)
From the time he was a boy, Montrel
Darrett has recorded and performed
as a professional artist. First as lead
vocalist with his family group, the
True Notes, and in later years as the
energy behind such w ell-know n
STOP!
GET HELP!
FREE COUNSELING!
Luke 4:16-21
"The Spirit O f The Lord Is Upon Me, Because He Has Anointed Me
To Preach The Gospel... "
SAVE MONEY!
BUY A HOME OR INVEST!
____________ Oregon » Washington • Africa
A-ZERRA Realty Inc.
5 0 3 -2 8 1 -9 9 0 0
317 NE Killingsworth St.
Portland, Oregon
3 6 0 -6 9 0 -0 2 8 1
4225 NE St. James Rd.
Vancouver, Washington
George Hendrix, Broker
We Represent Buyers
Spring
Revival
Restoration 2000
artists as John P. Kee & the New Life
C om m unity
C h o ir
and
Commissioned, Darrett honed his
musical and ministry skills.
With the release o f his debut solo
album. Chronicles ofthe Soul, in 1999,
Darrett carved a unique niche for
himselfas a songwriter, producer and
vocalist. Drawing from influences as
varied as Rock, Blues, R&B, Hip-hop
and traditional Gospel, he created a
truly memorable sound destined to
influence the next generation o f
Urban artists.
In Memory
R oy C urry Sr.
January 2 8 , 1934
- A p r i l 9, 1999
A loving devoted, husband, father,
grandfather, brother and friend
Messenger
Dr. Ron F. Mays, Pastor
(5,000 MemberCongregation)
Charity Church in Ft. Worth, Texas
Wednesday April 12* 7:00 P.M.
Thursday April 13” 7:00 P.M.
Friday April 14* 7:30 P.M.
Host Church
Allen TempleCME Church
4236N.E. Eight Avenue
Portland, OR 97211
(503)287-0261 Dr. Leroy Haynes, Jr., Pastor
W ho w e al l love, and w ho w e wi 11
keep in our hearts forever.
YourFamily
Katherine Curry: W ife
R oy Curry Jr.: Son
JeanetteCurry: Daughter
Patrick Curry: Son
Rhonda(K K )C urry-T aylor: Daughter
■4