This month we take a look at the brand new release from the Legendary Pilgrim Jubilees of Chicago, ILL. Celebrating 50 years of Music Ministry this project aptly titled "Year of Jubilee" is a powerful mixture of studio and "Live" songs.  Known for their hard driving style of quartet singing the Jubes maintain their tradition for continually releasing great gospel music. 

With a near 50/50 split on studio and "Live" cuts, this new release definitely contains a variety of sounds.  While the project really can not be termed landmark in terms of song selection, it clearly maintains a standard.  The project includes 10 songs of praise with brothers Clay & Cleve Graham taking the lead vocals on all the songs.  For the first time in many years the great tenor Ben Chandler does not take up lead duties on any of the selections on the CD release.

As with all Jubes projects, they have a knack for bringing back some of their classics.  There are several songs from the Jubes Nashboro days that make appearances on this release.  Songs like "Call Him Up", the beautiful "Hand & Hand", and "Just Like He Said" are among the classics.  It is defiantly good to see these great songs again as they have not been recorded since the late 1970s.  However, "Just Like He Said" is actually only a crowd participation song and not the full version of the song. This is definitely a big disappointment as this song would have probably been a radio favorite.

Unlike the Jubes previous 2 projects the group takes a little artistic liberty on a few songs.  Probably the most interesting of these songs is the choir driven "Work On Me".  This song oozes with praise as Clay Graham shows his amazing ability to work with a choral backing in the personage of Benjamin Cone III & Worship.  I'm sure you are already wondering if this project has a famous Jubes sermonette.  Well, to set your mind at ease, the resounding answer is yes!!  The Jubes have a strictly biblically based sermonette on this project.  In fact, this song shows the great writing team work of Min. Jerry Mannery and Clay Graham.  "Battle Songs" is just what the song title implies, a mixture of great classic selections that will help you to stand during the time of spiritual warfare. 

Highlights for Cleve on this project include the "Live" cut "He's Living Inside of Me" where Cleve works the audience as only he can.  This song is  immediately followed by Cleve's other masterpiece on this project "Jesus Take A Seat".  This song along with the opening selection "Raining In Somebody's Life" are the two new drive selections that I am sure will be immediately worked into the group's Concert program.