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We begin the year with a look at
the most recent release by the Legendary Clarence Fountain. For this project
Fountain teamed up with fellow Blind Boys’ member Sam Butler. The project is
aptly titled Stepping Up and Stepping Out.
No doubt it, The Blind Boys
of Alabama are the standard
by which good gospel quartet music is often measured. It does not matter
whether they are referred to as
The Five Blind Boys of Alabama,
The Blind Boys of Alabama,
or The Original Five Blind
Boys of Alabama, one thing
is certain, each of their projects will showcase the best of gospel music.
Thus it should be no surprise that when two (2) members of the legendary group
decide to venture out and deliver a new project, they would not stray from the
style of the Blind Boys. The project could have easily been released by
The Blind Boys of Alabama.
There are eleven (11) songs on the project. It beings with "Down To The
River." The ‘Delta Blues’ is incorporated into this track. And,
yet, you are left with a desire to go down to the river. The song also
set the stage for the remainder of the project.
Fountain and Butler have blended that ‘down home Delta style’ with Louisiana
blues and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to deliver a great mix of songs that minister
to the listeners. Just listen to "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "Don't
Let The Devil Ride."
The song "It’s A Different World Now" is quite interesting. The
song rightfully reflects the impact of social media and computers on our daily
interaction with each others. We don’t converse with each other like we use to.
We don’t talk ‘to’ each other like we use to. What a powerful song that reminds
us of the impersonal way in which technology has changed our lives.
The other songs on the project are "I Know Where I'm Going," "Between
Darkness And The Light Of Day," "Me And Jesus," "Stand
By Me," "The Birth Of Jesus," "Do What The Lord Say
Do" and "I Commit." All the songs are worthy of
your attention. The ones that may receive the most airplay are "Me And
Jesus" and "Do What the Lord Say Do." Both are
upbeat and ready made for radio. However, once you put the CD into the
player you will find that all of the songs should be in heavy rotation.
Clarence Fountain, Sam Butler along with producer Jim Tullio fused masterfully
the rich gospel sound of the singers with the talents of extraordinary
musicians to give us a great project rooted solidly in traditional gospel
music. It has been said that Fountain embodies the chrematistics of an anointed
preacher that is able to deliver the message of the Good News in song.
With that we agree.
We also agree that “Stepping Up & Stepping Out is a testament to the
goodness of God as well as Fountain's remarkable musical legacy that began in
1939. This truly momentous experience that fans worldwide of Clarence Fountain
and the Blind Boys Of Alabama do not want to miss.”
On the whole
Stepping Up & Stepping Out is certainly worthy of your
attention. The project should be available everywhere. The project
can be purchase by clicking
Stepping Up &
Stepping Out. We give
Clarence Fountain, Sam Butler and The Boys'
Stepping Up & Stepping Out a
9 out of 10. Click on the title to hear a clip from “Me And
Jesus.”
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