Karl Allison reports on the various artists album featuring THE ESCOFFEREYS, DAWN THOMAS, THE WADES, DIVINE, PAUL LEE and others.

Watch out for their single on the compilation album 'Just The Way' on the Streethype label. It's called "Peace And Free" and is one of only two gospel tracks on the album.

DAWN THOMAS
The night before I spoke to Dawn Thomas she sang at the Hammersmith Apollo gig which featured most of the 'Soul Stirrings' artists. And every one of those artists I spoke to agreed that Dawn had stolen the show with a traditional song and a very sincere heart. But there is no secret to her success.

"You have to be saved, you have to be born again. When you live what you're singing it makes all the difference. The anointing of God allows you to do things that are not humanly possible."

Dawn's main success up 'til now was in Trumpets Of Zion, whose career spanned the 80s. When the group finally split, Dawn turned solo. "I just carried on singing. I believe Christ has called me into this ministry. Christ is the root of all I do and I'm just using my talent to express the love of Christ in the best way I can."

Her contribution to the album, her first solo recording, is one of the few cover versions featured. It's an old song that Danniebelle Hall used to sing. "Is my music traditional? Well, not so traditional that I'm not contemporary. I love gospel music and that covers a very wide field. A lot of the secular music that you're hearing comes originally from gospel. Those people left the church but took the music with them and gave different names to its various aspects. I like music that says something. I like music to be deep. If there's a message, then I'll sing it! But I like to be myself and try not to get segregated into any one style. Whatever way we can portray the gospel should be appreciated and used.

"I don't think of gospel music as a performance. I like to minister to people. Gospel means 'good news' after all, and that means it's encouraging to Christians and potentially life-changing for non-Christians. I want my music to make people realise that there is a God. It's such a joy being able to sing for God. I can touch people with a song whom I'll never meet face to face. As the old song says, 'If I can help somebody as I pass along my way/Then my living shall not be in vain."

David Daniels

THE WADES
Deep in the heart of inner city London lies an unimposing building called The Evangelical Christian Centre. Inside, it is a wonderfully chaotic scene - the community church in full swing. Across the church ambles a large man with a big grin. It's David Wade - Pastor.

Yes, the Wades are brothers. David, Dennis, Derrick and Lloyd. They are a soul/R&B/gospel band. They've got a single out that's getting airplay on Choice, Jazz and Kiss FM. They also run a church. Stand by for the gospel according to David.

"It's far broader than four guys just getting up on the stage and singing. We planted this church about four years ago. We moved into this building three years ago with 20 people and now the fellowship is nearing 200. We're very serious and committed to the gospel."

Just about every gospel singer will tell you about how they grew up singing in church, but not The Wades. "We've been educated in gospel music in the ten years since we met Christ. We come from a street life background and we're very wise to what's happening out there. When we first got saved it was into this real rigid church and so we didn't have the chance to mix it on the street level with the people we feel need to hear the message. Now we are taking a radical message to the world and we've done a lot of grassroots work in the community. We're dealing with issues in our music that relate to these people. The single we've got out at the moment, "Get Off That", is about drugs, but it's really funky and swingy so that the soul freaks and club freaks and those on the rave scene can all get hooked into it."

It's wonderfully refreshing to see such a total vision of Christian living that there are really no differentiations between ministry and music. Everyone visit this church please. "The music and the church ministry work together because both are very professional in their outlook and both are very focused. Our music is used in the worship of the church and we like our worship times to be creative and with a professional edge to them. So people can come into the church and hear quality music and receive God's love."

Their track on 'Soul Stirrings' is described by David as "inspirational, motivational and uplifting. We're saying that Christ is the best thing that's ever happened to us."

One of the album's highlights is a duet between two artists who had never sung together before. Barbara explains how it came about: "Nicky Brown played me the demo of this male/female duet and suggested I sing it with David Daniels. My first thought was, 'Gosh, he's really established', but I saw it as a great opportunity. I've known of David for years because he used to visit our church. He even claims to remember my first ever solo performance!"

For his part, David says the duet is "really exciting. Our voices blended really well and we got on well, too."