Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Remember Greenbelt "87? Amy Grant on stage wowing the throng suddenly calls forward her portly black backup singer to sing a solo. It's no misjudgement and the audience is stunned by one of the richest, soulfulist black gospel voices ever to leap an octave from the Greenbelt stage. That was Donna, and three years on we at last have Donna's solo debut. Unfortunately this album, cut for Warner's gospel subsidiary, didn't produce the giant crossover hit secular companies hope for when they step into the gospel arena, but it's still a hot one, a deliciously soulful voice with contemporary soul and dance accompaniments. If there is a fault it's switching producers a bit too often leading to a certain dissipation of creative focus. But whether it's the slinky mid tempo soul wailer "Undoused Fire", the jazz ballad rendition of Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday" or the dance funk "Part Of Me", here is much to enjoy here. Maybe the smash will come with the next album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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