Reviewed by Ian Hayter

"Functional but not unctional!" more or less sums up this instrumental album Maunce Sklar is an accomplished concert violinist (at one time the 'Artist-in-residence at Oral Roberts University' according to the sleeve notes!) and he plays with a great deal of competence. The lush orchestral arrangements of Larry Dalton, performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London are pretty good, too - all soaring horns and cascading strings. The choice of music isn't too bad. But after the dramatic opening of the first track, it's all very predictable - there's no real spark that sets this recording apart from dozens of others in the same style. Sklar's Russian Jewish heritage is very apparent in tracks such as 'Jehovah Jireh' and the 'Jewish Medley (As David Did/He Is Jehovah/Blow The Trumpet In Zion)' and there's some fairly worshipful playing on the final 'Holy Spirit Medley (I Am The God That Healeth Thee/Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome/Spirit of the Living God)', but this is really an album to have playing in the deeply carpeted foyer of your local mega-church.

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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