The latest part of the ongoing series chronicling, in no particular order, the greatest 1001 recordings made by Christian artists



Continued from page 72

977. GRAHAM KENDRICK - KNOWING YOU JESUS, 2010. From the album 'The Very Best Of Graham Kendrick: Knowing You Jesus', Kingsway Music.
Graham is unquestionably the founding father of Britain's modern worship movement. He wrote his haunting "Knowing You Jesus" in 1993 but it was Graham's later recording of his classic song, with fine production from Nathan Nockels, which best brings out its beauty.
Tony Cummings

Bloodgood
Bloodgood

978. BLOODGOOD - BATTLE OF THE FLESH, 1987. From the album 'Detonation', Frontline.
California's Bloodgood were pioneers of Christian heavy metal and The Encyclopedia Of Christian Music has since called their second album 'Detonation' a "legitimate masterpiece". "Battle of The Flesh" is a fast and furious affair with Les Carlson's shrieked vocals and David Zaffiro's frantic guitar making for an exhilarating attack on the enemy that lurks within.
Tony Cummings

979. GOLDEN GATE JUBILEE QUARTET - GOD TOLD NICODEMUS, 1941. From the album 'Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order Vol 4 1939-1943', Document.
In the years of the 2nd World War the Gates were at the top of their game. Recording regularly, broadcasting on CBS and playing nightclubs where they sang a mixture of gospel and mainstream material they were as much admired as the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers and paved the way for all the black vocal groups who first with doowop, then with soul, were to go on to success in the '50s and '60s. I don't know whether they ever performed "God Told Nicodemus" in the nightclubs - the recording remained unissued for decades - but maybe its uncompromising "you must be born again" message was felt a bit too challenging for nightclub sophisticates, but it's still an acappella gem of syncopated rhythm.
Tony Cummings

980. AMY GRANT - WISE UP, 1985. From the album 'Unguarded', Myrrh.
Amy took CCM to unprecedented sales heights in the '80s before becoming a bona fide pop star and then as her career trajectory began to dip embraced a more country-influenced sound. The one thing Amy seldom touched on though was music that could even remotely be described as "funky". But it was a strong dash of R&B that made "Wise Up" - written by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Billy Simon - such an arresting track with a nod going to the rasping bvs of sessioner Tommy Funderburk.
Tony Cummings CR

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