Reviewed by Tony Cummings

For a couple of decades Bobby Jones has been a major mover and shaker in America's gospel scene, as much an administrative and entrepreneurial talent as a musical genius but his TV shows and live gospel extravaganzas have been crucial in enabling the creme de la creme of this generation's of gospel singers out of storefront church obscurity or the promoter - rip offs of the '50s Gospel Highway and find, some of the time at least, Rolex watches and mink coats in '90s Big Buck gospel. Now, having signed to the hottest gospel label of the '90s, Bobby brings his aggregation New Life into the studio, supplements them with a hot Nashville choir and then invites in a selection of guest vocalists. And what guests! Included on this storming live set we have Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Vickie Winans, Rev James Moore and Donald Lawrence. Vickie is outstanding as "He Knows How Much We Can Bear" while Vanessa continues to be the prime example of the third generation of hollering gospel divas (Clara Ward and Aretha Franklin preceded her). The songs here often go back to the music's early history ("Just A Closer Walk With Thee" even comes with a sermonette on the intro recalling the horrors of slavery. The arrangements, skilfully put together by producer Derrick Lee, are intuitively right and, all in all, 'Just Churchin" is just that. Please allow me a final, mighty aaaaaaaamen!!!

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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