Reviewed by Jonathan Cairns

I have to admit that I get a bit too excited when any Christian jazz comes my way. It's a unique and versatile genre, and I love it when people use it to give glory to God, giving it an extra dimension. I hold this in tension with my wariness of hymn re-works, which in my experience can end up being highly embarrassing, and often pointless in their similarity to the originals. There's no danger of that with 'Songs From Sunday Morning', where the original song has been stripped of all but its most identifiable features and given the full jazz treatment. Bobby Bush arranged the songs and produced the album, and his talent in this is obvious. Songs aren't clichéd, obvious or predictable, but rest in the true spirit of jazz. "On Jerusalem Road" glides through transitions naturally, with memorable, repeating riffs and melodies to latch on to. The band is exceptional, as you would expect from such a distinguished session group that includes Grammy Award winner and trumpeter Fletch Wiley, saxophonist Jaared and multi-instrumentalist James Bjork. Their versatility is remarkable, as shown in the samba-influenced "What A Friend". For lovers of smooth jazz and classic hymns, this will hit the spot.

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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