The Sirens Records, recording home of Blues greats Erwin Helfer and Barrelhouse Chuck celebrate the true sounds of Gospel Music in Chicago with the release of Lift Me Up: Chicago Gospel Keyboard Masters. The 14 track disc features the instrumental stylings of Chicago’s own Richard Gibbs, Elsa Harris, Rev. Bryant Jones, Lavelle Lacy, Terry Moore and Rev. Eric Thomas offering musical praise to God via the piano and Hammond organ with Curtis Fondren on drums and guests Rev. Donald Gay, Rev. DeAndre Patterson and Dorothy Robertson lending vocals.
Its a true Chicago Gospel celebration as Rev. Donald Gay (brother of the legendary Gospel group and pioneering Savoy recording artists The Gay Sisters) joins Richard Gibbs (son of the late Gospel icon and member of the world famous Caravans Inez Andrews and accompanist for the reigning Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin) for a rousing rendition of Without God, I Can Do Nothing. Longtime accompanist for the famous Jessy Dixon Singers Elsa Harris takes to the piano and offers up a bluesy cover of Walk With Me (with Gibbs adding spice on the organ) in tribute to the famed Greater Harvest Baptist Church Sunday radio broadcast. Rev. Bryant Jones, former music director for Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition, founder of Chicago singing aggregation Bryant Jones and Chosen and another Dixon protege pays homage to Dixon via a soulful rendition of I Am Redeemed as well as a Sunday morning tribute to Rev. Clay Evans’ Fellowship Baptist Church (where he learned as his father Rev. Billy Jones served as choirmaster) with He’s My Everything. Celebrated songwriter and organist LaVelle Lacy (Chicago Mass Choir, Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer) gets a hand from the Crowned Prince of Gospel Music Rev. DeAndre Patterson for the Rev. Cleophus Robinson classic Pray for Me . Pastor of Chicago’s iconic Greater Harvest Baptist Church Rev. Eric Thomas rounds out the disc with a majestic medley of hymns in the Holy Holy Holy medley as Hawkins Family accompanist Terry Moore gives us a taste of Sunday night radio broadcast in I’ll Say Yes (to my Lord).
