Reviewed by Alex Figgis

 Hailing all the way from Baltimore, having turned professional at the tender age of 15, Chester Thompson has been the man behind the kit for the likes of Genesis, Frank Zappa, George Duke and Rebecca St. James. After over 30 years of session work, multi-talented Chester has finally flown solo. Self-produced, 'A Joyful Noise' is composed of exciting compositions that have been built around the drumming and percussion of Chester. Though not a concept album as such, there is a very up-lifting and celebratory tone to 'A Joyful Noise', where the title cut has been inspired by Psalm 100, whose theme of praise unmistakably runs throughout the album. From the triumphant mood and tone of 'Make A Joyful Noise', to the atmospheric 'Homelands', each piece contained herein has been deftly executed by Chester's band. Sonically diverse, there is everything from jazz fused gospel to pop/rock; not to mention the strong Caribbean and Latin rhythms and phrasing which appear from time to time. Complete with a contemporary jazz rendition of John Newton's classic hymn 'Amazing Grace', 'A Joyful Noise' is a worthy debut by one of the world' s leading percussionists.

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