Reviewed by Tony Cummings

For reasons too torturous to mention it's taken Cross Rhythms ages to review this album which, seeing as it was released in 2011 and the award-winning pianist has since released another CD, 'All Seasons', is pretty poor. But there's nothing poor about the playing of Emmanuel who down the years has worked with everyone from Ronan Keating and Doris Troy to the London Community Gospel Singers and Junior Robinson (who guests here on the soulful "So Much U"). Emmanuel is a fine musician and here shows all his keyboard dexterity with deft solos that take in stylings as diverse as Oscar Peterson and George Duke while vocalists such as Nathan Prime and Emmanuel's wife Ruth add smouldering gospel vocals as well. There is also some magnificent sax work on "I Surrender All" from Anore Brown which sounds like Grover Washington when he was reaching the crossover heights with Kudu Records. As in all, Emmanuel is clearly a class act.

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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