Reviewed by Trevor Kirk

Yes, dear reader, that's not one of the celebrated Cross Rhythms misprints; one of the legendary names of soul gospel has been hijacked by the Gaither tribe, and this dog's dinner of an album is the result. The sleevenotes tell us that the album was mixed by Tommy Cooper; I think that some of the chaos that the late lamented fez-toting gentle giant comedian/conjuror was famous for has rubbed off on his namesake, because this is neither fish nor fowl. Jessy warbles his way through a mix of material that can't make up its mind whether it's soul or Southern, and for that reason manages to be neither. Vestal Goodman makes her obligatory appearance - fortunately everyone ignores what she's doing, and thus they manage to hold the melody - there's a choir, with Bonnie Keen and Guy Penrod amongst its members, and a typically fussy orchestra, so this is not an easy listen, and Jessy has to cope with such stuff as "Master The Tempest Is Raging" and "I Can't Even Walk (Without Holding Your Hand)". Those who remember him setting Greenbelt alight back in 1978 will be appalled.

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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