UMC.org Music Reviews
Label: Decca
Sound/Style: traditional spirituals and hymns in new and eclectic settings
By Steve Morley
UMC.org—Gospel music is getting harder to categorize, at least in simple terms. Christian artists are framing old hymns in pop and rock contexts, even adding new material. Many secular acts co-opt gospel’s rich musical heritage without a God-glorifying agenda. Because all this makes some folks uncomfortable, controversy can still simmer over the proper treatment of sacred song. Going Home, the debut from opera singer Morris Robinson, is yet another new spin on the trend of reinventing revered hymns and spirituals.
Throughout much of the collection, jazz is used as the departure point. The style, despite its sophistication (and a growing sub-genre called "gospel jazz"), has long been thought by some to be ill-suited for carrying the salvation message.
Frenetic jazz interplay, ragtime and boogie-woogie piano were once the soundtrack for saloons, prohibition-era gin joints and other disreputable establishments, and the association, however outdated, still lingers. But even if Robinson did not openly acknowledge his voice as a God-given gift, his rumbling and resonant bass is decidedly unlike that of any typical nightclub singer. He uses it to lend majesty and ballast to the songs of his churchgoing Georgia childhood that he passionately reinterprets here.
What comes out of Robinson’s throat, coupled with the novel arrangements on the disc, would be downright odd were it not done with so much emotion and musical savvy. Conductor and arranger Robert Sabin, known for his work with jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock, takes Robinson into far-flung territory on several tracks.
On "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," the commotion of wah-wah guitar, fiercely plucked electric bass and melancholy piano seems appropriate, creating a mood consistent with the song’s theme of loneliness and yearning. A similar sonic impressionism appears on the harrowing and skeletal arrangement of "Were You There," featuring an effectively restrained performance from the otherwise expressive singer. The track, suggestive of Peter Gabriel’s forays into world music, features touches of middle eastern tonality and high-pitched hand drums that alternately evoke dripping blood and the agonizingly slow ticking of time as Christ took on the deadening weight of human sin.
Robinson’s theatrical version of "Go Down, Moses," replete with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Joubert Chorale, offers a hint of his day job with the Metropolitan Opera. Had Robinson been around when "The Ten Commandments" was being filmed, Cecil B. DeMille would likely have crawled through a plague of frogs to get his hands on this highly cinematic track.
The variety seems almost endless, which sustains interest for newcomers to Robinson’s massive operatic voice, which might otherwise be too highbrow for the mainstream. That isn’t to say this won’t still be a stretch for pop listeners, but the hunky singer can electrify, given the right goods. His "Wade in The Water" is recast as Brazilian jazz-rock, pulsating with percussion and a sizzling Hammond organ lifted straight out of the early Santana catalogue.
Robinson makes bold moves throughout this highly unusual set, yet rarely if ever commits an artistic misstep. On the experimental yet familiar Going Home, he brings artistic legitimacy to the songs of his African-American ancestors. At the same time, he proves that you can take the singer out of the southern church, but you can’t take the southern church out of the singer.
Audio Clips
"Walk With Me"
"Go Down Moses"
"Moses"
"Lord I Want To Be A Christian"
| 
Podcast
Movie Review RSS Feed