Bill Gaither & T D Jakes - Build A Bridge

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The DVD version of the groundbreaking concert which endeavoured to bridge the gap between Southern gospel and black gospel styles. There are some giants of both genres here (though it could be argued that the inclusion of Latin pop/R&B team The Katinas seems slightly out of place); the cameras capture the exuberant atmosphere of the event and only staunch supporters of the black/white divide would fail to enjoy at least some of the performances here. The duet between Jessy Dixon and the late Jake Hess on the old spiritual "Get Away Jordan" is fascinating though for me, a cultural eclectic if ever there was one, the thing I appreciated most was the ol' time gospel emoting of Cissy Houston (Whitney's mum) followed immediately by the plaintive country of Jess & Sheri Easter. Bridge-building indeed. 7 TC