Oslo Gospel Choir - This Is The Day: Live In Montreux Part One

Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

In the prestigious setting of the Stravinski Concert Hall in the legendary Swiss town of Montreux, Norway's Oslo Gospel Choir played to a full house under the watchful eye of Scandinavian writer and arranger Tore W Aas back in February 2006. This DVD captures that night and it is a very slick piece of work to say the least. Featuring a 16 strong choir backed by an extremely tight five piece band, the choir work their way through a mixture of songs written by Aas and other contributors in a style that is their own. As with any good gospel choir, there are plenty of individuals ready to take the lead and this particular group is no exception. Male vocalist Hans Esben Gihle opens the set with the funky title track whilst soprano Kine Ludvigsen joins him on Andraé Crouch's "Comin' Back". Elsewhere alto Gro M Vaernes delivers a soulful vocal in the punchy song of redemption "Born Again" and the choir corporately perform a relatively low key version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Whilst it is difficult to match the sound and freedom that their black counterparts have, the Oslo Gospel Choir do at times come across as slightly mechanical. For instance, "Eternal Sunshine" - their attempt at reggae - doesn't quite come off and their version of Richard Smallwood's "In This House" is regrettably wooden. This does not take away from the obvious skill contained within this collective and this skill is arguably more evident in the four additional tracks included as an add on to the main feature. Contained within this bonus feature is a simply stunning rendition of "Joy To The World" showcasing Ludvigsen's true vocal potential together with a brief snatch of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" thrown in for good measure. There is also a breathtaking version of the traditional Scandinavian song "Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker" which sees the choir at their best and most natural - complete with a stunning vocal from Gihle and some great guitar work from Bernt Rune Stray.