Reviewed by Tony Cummings

With Chicago's Jesus People USA's Grrr Records no longer receiving UK release, the blues singing pastor and his two cohorts, bassist and fellow former Resurrection Band man Roy Montrell and drummer Ed Bialach, aren't currently the flavour of the month in the UK Christian bookshops. Which really shows up those establishments' deficiencies as this is an album of broodingly intense, soul lifting, Gospel testifying, white hot music which makes many releases from the CCM young turks seem tepid in comparison. Recorded over five nights in April, May and June 2004 these 12 songs, recorded live with no overdubs, offer the blues in all their earthy, cathartic power. Just listen to the torrid licks cascading from Glenn's axe on the mean and moody "If I Leave This World Tomorrow" and for a moment you'd swear you were hearing music from a hard drinking, womanising blues legend. But such distortions of perspective are the sad legacy of blues stereotyping which has credited the blues as the Devil's music when in fact, wedded as it is here to the stunning message of a God, who became a man, and died on the cross for our sins, the blues becomes art that can reach to the deepest recesses of our souls. There are many amazing moments on this set, the surging bursts of intensity on "Winter Sun", Glenn's gravel-voiced soulfulness on "The Day Love Died" and possibly the most impressive of all, guest guitarist Dave Beegle, who joined the trio for two of the nights adding his molten licks to the joyful, life-affirming affair. Magnificent.

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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