Reviewed by Peter Dilley

Recorded in Houston, the first live recording by Pastor Gregg Patrick and the Bridge Project choir initially gives the impression of being as slick a performance as you'd expect from any major US gospel act, but somehow it lacks some of that extra sparkle of originality and pizzazz. Following on from the exuberance of the introduction and opener "All Things Are Possible", "Celebration" isn't the first track that I've heard that gives a more than a passing nod towards to Kirk Franklin's "The Reason Why We Sing", and I'm sure it won't be the last. And overall, the choir seems to lean much too heavily towards slow ballads such as "I Need More", "Holy", and "El Shaddai" and the two versions of "I Am A Witness", with the soloists putting every last drop of emotion into their performances - nowhere more so than on "Lord I Love You". Only twice, with "Just Like That" and "Dance", do more upbeat numbers lift the pace and the mood, and for me these tracks are amongst the highlights here. So I'd have to say that given the choice, my preference would have been for a much more fast-moving set.

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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