Customer Reviews

With One Voice

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nothing.

That's right.

Nothing.

That's what we've got here. Reminds me of one of my most profound worship experiences. Let me briefly describe it.

I'm in the Bahamas. I'm at a predominantly black, charismatically oriented worship service. My lovely daughter is with me. I've come down to witness and support the wedding of a publisher I've been working with, and to attend the Sunday service presided over by his main author, the pastor of this church, Miles Monroe.

The musical worship team consists of a sax player, a trumpeter, a keyboardist, several percussionists, an electric bass player, a killer drummer, an electric guitarist, a steel drummer, and three vocalists. They cook up such a wild, holy gumbo as to almost bring down the walls of the worship center. And they praise God so magnificently as to transport the congregation into precincts of such glorious felicity as to make it seem as if we've died and gone to heaven.

That's what's going on here, if in a little less island-oriented and more traditionally black-gospel context. But the results are the same: Mesmeric, riveting, blow-the-roof-off, lament-drenched praise music of the most beguiling and soul-satisfying sort.

Anyone even mildly attracted to this vibe will not want to pass by this glorious disc, representing a high point of southern gospel jazz.

Highest recommendation.

This is the freshest sound in jazz in years and one of the best. The fusion of Ramsey Lewis' driving piano with a large choir is amazingly powerful when both play off the same melody lines, but even the soft sounds at times are beautiful. I only hope he does more albums like this one.

i was truly surprised at the quality of the gospel music on this cd,ramsey lewis has given us a true gospel cd and maintained his unique jazz flair,a rare treat.

Ramsey Lewis has produced a live CD, described as "gospel," yet still primarily a piano jazz CD that's not such a radical departure from his style that it should still appeal to his regular jazz fans while also pleasing a broader audience, Christians (if they hear about it). WITH ONE VOICE, despite the title, is pretty much an instrumental CD, with some vocals provided by a gospel choir, Smokie Norful and on "Healed Heart," the R&B sound of Darius Brooks. The CD opens with 6-1/2 celebratory minutes of a choir-accompanied performance of the upbeat and very gospel "Oh Happy Day." Other notable songs include "Trees," which has some interesting strings, and "Keep the Spirit," with its reggae sounds accompanying the piano. This is just a delightfully fresh, worshipful CD, great for a gift, makes for wonderful background music, too.

Ramsey Lewis is amazing on this CD. Any one that likes jazz, gospel, piano is going to LOVE this CD!!

Whether jazz or gospel, Ramsey Lewis still the master of the groove!

I was very huge fan of Ramsey during the late 60's and 70's during the dance/disco era. One Voice is a truly a blessing.

With One Voice is a wonderful CD. Ramsey Lewis is a very gifted artist. I found the music and the arrangements to very uplifting.

This CD is a reflection of Ramsey Lewis 's long family association with gospel music through his father as the liner notes make clear, so in some ways could be seen as a natural outcome of that lifetime journey.

The piano playing as always is impeccable and well recorded which is what one expects almost without fail from Ramsey Lewis. However the level of many players' instrumentation firstly does a lot to offset the raw spirituality of what are essentially live recordings. Add to that some very non-gospel solo vocals plus what I fear is for me a level of almost uninspiring choral singing which is all technically perfect but feels to be lacking in any intensity or heavy emotion for most of the time. I suspect my problem is I remember the first big hit of Edwin Hawkins Singers in the late 60s with "Oh Happy Day" when it made it to the UK charts and compare it with the opening track here. I simply wonder whether the whole result if just too lacking in feel for my soulful tastes? If after sampling it, you like that specific track and it moves you then I suspect you will enjoy this CD (as the many other reviewers who rate so highly clearly did) in a way that overall just passed me by I fear.

This is a great record, contemporary jazz meets contemporary gospel.
Ramsey Lewis invites a gospel choir to perform with him live and it's a really good one with great singers/musicians.
The songs are mostly unknown for me expect "Oh happy day" but they sounds really good with a "jazzy touch" from Ramsey's piano!
If you're into booth gospel and contemporary/classic jazz this a record for you!
Buy it and you won't be diassapointed!