KENDRICK’S GOOD NEWS GOSPEL HOUR
The Djoon Experience feat Kenny Bobien – Old Landmark (Joe Clausell’s Mission For Today mix)
Jasper Street Company – He’s Alright (138 EDIT)
VMC – The Rock (Vocal & Piano Dub)
DJ Romain & Darryl D’Bonneau – It’s The Spirit (83 West Mix)
Children of the underground feat Tracy Brathwaite – Oh Happy Day
Shawn Christopher – You Can Make It (B’s Preacher Man Mix)
Ann Nesby – So Much Joy
Kenny Bobien – Father (Frankie Feliciano Remix)
Bebe Winans – Thank You
Michael Watford – Michael’s Prayer
Patti Labelle – The Spirit’s In It
Ann Nesby – Praisin’ His Name (Grant Nelson remix)
Peven Everett – Church
Copyright – He Is (138 EDIT)
Melba Moore – My Heart Belongs To You
Voices feat Dawn Tallman, Michelle C Jeffries, & S Pope – Can You See The Light
Barbara Tucker – I Get Lifted (The Bar Dub)
Donna Allen – He Is The Joy (138 EDIT)
Kenny Bobien – I Shall Not Be Moved
Celestial Choir – Stand On The Word
Aretha Franklin – Mary Don’t You Weep
MIX NOTES
About 10 years ago I crossed paths professionally with a guy named Kendrick Reid. I was an art director at Eyeball NYC and he was the Creative Director of Comedy Central. We started working together on show opens and network identity stuff. Very soon in to our working relationship, we discovered we both shared a love for house music (the black kind). I was a Shelter head and he was a Paradise Garage veteran and Shelter head from way back. I started giving him mixes and we soon became fast friends. These days I count him among a short list of people I’d gladly give my life for. He’s a solid brother.
A year or two after we met, Kendrick casually mentioned to me that his dream DJ Julian mix would be all gospel house (!). This sounded nuts to me, as I don’t exactly walk with the lord on a regular basis. However, in the last decade or so I’ve hung around enough house clubs at 6am on a Sunday morning to grow to love my share of gospel house music. When played at the right moment, it’s just the thing for what ails you. Not to mention, it can really get a NY crowd in to a frenzy. After all, it’s really a direct link to the roots of American music and the great aural tapestry black folks began weaving 400 years ago. To love black music is to not only love the Blues and Jazz, but to love Gospel as well. There’s no escaping it.
Though Kendrick only mentioned his mix request one or two more times in passing, in the back of my mind, I always did intend to complete it. Maybe because we’ve had so many spirited debates about religion over the years. Maybe cuz I got a little spirit in me after all. Fast forward to the very end of 2011 and I’ll be damned if I didn’t I finally get this mix together. So if you feel the need for some Jesus in your ears, you can download your own Sunday service right here.
In my search for gospel tracks old and new, I rediscovered an album that’s been sitting on my record shelves for years. Aretha Franklin’s “Amazing Grace” (1972 Atlantic Records).
Brothers and sisters, I cannot say enough great things about this record. The 8 minute version of “Mary Don’t You Weep” is worth the price of admission alone. Aretha recorded this in her own church, The New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, in Los Angeles in 1972, at the peak of her abilities. The album went on to win the grammy and become the highest selling gospel album of all time. It was remastered and re-released in 1999 as a two disc set of the complete un-edited recordings. Even if you don’t love the lord, you will probably love this record.
