Professor Wilbur Belton & The LADWEC Music Ministry - Live In London
STYLE: Gospel RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 163576-24702 LABEL: Zoe FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £10.00
Reviewed by Ian Whitwood
A musical director and minister of music from Washington DC, Professor Wilbur Belton (and his ministry team) was recorded at two London locations (plus one in Essex) in 2016. Unfortunately, the tracks here fall some way below the standard of his 2006 album featuring the LADWEC Massed Choir. Four of the seven tracks are songs from the original album that he and keyboard player Steven Ford arranged and co-wrote. The numbering of the tracks on the CD cover is not matched by comparable numbers on the CD which only has three tracks, the first of which is a dull introduction outlining Belton's various accolades and qualifications. Track two contains three songs including "Lift Him Higher", with Belton taking the lead as he directs the worship, but lacking the unity and power of the original. Track three starts with "Touch Me" which, apart from Ford's skilful keyboard playing, has limitations such as an occasionally out of tune female soloist often screaming the lyrics incoherently. The final two songs lack the harmony of the original massed choir and suffer from constant repetition of the same lyrics. "Come Bless His Name" features a more prominent Belton lead vocal than on the original, with his words repeated by the backing choir. "Great Things For Me" is closest to the quality of the original, with Ford's keyboard solo an outstanding feature and the female soloist driving the song along. Unfortunately though, this is too little too late and overall 'Live In London' is a substandard project.
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