Reviewed by Ato Erzan-Essien

The unassuming and witty Ortega gives an excellent performance of his songs old and new at a recent gig. Opening with the wonderful "This Good Day", Ortega's easy style allows the listener to absorb the melody and concentrate on the lyrical content of his songs and would not be out of place in the song list of any worship band worth their salt. He's an accomplished, multi-award winning singer/songwriter whose career spans some 15 years so he's had plenty of time to hone his obvious talent into something that is as effortless as it is highly professional. Ortega's voice, though not particularly distinctive, is clear and gentle perfectly complementing the tone and melodies of his music, particularly the ballads including the moving "Virginia Rose", "The Breaking Of The Dawn" and "Road Song". In all, this is the ideal music to meditate on God to but with more than enough depth to make it much more than another collection of laid back devotional music. Added to this, Ortega keeps the mood light and playful with his often highly amusing links between songs. Extras include four bonus tracks and a hidden track, behind the scenes footage and special commentary from Ortega himself.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.