Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Looking at the Galilee Of The Nations website I suspect that 'Messianic Violin' has borrowed tracks from across the catalogue and overdubbed Les Morrison's violin to replace the vocal lines. If that is not the case then I apologise and am left wondering why so much care and attention was lavished on the backing when perhaps a simpler, stripped down approach may have been more suitable. Les Morrison plays very well and he takes us through some Messianic classics such as "Baruch Adonai", "Kadosh" and "Jew & Gentile" with a passion for the Lord and a burning heart for Israel. Personally I think a more folk or bluegrass fiddle-playing technique may have come across better than the pure, classical sounding line taken by Mr Morrison, which may have given us a more authentic sounding klezmer feel (think of Nigel Kennedy and Kroke for comparison) but klezmer music is Yiddish rather than Messianic so perhaps the parallel is not appropriate. Clearly your Gentile-Christian reviewer is not the target audience for 'Messianic Violin' but I enjoyed it as a tuneful excursion into an area of world music in which I do not usually travel. According to the blurb on the CD cover Morrison's "soothing melodies on his heavenly stringed instrument will draw you into the presence of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah!" It didn't work for me, at least not as praise and worship, but it was not an unpleasant listen.

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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