Description
A Myx’d Trip to a Gospel House is a gospel-oriented techno project by the American DJ, audio engineer, and Electronic Dance Music producer Scott Blackwell, released on Myx Records in 1992, a division of the Frontline Music Group. The album was produced by Scott Blackwell with Blackwell and Dave Dunn arranging. Keyboards and programming by Blackwell and Dunn. A second installment simply entitled A Myx’d Trip to a Gospel House 2 was released by Myx Records the following year.
Featuring vocals by Sandra Stephens and Allegra Parks, among others, with J. Hanz Ives providing guitar. Several classic contemporary gospel tunes by Andraé Crouch and Danniebelle Hall among others are fairly radically remixed with a house attack.
You can now get this album in some UK book stores via a deal Kingsway have struck up with Spark. This album represents Scott Blackwell’s apparent drive to provide the Church with contemporary house-style re-workings for old gospel songs and hymns. And a very good fist of it he makes too. There’s nothing particularly adventurous in the sound (and you do wonder how long Blackwell can go on using the same team of musos and vocalists before we all get bored), but he emerges from the whole escapade with his house-DJ-worship leader credentials firmly intact. The album sets the pace with versions of «Can I Get A Witness» and «Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus» and the funk-up of «Trust And Obey» with Bernard Wright works better than it did on Wright’s own ‘Fresh Hymns’ album. [Karl Allison, Cross Rhythms, December 1993]
There is no good reason for black gospel to be ignored by the white church and non-traditionally churched black masses. Reinterpretation may by in order for broader appreciation, and Scott Blackwell and the Elefante Brothers do just that to get club kids and hard rockers to tune into gospel. Because of the occasional club play of dance-oriented gospel, Blackwell’s ‘Myx’d Trip to a Gospel House’ sounds like a natural progression from church music to house and swingbeat. Save for tune intros that aren’t always friendliest to club DJs (i.e., a few abrupt vocal beginnings), his gathering of talents like the ubiquitous Sandra Stephens and Allegra Parks, Monte Jackson from The Jackson Family and Bernard Wright (in a deep remix of «Trust and Obey» from his ‘Fresh Hymns’) to cover Andrae Crouch, Danniebelle Hall and Gospelaires chestnuts is a winner. Especially workable favorites include the desperate praying in the Late Supper Mix of «Take Me Back» and the fierce version of «Can I Get a Witness» (love that “ah, doot doot doot” sample!).
The Elefante-produced ‘Traditional Gospel Hymns‘ is trickier, as the gospel roots of hard rock and metal aren’t as obvious. What stands most in common are the powerful vocal deliveries and flair for the dramatic in the musics. For me, that power and drama is best heard in slower pieces like Sara Tennison’s take on «Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child» and Howard McCreary’s Chris Redding-like «Joy Joy». Though you’re going to have to start using your toes to count the recent numbers of covers of the Staple Singers‘ «I’ll Take You There», the calypso feel of Voncielle Faggett’s version cooks, heavy guitars and all.
If these collections can inspire young dance music and rock fans to pursue the gospel racks next time they’re out music shopping, a higher purpose has been served. Even if they don’t, there’s plenty to warm up to on ‘A Myx’d Trip’ and ‘Rock Power Praise Volume III’ [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, August 1992]
> iTunes (https://music.apple.com/us/album/myxd-trip-to-a-gospel-house/384841101)
CD tracklist:
01. Keep Holdin’ On – 5:49
(Written by Danniebelle Hall. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens and Allegra Parks.)
02. All The Way – 5:59
(Written by Andraé Crouch. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens and Allegra Parks.)
03. Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus – 5:31
(Written by Andraé Crouch. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens, Allegra Parks, and Derrick Hammond.)
04. Take Me Back – 5:08
(Written by Andraé Crouch. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens.)
05. Can I Get A Witness (“Do It” Church Myx) – 5:54
(Traditional. Feat. lead vocals by Monte Jackson and Negel Green.)
06. Trust And Obey – 4:59
(Written by D.B. Towner and J.H. Sammis. Feat. lead vocals by Bernard Wright.)
07. Keep Holdin’ On (Shakin’ A House Myx) – 5:32
(Written by Danniebelle Hall. Feat. lead vocals by Allegra Parks.)
08. Take Me Back (Late Supper Myx) – 5:14
(Written by Andraé Crouch. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens.)
09. Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus (I Know, I Know, I Know Myx) – 5:38
(Written by Andraé Crouch. Feat. lead vocals by Sandra Stephens, Allegra Parks, and Derrick Hammond.)
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Myx Records.
A full-page advertisement for Myx Records and producer/DJ Scott Blackwell was featured in the September 1992 issue of CCM Magazine.
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