Life Is

Description

Life Is is the debut album by the Canadian contemporary gospel group Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale, released on EMI Gospel in 1998, a division of EMI Christian Music Group, distributed in the US by Chordant Distribution Group. The album was produced by Roger Ryan for After Touch Music except tracks 3 and 9 produced by Sanchez G. Harley and track 2 produced by Fred Hammond for Face to Face Productions.

This is sizzling stuff, leaning more to the jazz/funk side of gospel, described in the sleevenotes as urban gospel. Ten brand new songs mostly recorded and mixed by Fred Hammond who also plays keyboards on many of the tracks. While his influence is pretty well unmistakable he never upstages Sharon. The production is so tight with the Faith Chorale almost sounding like they’re part of Sharon. Highlights are the title track (just try standing still while you listen!) and the sensational «Get To Know Him» which really showcases the talents of the Faith Chorale. If you decide to buy it, make sure you play it loud enough to bless the neighbours [Peter Smith, Cross Rhythms, February 1999]

“Canada” and “choral gospel” don’t often show up in the same sentence. However, Toronto’s Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale intend to dispel that notion on the urban end of their genre with their U.S. debut, Life Is.

If Riley and her 33-member Faith Chorale don’t quite carve out a distinctly Canadian gospel vision yet (maybe it’s too much to ask of one act), they give fresh delivery to their producers’ influences. On «God is With Me», Fred Hammond loans Faith Chorale some of the same Stevie Wonder-like inspirations that worked well for his own Radical for Christ outfit.

Producer Sanchez Harley brings to Riley’s mighty vocalizing a funk/disco vibe. The title cut mines that feeling with an influx of late ’80s new jack swing, plus a guest rap from Mike E. A sweeter approach to the same ingredients informs «Never Gonna Leave You», a tune ripe for club remixes.

Roger Ryan negotiates Riley & Faith Chorale through current R&B territory, with an urban, jazzy gospel heart pulsing. Dig how Riley brings her Chaka Khan influence to the fore on the thumping «How You Came to Love Me». Note the bow to Riley’s Jamaican heritage in the reggae-fied rhythm of «He Came». And even when the crew approaches more traditional gospel, it’s with show-stopping grandeur on «Get to Know Him».

To wrap up things Riley teams with an old college pal, Take 6‘s Mark Kibble, on a true anthem of friendship, «I’ll Keep You in My Prayers». With other fine soloists and a unified sense of purpose in a diverse musical mix, Life Is shows Riley & Faith Chorale to be a choir to keep watching. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, April 1999]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/life-is/724134665)

CD tracklist:

01. Have Your Way – 4:16
02. God Is With Me – 5:18
03. Life Is – 4:37
04. How You Came To Love Me – 4:49
05. Get To Know Him – 6:09
06. He Came – 4:46
07. Moment Of Praise – 4:45
08. The Light – 4:14
09. Never Gonna Leave You – 4:46
10. I’ll Keep You In My Prayers – 5:11

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by EMI Gospel.

---