Gospel's Hardest Working Woman Celebrates The Season In Style With Happy Holidays From Vickie Winans
By Terrence Richburg
Vickie Winans, affectionately crowned "The Hardest Working Woman in Gospel", has always been well-known for her "hands-on" approach in every aspect of her extensive music ministry career, savvy business ventures and aggressive production style for her many acclaimed CD project successes. Winans' tenacity is a force in the music industry to be reckoned with - hailed by many for her reputation as a profound trailblazer on several levels and on many forefronts. I must commend her on her latest CD project, Happy Holidays From Vickie Winans, which does not disappoint in any way musically nor in any aspect of her joyful, spirited disposition. I believe Vickie has even excelled past her own expectations on this October 2nd 2007 release, this being the very first on her own Destiny Joy Records label with Central South distribution after 22 years in the business.
This fifteen song collection of glory-filled holiday treats is not just another Christmas CD with a "business as usual" exploit which fans have grown somewhat accustomed to hearing from every major artist, another project feather to be added to their cap in the long list of discographies. No, Happy Holidays presents a sincere commitment to produce genuine, all-encompassing songs that minister and deliver a thematic blessing for all, both in season and out of season, regardless of the occasion.
Leaving no stone unturned Happy Holidays pumps out highlight after highlight with such powerhouses as The Holiday Jam, a classic Vickie-crafted, four on the floor, in your face dance jam tune during which no one alive could resist the urge to move and join in the celebration of every holiday. The song contains clever lyric inspirations, tight lead and background vocal interplay, infectious call and response vamps, EWF reminiscent horn arrangements, heart pumping grooves and a killin' bass line you don't want to miss.
Quickly the mood transitions to the satin smooth Special Day production from Fred Jerkins and the Darkchild Gospel team as a perfect backdrop for a Vickie Winans feature offering incredible lead and glass-textured background vocals with a love relationship tribute expressed to God and loved ones alike always appropriate during the holiday season.
Vickie also displays a sense of humility on this project in sharing center stage and lead features with other awesome talents, including her son, Marvin Winans, Jr. on Joy to the World, which offers one of the most innovative arrangements of this holiday gem I've ever heard. On Jingle Bells, listeners will find a marvelous escape from the usual setting of this timeless standard with a flirtation and allure of jazz. Winans' gospel flavor style and even "scat" vocals featuring Tim Bowman II, and Denise Tichenor, on a soulful, anointed performance on the holiday treasure, are amazing on O Holy Night, a true blessing.
The heart-warming Motown in Yotown Family Song showcases Vickie's uncanny knack for originality, revisiting and integrating all the brilliant flavors of the hometown Detroit Motown sound, while A Merry Little Christmas may have you asking the question, "Take 6 who?" as this dazzling interpretation features a very moving performance by Winans coupled with an absolutely awesome background vocal arrangement. The performance is stunning as well with perfect intonation and articulation in the unmistakable style of the renowned jazz vocal group, Take 6.
Also included is Winans' hit bonus track single The Rainbow featuring her at her best with a powerful gospel vocal performance and soulful message of encouragement. Closing out this wonderful seasonal offering is the Michael McDonald cover of My Peace (My Mother's Transition Song), a lovely tribute to Vickie's mother, as this tear-evoking hymn captures the very heart of the heavenly transition from earth to the glorified state of one of God's precious saints.
Happy Holidays From Vickie Winans is a true winner with a pure focus, playful and joyful in tone as the holiday season should be. Yet, it contains a smooth harmonic flow from song to song - natural, exciting, and meaningful in spirit. There is nothing lacking in the production department here - a true gift of artistic virtue for the listening audience's ear and industry community alike during the holidays or whenever the desire to listen hits.
Terrence Richburg, head of RichEscape Music, home to praise and worship artist Terrell Hunt and inspirational jazz duo R&R, is an accomplished producer, musician and recording artist well-known both in the gospel and jazz communities. With a vast discography including work with Richard Smallwood & Vision, Maurette Brown Clark, Vanessa R. Williams, Marcus Johnson, Alyson Williams, Yolanda Adams, Aretha Franklin, The Winans, Jennifer Holliday, Tramaine Hawkins, and dozens of others, he is also a gifted poet and freelance writer. He can be reached at info@terrencerichburg.com.