::ALBUM REVIEW::

With a load of albums and gold-certified records under their belt going back to the 1960s, Dr. Charles G. Hayes and his world-renowned Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer Choir of Chicago continue to energize crowds with their foot-stomping display of energetic traditional gospel music. And while a long bout against time usually slows up a troupe of this magnitude, the vigor and spark of Hayes and the new blood now associated with the famed church choir has earned them a pretty cool reputation with modern gospel followers. Bursting off of an unexpected renaissance, the choir earned new praise, a few Stellar Awards and a big radio hit in 2005 with “Jesus Can Work It Out (Remix);” a modern-meets-old school refurbished version of their 1980 hit. The album, The Remix, climbed to number three on the gospel charts that year - very impressive for an independent project released on the small Icee music label. Now on the Jerry Peters/James Bullard burgeoning MCG Records label, Father Hayes and the Cosmos are aiming to add on their newfound success by using less support from big-name producers and songwriters and focus more on their Sunday morning officers to push forward into a new decade of exuberant gospel. And while Jerry Peters’ production is quite new on the group, his clean and polished style (and normal usage of horn add-ins) don’t feel quite as problematic as one would imagine. Their renowned formula of raw gutsy harmonies and sassy vibrato are left untouched, along with the very familiar piano twinkles of Ray Edwards, Jr. Exceptional additions to the band include Minister Tanabe Gatlin (known for working with Excelsior and Sonja Whitmore) on keyboards, Tony Dyson on keyboard, Pennal Johnson on bass and Donald Hayes provided horn support.

Kicking the album into high gear are three spunky uptempo numbers fiercely showcasing the group’s passion for churchy gospel. Hayes opens up the set by rendering his fiery vocals to Tony Dyson’s “He’s Keeping Me.” Hayes has retained much of his gutsy, throaty voice and still bursts into an occasional spine-tingling falsetto in a few of the song’s spots. And while the voice has grown a bit duskier and fthe tempo might be a bit of a challenge for the seventy-one year gospel veteran, he still delivers a mighty punch with his bluesy affections and easily guide the song into Sunday morning playlists. After a spunky remake of Rosie Wallace’s “Take It To The Lord In Prayer” comes a Chicago-spiced “Power.” While the song does uncover a big problem on the closing minutes of the vamp when the choir and tempo are off track, the ‘80s synths and soulful tempo makes the song a definite winner.

Pleasantly revealed is J.C. White’s “You Can Make It.” First recorded by the Institutional Radio Choir, it gets a cool update and bubbles with mighty infection from Beverly Carr’s heartfelt lead vocals and the disco-tinged rhythms. Tanabe Gatlin zooms in on the classic fast-paced churchy tracks from Chicago’s finest to introduce “Redeemed.” With a fierce horn arrangement, the song’s commanding deliveries - offset by Diane Williams’ overjoyed ad-libs - gives listeners a good chunk of Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer’s classic theatric performances. Unfortunately, Williams - known for her storytelling rhyme-based ad-libs - only warms up on this cut. Fast forward to the last track for the four-minute conclusion of the song: a sensational testimony of her conversion and her journey in Christ. The decision to seriously split the tracks might have been a welcome for radio, but the reprise is mandatory for the song to effectively work without any care of explanation.

Towards the closing of the disc, most of the songs tend to drag some and feel like familiar melodies recycled again into a couple of new arrangements. Perfect case of example: “I Just Want To Thank You” sounds like a crossbreed of Percy Gray’s “By Grace” and the very familiar Tommies’ classic “Thank You.” . But there are a few exceptions to the droopy closing segments of the disc, such as the lively performance of “I’m In Christ;” penned by Butch Heyward - another Brooklyn writer on board. The song’s walking bass line and sneaky modulations add unique dimensions to the album and makes the song one of the prominent highlights of the disc. Darius Brooks’ “Say It,” another lifesaver towards the end of the disc, is a moving ballad that walks on a serene opening, comforting lead support from Leroy Patterson but later bursts into a repetitive chorus that uses soulful gospel highlights to drive home the prophetic lyrics. Hayes also revisit the 90's classic, “I’ll Never Forget,” but briefly touches on it for a mere two minutes.

While Chapter One may serve as a return to the drawing board, it isn’t quite the joyride one experienced from their groundbreaking early-90s recordings on both the Savoy and Word labels. Even with the remakes on board, it’s not as meaty and flavorful as 1992's I’ll Never Forget or 1995's He Will Open The Door Just For You. But you have to admit, it’s a blessing to hear new material on the glorious group - add to the equation that some of the new material really rocks. This is a major advantage for Chapter One, since their previous outing, The Remix, mostly focused on previously-released material. And it is safe to stress that this album happens to be their best overall musical offering since their tenure on Epic/Word. New fans and longtime supporters of the Cosmos will take a hearty forward step towards the disc and will welcome their new chapter with MCG, even if it’s just an appetizer after being compared to their heyday’ releases.