::ALBUM REVIEW::

After debuting the sounds of Cincinnati’s Charles Fold Singers on the monumental gold-certified album release of Jesus Is The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Reverend James Cleveland reunites a year later with the group to record the double-LP Touch Me. And the blazing fires from the first live recording still remain intact in the second session as Cleveland reunites with Fold and his aggregation of singers. There is a historical twist to this two-part saga and that is Cleveland uses the same formulaic style delivered on the Angelic Choir releases of the 1960s on the Charles Fold series and literally becomes Cleveland’s best-selling choir presentations until the Southern California Community Choir’s popularity unfolds.

The album opens up with the title cut; a chilling gospel ballad that possesses dreamy tip-toe drip-drop phrasing effects and passionate solos from Cleveland and Fold. The eight-minute firecracker borderlines the effects of Cleveland’s illustrious “This Too Will Pass” and “Lord, Do It” but with an additional ounce of holy boldness. Grasping Cleveland’s storytelling skills on the beginning ad-libs right before the chorus and the careful timing is almost mind-blowing to gospel historians (“I was at the altar a few days ago and this is what I said/I know I’m not much”). “As Long As There’s God, ” another Cleveland composition, rocks with a zesty contemporary groove - set to Bruce Carter’s thick bass and Charles Fold’s piano skills - along with the animated harmonies from the choir. “Say You Love Me (Him)” is a sweeping gospel rendition of DJ Rogers’ 1976 hit and follows Cleveland’s predictable pattern of finding pop/R&B hits and later morphing them into memorable gospel showcases. After Savoy recognized the success of Cleveland’s previous pop/gospel alterations like “In The Ghetto” and “Jesus Is The Best Thing,” the label decided to release the song as a single and sold quite well for a gospel 45. Another glorious moment to capture on Touch Me is the first appearance of Cleveland’s beautiful pop creation “God Is Still Working Miracles.” While the song has been revived on latter Cleveland records, this version remains a brilliant spectacular with its honest trio harmonies (Charles Fold, Donald Fairbanks and Rubel Caldwell) and Cleveland’s gruffy lead. Robert Fryson’s slowed-down version of “When We All Get To Heaven” is also present and contains a hefty performance from Rubel Caldwell interacting with the call-and-response effects of the choir. Other spectacular sightings that should thrill gospel listeners include the charismatic “May The Lord God Bless You Real Good” and Charles Fold’s two original compositions “He Will Answer Your Call” and “Hold Out.” Hearing Christine Brown’s soaring soprano vocals on the latter raises the bar indefinitely of any future attempts to recreate the perfect Sunday morning devotions.

Without any reasonable doubt, Cleveland was a substantial force in the gospel world at this time. He inherited a kind of glory and fame that rock stars only experienced; ultimately preparing him to be named by his peers as the ‘King of Gospel.’ Everything the King touched during this time period turned into gold and that kind of biochemical transfusion took place on the colorful Touch Me album. It remains a bold testament of Cleveland’s hard working and smart ethics; easily becoming one of Charles Fold’s greatest musical achievements on record.