::ALBUM REVIEW::

The Godfather of Gospel music continues to show signs of unstoppable progress as he reaches his fortieth anniversary of performing gospel music and nears his sixtieth birthday. Age seems to be no problem for the gospel icon known for producing such gospel standards as "Trouble Don't Last Always", "Yes, I'm A Believer" and "Who's On The Lord's Side". On his newest release and Jordan Entertainment/KOCH debut, "Jesus Jesus Jesus" sports the simple, joyous sounds of traditional and universal contemporary gospel used on all of Rev. Timothy Wright's previous musical offerings but also comes across as being a novelty item due to the assertion of several flashback cuts and familiar melody revisits. People often complain that Rev. Wright might be too predictable, but "Jesus Jesus Jesus" bears a genuine tone that reveals Wright's continuation of exposing listeners to fresh, upcoming talent while holding on to the rich textures of his soulful, funky gospel rhythms. You can always count on his music to be lyrically simple and satisfying while getting straight to the point.

The contagious narrative of an elderly woman in transit during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina rests on the enduring title cut. Incorporated throughout the story is a simple worship chorus that easily matches the story's power. While the song feels rushed in this six minute presentation, due to quick editing towards the end, and suffers from indigent production, it still gets the job done and may be one of the unpredicted hits of the year. This cut was taken from a live segment of the 2005 Church of God In Christ Holy Convocation in Memphis and feels as if it was taped and exclusively archived for the event, but the production gets better from this moment on as things shift towards live recorded material at Zion Cathedral in New York.

"Enter His Gates" is an upbeat choir rocking somersault capturing the joyous energy of Wright's church-friendly formula. Lots of repetition and spunky groove, the song bursts into a sharp vamp and even catches gospel great Douglas Miller tagging on board towards the fade. On David Caton's "New Life", Timiney Figueroa-Caton (from Hezekiah Walker and Kurt Carr fame) brilliantly executes a soulful delivery attached to her familiar melismas. The song glides into traditional grooves and gets snappy on the drive as it swiftly whips around strong characteristics renowned in the Brooklyn gospel circuit. Probably where Wright shines the most on the album is on the playful energies of "Pressing My Way", which uses cute unison phrasing, piano and bass walks and Wright's call-and-response system fitted perfectly for a choir. When the refrain finally kicks in, you literally can feel the enjoyment from the background vocalists. Earl Jones, Jr., Akin Royal and a rousing Cathy Carter Royal take their turns providing spirited and believable ad-libs to the infectious string of modulations. "The Best Thing" blasts away with one of the coolest danceable grooves from Wright's arsenal. Though the annoying reprise featuring a hard-to-translate rap and overcooked lyrics may get in the way of the average listener, the groove is purely adventurous and floods over with leaping, dancefloor rhythms.

Going down memory-lane on most albums lately may have not paid off for some artists - even for recognizable names such as Tramaine Hawkins and Zi'el - but Wright carefully picks a few overlooked songs from his extensive, colossal repertoire and breaths new life into them while using fresh, modern techniques in their arrangements. Rev. Milton Biggham's "You Must Come In The Door" (recorded by the Georgia Mass Choir during the 1980s) features a quicker, charismatic tempo, the occasional band breakdowns and riveting handclapping. "Count Your Blessings", originally recorded in 1983, gets a moderate facelift. While it suffers slightly in certain places and feels listless when Marcia Sapp-Salter tries to overlap over Wright's ad-libs on the refrain, the song showcases the strength of Wright's timeless compositions. "Be Right There (Hallelujah Anyhow)" also is remodeled into a contemporary fireball of energy - using the likable traits of "How I Got Over" from the "Let's Celebrate (He Is Risen)" album.

Deon Kipping, known for his lead vocals on Youthful Praise's radio-favorite "Incredible God, Incredible Praise", reveals his songwriting abilities on two of the album's tracks. "He Will Do" is a breezy and simplistic worship-styled song, but lacks the depth of most standard gospel numbers. "My Needs", styled in the flow of Richard "Mr. Clean" White's metered classics, features a vocal trade-off with the incomparable Rance Allen and Kipping.

There are a few misfortunes that tend to hurt the overall presentation of the disc. While the nature of the songs on the surface feels innocent, they often come off as being trite and underdeveloped. Even on songs like "He Will Do", "Jesus, I Love You" and "Everything's Alright (Hold On)", which were penned by other writers, they contain simple melodies, simple structures and usually wound up in tiring repetitions. After comparing "Jesus Jesus Jesus" with the mind-blowing efforts of the New York Fellowship Mass Choir's first two albums, you worry if Rev. Wright's musical fires are dimming. The big, complex numbers are getting fewer and are being replaced with more one-liners surrounding satisfying and convincing musicianship. Without being too judgmental, "Jesus Jesus Jesus" is still layered with enough grooves, a handful of hits and Wright's warm personality to impress his faithful fanbase and those in favor of sing-along workouts.