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Okpebholo: Lord, How Come Me Here? / Bridges, Liverman, Sánchez
Navona

Okpebholo: Lord, How Come Me Here? / Bridges, Liverman, Sánchez

$16.99

Details

Composer
Shawn E. Okpebholo
Artist
Will Liverman, Paul Sánchez, J'Nai Bridges, Leonardo Altino, Caen Thomason-Redus, Marcus Amaker, Dud
Format
CD
Label
Navona
Released
Feb 11, 2022
Catalog #
NV6408
UPC
896931007085

About

On LORD, HOW COME ME HERE?, composer Shawn Okpebholo turns the mirror of history on today’s society with a reimagined collection of spirituals by enslaved Africans and American folk hymns that draws upon music from the past to critique contemporary racial injustices in the United States and around the globe. An ensemble of mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano, cello, and flute poignantly bring Okpebholo’s music to life, from hopeful anthems celebrating community to laments between a mother and her Creator and hymns celebrating faith and hope over hate and fear.

REVIEWS:

As a collection of Negro spirituals and American folk hymns recast as contemporary art songs, Lord, How Come Me Here? is a natural sequel to Shawn E. Okpebholo's 2014 set of reimagined spirituals, Steal Away...Many of the spirituals and hymns are familiar yet are strikingly reborn in these arrangements.

Shifting gears, Bridges pairs with Altino for the heartbreaking lament “Lord, How Come Me Here?,” the cellist less supporting presence and more duet partner; as captivating as the singer's performance is, she's equaled by the passion of his playing. Countering the despair permeating the lament, the album's spiritual and folk hymn sides come together in the medley essayed with conviction by Liverman and Sánchez, “I've Never Felt Such Love / What Wondrous Love is This.” Meanwhile, Bridges captures the yearning of “Oh, Glory” with a transporting, gospel-tinged vocal, her impact all the greater for the restraint Sánchez shows in his accompaniment. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” stands out from the others for adding Thomason-Redus's flute to the Liverman-Sánchez pairing and for the jazzy swing treatment given the spiritual.

Throughout the recording, the material wears its art song garb comfortably, but emotional expression is no less pronounced in the updates as it is in the songs as originally presented. Okpebholo benefits immeasurably in having vocalists of the calibre of Bridges and Liverman with him, and the performances by the instrumentalists are as strong. None of that should overshadow, however, the fact that Lord, How Come Me Here? came into being through Okpebholo's efforts and crystallizes his thematic vision into song.

-- Textura

Tracklist 10 tracks

  1. 1 Shall We Gather at the River? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 06:22
    Track
    1
    Title
    Shall We Gather at the River? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    06:22
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Paul T. Sánchez
  2. 2 He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 05:25
    Track
    2
    Title
    He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    05:25
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    J'Nai Bridges, Paul T. Sánchez
  3. 3 Lord, How Come Me Here? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 06:32
    Track
    3
    Title
    Lord, How Come Me Here? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    06:32
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    J'Nai Bridges, Leonardo Altino
  4. 4 I've Never Felt Such Love in my Soul Befo' - What Wondrous Love Is This? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 06:09
    Track
    4
    Title
    I've Never Felt Such Love in my Soul Befo' - What Wondrous Love Is This? (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    06:09
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Paul T. Sánchez
  5. 5 Ride On, King Jesus (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 04:01
    Track
    5
    Title
    Ride On, King Jesus (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    J'Nai Bridges, Paul T. Sánchez
  6. 6 Oh, Glory! (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 05:28
    Track
    6
    Title
    Oh, Glory! (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    05:28
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    J'Nai Bridges, Paul T. Sánchez
  7. 7 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 03:15
    Track
    7
    Title
    Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    03:15
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Caen Thomason-Redus, Paul T. Sánchez
  8. 8 No. 1. Ballad of Birmingham 09:23
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 1. Ballad of Birmingham
    Duration
    09:23
    Composer
    Shawn E. Okpebholo
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Paul T. Sánchez
  9. 9 No. 2. The Rain 06:06
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 2. The Rain
    Duration
    06:06
    Composer
    Shawn E. Okpebholo
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Paul T. Sánchez
  10. 10 God Is a God (arr. S.E. Okpebholo) 04:00
    Track
    10
    Title
    God Is a God (arr. S.E. Okpebholo)
    Duration
    04:00
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Will Liverman, Paul T. Sánchez