1st April, 2009

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album: Good For Me

Artist: Michael Battersby

Year: 2008
Label: Indie (Metrochurch)
Web:
 

In A Word: Jazz-church

"The idea of re-working old classics in a different style isn't new, but 'Good For Me' carries it off with aplomb."

Take a bunch of well known tunes from the last few decades or so, add a sunny afternoon church picnic and a smooth-the-way-through latte. Now, nab yourself a world renown jazz buddy, a world renown worship leader, a church with a passion for the arts and you may just end up with this little gem.

It's curious to say so, but apparently, this IS a church album. It's traditional tunes with a smattering of newbies put to some mostly laid back smooth jazz. There's the Fifties string stylings of O Lord You're Beautiful, complete with jazz flute. Try on the Zschech penned and sung re-working of I Will Run To You featuring James Morrison on muted trumpet. How about the stride piano of Therefore The Redeemed Of The Lord? Ooh, ooh, then there's the arrangement of As The Deer that Sinatra's people would be proud of.

This collection will take you back and remind you why these songs were (and remain) great and how they marked times of change in the western church. From I Surrender All to What A Friend We Have In Jesus and This Joy That I Have, you'll catch bits of Harry Connick, splashes of Nina Simone and, of course, you'll dig up some Buble in the mix.

I'll admit that I did expect a bit of cheese with this one, and, while I can't deny that it's there, I think it works. The idea of re-working old classics in a different style isn't new, but Good For Me carries it off with aplomb.

With masterful ivory tinkling plus smooth vocals (little bit of Robbie Williams for mine) from Michael Battersby, the incredibly lush textures of the WA String Machine, the legendary chops of J Morrison and the sheen of Darlene Zschech's vocals, you've got yourself a fine Sunday afternoon disk.

In the end, it works and hey, it's good for you.