Thank God For ... Kim Burrell

I’m not usually going to slap so many TGF’s in a row like this. But when you’re on a good thing there’s no need to come off it. On this occasion my heart of thanksgiving to the Almighty is for an awesome singer. I came across Kim very late in life. Before that female singers in my repertoire were a bit low in number. I appreciated the talents of ladies like Ella Fitzgerald, Chaka Khan, Deniece Williams, Tramaine Hawkins, Yolanda Adams, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and the Clark Sisters. I guess I acknowledged the talent in voices like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston but there was something even in their delivery that didn’t grip me in the gut so they’re not in the list. It was the Clark Sisters who helped inspire Kim to the vocal ministry, or more accurately their mother Mattie Moss Clark. So I’ve got to be grateful for that because Kim’s voice just blew me away when I heard it. Mixing the best of a variety of genres – jazz, soul and gospel among others – Kim could weave her way through a song in such a way that mesmerised me. It’s not just the vocal whirls and twirls that are impressive, it’s the way that it elaborates a vocal story or message being conveyed. When that is layered onto the gospel message and appeals to believers to live up to the standard God has called us to, then there is the complete package of a music minister. I highly recommend the Live in Concert album to get a good flavour of what this sister has in the locker – not your conventional gospel singer with a straight delivery of orthodox songs, but a creative talent dishing out a superb array of songs for the edification of the listener. As if that’s not enough, online you can also check her out on our old friend YouTube.com. There’s a terrific off-the-cuff performance of Walter Hawkins’ Thank You (that you may remember from the last entry!). You can also check her deliver a track I’d never heard before called Only What You Do For Christ Will Last, on that one she also plays the keys so that highlights the versatility of the woman. And if that’s not enough, hear her share part of her testimony and have a chinwag with the likes of Donnie McClurkin and the Clark Sisters on a TBN special. Whatever you do leave yourself open to be blessed by this tremendous talent. 4 His Name’s Sake Shalom da man cd