Smokie Norful Presents Victory Cathedral Choir

Personnel: Carmel Nunnally, Tiffany Gatlin, Lisa Smith, Tifaney Phillips, April Miller, Gloria Andrews, Glenetta Bell, Geretta Williams, Geraldine Crider, Gale Daniels, Ernestine Small, Equasta White, Deondra Harris, Cookie Montgomery, Carol Snapp, Antonette Sherrill, Janine Pipkin, Marquita Gordon, Lenora Longstreet-Haire, Latrice Bell, Latoya Faulkner, Latasha Hosey, Twanda McCool-Wooten, Tiffany Stephens, Tanya Taylor, Sandra Welch, Ruby Godwin, Renita Broadwater, Raquita Dixon, Pamela Covington, Michelle Woods, Tee Turner (soprano); Emma Harris, John Harris, Marion Caselberry, Anthony Robinson, Terry Holmes, Raymond Steele, Demetrius Heard, Deanna Miller-Wooden, Christine Wheeler, Charlena Griggs-Alston, Cedric Dean, Byron Berry, Atiba Buchanan, Ambuschon Conner-Williams, Jim Chillers, Tyre Evans, Thomas Agnew, Samuel Ellis, Nichele Jiles (tenor); Joey Woolfalk (guitar); Jason Tyson (piano); Richard Gibbs (organ); Darryl Abernathy (drums); Martin Collins (percussion).
Audio Mixers: Jason Tyson; Joey Fernandez.
Liner Note Author: Pastor Norful.
Recording information: Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, IL; Tone Zone Recording, Chicago, IL.
Photographer: Eugene L. Gatewood.
First off, this isn't a Smokie Norful album -- he only sings on two tracks here, "I'm Still Here" and "Come Too Far." This is Norful presenting the Victory Cathedral Choir, and most of the featured vocals (aside from Norful's two songs and another by Keshia McFarland) are by lead voices from within the choir. Recorded live at the Friendship Baptist Church in Chicago, the album is a no-frills set of Sunday morning worship songs that doesn't strive to be anything else -- it isn't innovative or flashy, but then there's a comfort in that. This is old-school church music as only a full choir can deliver it. ~ Steve Leggett