Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Steve W. Mauldin
Label: Daywind Records
Website: www.legacyfive.com

Song titles: A Wonderful Life; God Had A Hand In It; Ask Me Why; Nobody Ever Loved Me Like God Does; There’s Only One Well; Just Because Of You; God Cares For Me; Living In The Palace; Destination Known; I’m Still Amazed; For What Earthly Reason; God Is Still In America

Legacy Five’s last major release, Just Stand, marked a jump start for their discography. Produced by Lari Goss, it featured a song selection and arrangements that could arguably be counted among their finest work. It also marked their last project with Frank Seamans singing the tenor part, and when Gus Gaches was hired, it was re-released with his vocals. Though the group has released a table project since then, A Wonderful Life is the first major release featuring arrangements and songs made with Gaches’ tenor in mind, and the first with Trey Ivey at the piano bench. The quartet went with a producer they have used several times, Steve Mauldin, rather than using Goss again.

In terms of song selection, there are a couple of places A Wonderful Life could have been better. The title track falls in the mold of what I feel has been a problem with much of Legacy Five’s material after Roger Bennett’s passing: too many “ditties,” or bouncy little songs. Many groups have a cutesy fun tune on a project every now and then, but in Legacy Five’s case, there have been a lot. IMHO, this ends up hurting them in the long run, because I have heard several people comment that, as casual listeners, they think that is all they record. Thankfully, only two of those show up here:  the title track, and “God Cares For Me.” Those usually have me hitting the skip button.

The good news is, other than those two, the group has put together a collection of good songs. “Ask Me Why” is a powerful ballad that features the best blend the group has ever had, period. “Nobody Ever Loved Me Like God Does” is an upbeat track that sounds like it could have come from the group’s Heroes Of The Faith project, with is a testament to the quality of both the song and the production. “There’s Only One Well,” though taken from Cross4Crowns’ songbook, sounds like it was made for Legacy Five, and features Gaches putting on the afterburners for an energetic finish. Other highlights include Scott Howard’s feature on “Destination Known” (once again, he never fails to have songs that impeccably fit his voice), and the group’s foray into a surprisingly progressive sound on “Living In The Palace,” a personal favorite track of mine. Keeping the Cathedrals connection alive, the group covers two songs from them; “Just Because Of You,” which is a good slower tune from the Gaithers’ pen, and “For What Earthly Reason,” an iconic Danny Funderburk feature on which Gaches turns in a solid performance.

As you can probably tell from my numerous mentions, Gus Gaches is a huge asset to Legacy Five. His ability to deliver a lyric and blend with the group is showcased very well here, and the group as a whole has a very cohesive, solid sound. While not as all-around stellar as Just Stand, this project is still a solid effort and has several songs that are ripe for radio release. A Wonderful Life receives 4 stars.

While doing some work on my Youtube account, I came across this video in my subscriptions feed and was immediately intrigued. Via user texjoy777 has a high-quality video up that is the first clip I have seen since Ivey took over the piano bench from Tim Parton recently. With tenor Gus Gaches featured on a song the quartet has done since its inception, here is a piano-and-vocals version of “Holy Is Thy Name:”

After hearing and viewing this clip, there is no denying that Scott Fowler made the right hire in Trey Ivey. His style is refined, not too flashy, and does a great job of backing up and  complimenting the vocals. That is the way piano accompaniment should be done, and hiring a young player that understands and utilizes that concept pays off.

By the way, this is Ivey’s fourth concert with the group. The fact that he is comfortable to be “put out front,” so to speak, so soon tells me he is a great fit.

After the announcement of Tim Parton’s imminent departure from the group a couple of weeks ago, much speculation arose around the SG Internet circles as to who would fill the spot. An official release from the group today put all that to rest, and the new pianist was one that, at least in the discussions I was involved in, had not come up:

Legacy Five is pleased to announce that 21 year old Trey Ivey will be joining Legacy Five as their new pianist. Trey is from Cleveland, Georgia but will soon make Nashville, Tennessee his new home.

Trey played the piano for The Mike Lefevre Quartet from November 2006 until March 2010 and most recently was the pianist for The Old Paths. Scott Fowler of Legacy Five states, “I first heard Trey a couple of years ago at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. I remember thinking then that this young man was a great player and would do nothing but get better. I made a mental note to myself to keep an eye on Trey. When Tim Parton announced he would be leaving, I knew I needed to make contact with Trey. All of the Legacy Five guys are excited to have Trey a part of our team.”

Trey states, “I am so thankful that God allows me to do what I love to do. I am very excited about joining Legacy Five and look forward to seeing what the future holds. It is a real honor to follow in the footsteps of two of my heroes, Roger and Tim.

Trey will begin Traveling with Legacy Five on February 12, but will not officially assume the role of pianist until Tim’s departure on February 28.

What is interesting to note about this hire is that it is the second hire in a row of a LeFevre Quartet alumnus to the group, the first being tenor Gus Gaches. While Ivey was with the Old Paths prior to this, he came into some prominence with Mike LeFevre’s group, even appearing as their pianist on mainstage a few times. I remember being impressed with his stylings from the first time I heard him, and Scott Fowler has done well to bank on a young, up-and-coming talent like Trey Ivey.

For a preview of Ivey’s playing, here are a couple of clips, both of him accompanying a group and some of his solo work:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNQLcmP4U_A&feature=related

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0v1vRdtehc

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTLTAScrwLE

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdjEhlFbPlI&feature=related

After a relatively quiet past several days, some news items have hit that I took note of, but could not cover in the flurry of midterms:

1. First and foremost, I wish to send my condolences to the family of Susan Unthank. Unthank passed away on January 5 after a long battle with various health problems. A memorial service has been rescheduled for January 24 after inclement whether cancelled the first one. In all of my dealings with her, be it over the Internet or in the one time I met her in person at NQC a couple of years back, she was always very gracious and nice to talk to. Say what you will about Absolutely Gospel (SoGospelNews), but there is no denying the impact that she and her husband had when they founded that site. Susan Unthank, you will be missed.

2. Dennis Dugger leaves Tribute Quartet, Anthony Davis Steps In – In a somewhat shocking news item today, the group announced that founding member and the only bass the group has had to date has left the group on good terms. Gary Casto has once again made a hire that has the distinction of being one of the youngest singers in the business; Davis is 28 years old. Various sources have said this is the same Anthony Davis that sang bass for Firm Foundation Quartet, and a quick Youtube search yields clips such as these:

At first blush, Davis has a tone that is similar to Dugger’s, while having a distinctive sound of his own. At his young age, he has plenty of time to mature and refine his voice, and Gary Casto does a great job of that with his vocalists; just look at Riley Clark!

I would guess that Davis will be on the upcoming mainline release, so I am interested to hear him on brand-new Tribute material, and hopefully someone will have Youtube footage soon of him on current Tribute songs.

3. It was also announced today that Tim Parton has left the pianist position in Legacy Five. Parton will be taking a position with the 3ABN television network. Like Dugger, he also leaves his respective group on good terms. It will be interesting to see who L5 gets to take the spot; Parton was basically hand-picked by Roger Bennett before his death in 2007, and has been with the group since taking the position full-time after filling in for several months. My mind is drawing a blank as to what “known names” could be tapped for the job, but I wouldn’t mind seeing them pick up an “undiscovered” talent.

It seems that when I went on vacation, the Southern Gospel world decided to go on overtime with newsworthy items. Here’s some of the things I missed out on:

1. Check out Daniel Mount’s short interview with Gold City tenor Josh Cobb. In it, Cobb mentions two of his features on the upcoming mainline release from the group. The first is the song that he is probably most recognized for from his Legacy Five days, “I Stand Redeemed,” which he mentions Gordon Mote has arranged this time around. The second is a Michael English song from the early 90s, “Heaven.” With a singer well-known for performing the song producing the project, it will be interesting to see just what he brings out of Cobb for that particular track.

2. The master schedule for NQC 2010 has been posted. A quick perusal shows that up-and-coming groups like Liberty Quartet and The Ball Brothers have finally made it to mainstage, and there is a showcase highlighting young artists called “Legends of Tomorrow” that has a Wednesday afternoon slot. That will be worth going to, especially if it is like the “Torch” video that was released a couple years back.

3. Speaking of legends of tomorrow, check out this clip of a recent Remember The Music concert: A quartet comprised of tenor Danny Funderburk, lead Scott Fowler, baritone Mark Trammell, and bass Pat Barker sing “Movin’ Up To Gloryland,” and this is the first time I’ve seen an instance where Glenn Dustin didn’t take the bass on the song.

At a Mark Trammell Quartet concert I attended a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to Joel Wood and Dustin Sweatman beforehand, and both of them mentioned how, since Barker had joined the group and gotten his own mic, he had adopted a George Younce style of bass singing that showed a lower range he didn’t get to display often with the Dixie Echoes’ two-mic style. I certainly noticed it during that concert, but this clip is by far the greatest evidence of that fact. Whether intentionally or not, young Barker’s tones and placement are very reminiscent of those of Younce’s, especially here. This well-rounded bass will only improve with age.

4. My friend Andrew Graham attended a recent Kingsmen concert, and got several videos. You can view the four that he posted at his Youtube channel, but the one that perhaps best highlights the impact that Randy Crawford is having on their sound is this clip of a song originally led by Phillip Hughes, “Mountain of Grace.”

5. I noticed that Wes Hampton posted the track list and features for the upcoming Gaither Vocal Band project, Greatly Blessed, on his blog. Interestingly enough, ChristianBook.com also has a preview of five songs from the new project here. The first three songs were already featured on the latest GVB videos (although, the studio versions have added instrumentation), but about halfway through the preview comes two new songs. Check out the heavily orchestrated Crabb Family cover, “Please Forgive Me,” featuring Michael English. The vocal lead-in is stunning, and the entire arrangement sounds like it will be stellar.
Update: Looks like a preview for the entire project is up here.

6. As a last-minute addition to this roundup, Greater Vision just posted a sneak preview of their upcoming project at their Facebook page. It’s a re-recorded version of “You Were Faithful Yesterday” from their 2009 project, Not Alone, released with Jacob Kitson. The difference is almost indiscernible until the second verse when Chris Allman takes a solo. This says good things about both Kitson and Allman; Kitson’s vocal style is close to that of the stellar Allman’s, and Allman’s ability to seamlessly blend after so many years is impeccable.

There have been several videos of the new L5 lineup posted on Youtube, but this is one of the best quality ones as of now. Here is the group singing a song that is a true indicator of how an L5 tenor will fit: I Found Grace.

The end of 2009 brought the beginning for two new lineups of two different groups: Gold City and Legacy Five. Legacy Five videos are hopefully coming soon, but for now, our friend DinanaSN had her camera ready last night for the first song of the first concert for the Gold City lineup featuring Josh Cobb on tenor, Bruce Taliaferro on lead, Daniel Riley on baritone, the return of Tim Riley on bass, and Roy Webb as piano player. They hit the stage and started this new chapter in GC history with a classic: “One Scarred Hand.”

If this is how the group does on three hours of practice, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in a couple months’ time.

Be sure to go to Youtube later to see more videos of that concert! I’ll post a video of Gus Gaches’ debut on tenor with Legacy Five as one becomes available.

Update: Here’s a video of Gus Gaches taking Frank Seamans’ solo on “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” I think he’ll do just fine! There is also a clip of Legacy Five singing with only piano accompaniment on “Life Will Be Sweeter Someday.”

Rating: 4 stars

Producer: Gerald Wolfe
Websites: Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Legacy Five

Buy This Project

Jubilee is an interesting undertaking, in that it takes three of the most popular groups out there today and brings them together all in one recording. In a situation like this, there’s only two possible outcomes; the sounds of each singer can click and sound very good together, or there could be a clash and the whole thing ends up sounding terrible.

Thankfully, the sounds have a great blend. The opening and closing songs of this project put a spotlight on the very full sound that the groups have together, sounding almost like a men’s choir (hat tip, Nate) The rest of the project features a mix and match of different vocal configurations. Perhaps the most notable one is the eighth track, “Jesus My Wonderful Lord.” The first chorus features the Booth Brothers themselves, but then Legacy Five’s bass singer, Glenn Dustin, gets a solo verse and joins the group for the rest of the song. The blend is incredible, and while the Booth Brothers are one of the best trios out there, their quartet sound is just as good.

Each individual group gets a song featuring only them here as well. The Booth Brothers do a smooth arrangement of “In The Sweet By And By,” Greater Vision’s “He Pilots My Ship” features the powerful vocals of Gerald Wolfe, and Legacy Five’s “Someone Who Cares” doesn’t really catch on till a couple of spins.

Bottom line: The lineup of Jubilee could be this generation’s KingsGold. It is a very strong project that has me hoping to hear more of stuff like this.

In the latest post at the Legacy Five blog:

We have a winner uhm…tenor! It’s Gus Gaches and we’re thrilled to have him aboard.

He’s the man that Frank recommended fill in for him if he should have to be out during Frank, Jr.s illness. Fortunately, Frank never had to be absent; however, when Frank decided to go back home to be with his family, Frank reminded us to call Gus. We did and the rest is soon to be history.

Stay tuned for an in depth interview(!) with Gus. He has a great history in Gospel music and will be a huge asset to Legacy Five.

Welcome aboard or in other words, “GET ON THE BUS, GUS!”

TP

Legacy Five has a history of picking good tenors, and Scott Fowler has made a wise selection here as well. Ever since word popped up on various blogs and message boards that Gaches had been auditioning, the general consensus seemed to be he was the man for the job, as people said the sound was fantastic. Gaches does indeed have a good history in this music, being with groups like Calvary Construction Company and the Imperials group with Joe Moscheo, Sherman Andrus, and Terry Blackwood. Most recently, he was with Priority (formerly the Mike LeFevre Quartet) and was a part of their finest project to date, Nothin’ But Good. He brings more than a solid tenor voice to the table; he is also a good songwriter and studio engineer.

As much as I hate to see that Priority lost both their bass and tenor in such a short amount of time, this is a great pick by Legacy Five, and I’m sure Priority will be just as strong when they get another tenor.

I am looking forward to both the interview with Gus and the re-cut version of Legacy Five’s latest CD, Just Stand, with the new tenor vocals.

For some samples of his singing, here are some clips of him with Priority:

When I Get Carried Away
Without Him

Via Burke’s Brainwork (who got it from our fellow blogger overseas, Phil), Legacy Five has jumped into the sometimes crazy world of blogging.

Artist blogs are always an interesting read, and I’m sure this one will be as well. Be sure to welcome them into the fold!