Richard Gibbs – Just For Me

15,73

SKU: The Sirens 5030 Categories: ,

Description

Richard Gibbs is a virtuoso musician who truly can do it all; he adeptly testifies and grooves on the organ, piano, and bass. This recording pays tribute to Richard's mother Inez Andrews and to Aretha Franklin. On many levels, Richard's musical career is inextricably tied to these two music icons. His first professional job was accompanying his mother in New York City when he was 13 years old, and he had twenty-year tenure with Aretha Franklin. Richard has performed the songs on this disc many times in concert with his mother and Miss Franklin. He knows exactly how these classics are meant to be played, how these giants wanted them to be played. On this disc, The Sirens Records honors and shares precious memories of Inez Andrews and Aretha Franklin while focusing on Richard's playing. Richard is a humble man who shies away from the limelight, but The Sirens Records hopes this recording captures his immense talent for posterity and brings him the attention he deserves.

Track Listing:
1. The Healer - 4:44   2. I Am On The Battlefield For My Lord - 4:12   3. The Old Landmark - 2:18   4. Mary, Don't You Weep - 4:46   5. Precious Memories - 4:23   6. Just For Me - 3:40   7. What A Friend We Have In Jesus - 4:13   8. God Will Take Care Of You - 5:40   9. You Are Going To Need Somebody On Your Side - 2:58   10. Whisper A Prayer - 3:37   11. Hold Up The Light - 3:07

Personnel:
Richard Gibbs (organ, piano, bass) , Kenard Pulliam (drums) , Denis Rutledge (vocals on 4) , Just Friends (vocals on 4,10) , Clyde Brown (vocals on 10) , All Willis (guitar) , Richard Gibbs III (organ & bass on 11) , Daniel Weatherspoon (tambourine)

Reviews:

1. lahoradelblues.com - 2023.03 - GREAT 
Richard Gibbs’ life has always spun around gospel. His father was singer in the group The Soul Stirrers and, during the 50s and 60s, his mother was a gospel singer and member of The Caravans. Only aged three, Richard was completely dazzled by organ when he saw John Green play this instrument at The Redeeming Church Of Christ. When he was seven years old, Richard was already playing in different churches in and around Chicago, as well as regularly backing his mother, and from 1979 up to date he plays every week at Central Baptist Church. From 1997 to 2017 he was member of Aretha Franklin’s band. Gibbs usually backs great gospel voices like Smokie Norful, Anita Wilson, Rance Allen, Bishop Marvin Winans, Albertina Walker or Mavis Staples, but this album wants to highlight his skills and taste as a piano and organ player.
The cd is dedicated to the memory of his mother Inez Andrews and Aretha Franklin too. With her he had the great honor of playing at the White House. To do so, Richard has included a selection of songs belonging both to his mother and Aretha. This recording shows the sensitivity, talent and groove he is able to display every time he sits in front of the keyboards.
Eleven passionate gospel cuts that will catch listeners because all the participant musicians really love gospel music and communicate it with passion and an enormous faith. Besides Richard Gibbs on organ, piano and bass in two tracks, you will also find the impressive and wonderful voices of Denise Rutledge, Just Friends and Clyde Brown, drummer Kenard Pulliam, Richard Gibbs III on organ and bass in one cut, Al Willis guitar in one song too and Daniel Weatherspoon on tambourine and strings in two songs.

2. www.jazzmania.be - Robert Sacre - 2023.02.23 - Une réussite totale
Originaire de Chicago, R. Gibbs jouit d’une réputation hors normes dans le monde musical en général et dans celui du black gospel en particulier. En effet, il est très recherché comme musicien de studio. Il est multi-instrumentiste (piano, orgue Hammond, basse et drums) et il a un fameux pedigree… Son père a fait partie du groupe des Soul Stirrers et sa mère n’est autre que la regrettée Inez Andrews, un des piliers des Caravans d’ Albertina Walker. Richard s’est intéressé à l’orgue dès l’âge de 3 ans, il a joué dans des églises de Chicago dès qu’il  eut 7 ans puis il a accompagné sa mère dès l’âge de 13 ans, ensuite Albertina Walker et les Caravans, James Cleveland et bien d’autres stars du gospel, avant d’être le partenaire attitré d’Aretha Franklin pendant 20 ans, de 1997 à 2017 ! Peu imbu de lui-même, il a toujours souhaité mettre en valeur ses partenaires et entre autres les chanteurs et chanteuses, lui-même restant en retrait. Bravo à Steven Dollins, le boss de The Sirens Records pour lui avoir donné cette occasion de graver un album entier sous son nom et pour lequel il a convié quelques guests.     L’opus, onze titres, est remarquable de bout en bout, avec un répertoire emprunté tant à Inez Andrews qu’à Aretha Franklin (5 compositions qui se retrouvent sur l’album emblématique d’Aretha « Amazing Grace »), l’intérêt ne faiblit jamais. On a 2 faces chantées dont une version, en slow, du « Mary Don’t You Weep » qui fut le cheval de bataille d’Inez Andrews et qui est admirablement chanté ici par Denise Rutledge, une amie de toujours de la famille. Il y a aussi « Whisper a Prayer » chanté, avec émotion par Clyde Brown avec le groupe Just Friends (6 vocalistes aguerris), Al Willis (gt) et le batteur Kennard Pulliam (présent sur les 11 titres). Les 9 instrumentaux sont des classiques du répertoire gospel, où comme c’est la coutume en black gospel, orgue et piano se répondent et fusionnent en bonne harmonie, tantôt en slow, tout en retenue et avec dévotion comme « Precious Memories », « Just for Me », « What a Friend We Have in Jesus », « God Will Take Care of You », tantôt en médium comme le superbe « The Healer », tantôt up tempo comme le débridé « The Old Landmark » ou encore un « You Are Going to Need Somebody on Your Side » enlevé, exultant et joyeux. En conclusion, on a « Hold Up the Light » tout en grâce et dévotion avec R. Gibbs (piano), son fils de 18 ans R. Gibbs III (orgue et basse) et K. Pulliam (dms). Une réussite totale.  

 

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