Picture yourself in a smoky juke joint. The atmosphere is funky and laid back, the tunes are mellow and smooth. Someone drops a quarter in the box, but the sounds that emerge aren't your granddaddy's jazz. True, the sax is crooning and someone is tickling the ivories, but the melody is one you distinctly recall from church. Don't pinch yourself; you've just stepped into the world of Ben Tankard, who is back to prove why he is the Piano Prophet.
It's the same Ben Tankard instrumentals you know and love with an updated, contemporary sound. Warm, melodic timbres fused with splendid arrangements are not just the perfect antidote to life's chaos, but an opportunity to bring some religious reflection to your day. Just as expected, Tankard gives classic favorites his own unique spin, this time casting his spell over two beloved vocal tracks. The hit "Jesus Is Love," written by Lionel Richie and performed by the Commodores gets the Tankard treatment, as does the seventies smash "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," penned by the writing trio of John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, and Jerry McFadden and made famous by the legendary duo, Ashford & Simpson. As always, an all-star roster of guest musicians are present to help Ben do his thing. This time, Ray Bady, Tim Bowman, and Verity labelmate Fred Hammond are part of Tankard's gospel jazz band, while Shirley Murdock takes the mike for a track.
For Tankard, the timing is perfect to release his fourteenth album with Verity. 2004 marks Tankard's fifteenth year as a musical artist, his ministry, the Destiny Center, is rapidly expanding, and he even has several published works under his belt, most recently "Faith It 'Til You Make It."
Something tells us, though, that not even he can predict what good lies in store for him with this latest release.
