“We’ve having an evening of healing and celebration through music!”
And isn’t that what church is supposed to be for? Since Cory Henry was in town to receive a Grammy for his latest album Church, it made perfect sense that The Sun Rose would become a house of worship, putting the troubles, joys, and losses of the past couple of weeks in perspective of eternity.
Whether the overflow crowd at The Sun Rose knew it or not, they were going to get some sanctified sounds, with Henry starting things off at the Hammond B3 with a recitative read of “Amazing Grace” just to ‘get you in the spirit of things’. From there, the team of Nick Clark/b, Nick Semrad/key,Taron Lockett/dr, Nick Semrad/key, Curt Chambers/g with the gospel voices of Le Emo, Cherise Coaches and Taylor Milton brought in some sanctified sounds that shook the room like fire from above.
The Baptist beat was in full force on the two stepping “Praise God” as Henry proclaimed how “He saved me” as if his B3 was a pulpit. He then went back into his family hymnal and preached out “You Don’t Know What He’s Done For Me” before Lockett and Clark gave the funky backbeat to the upbeat “Go To God In Prayer”.
And things were just warming up! The ladies chimed in on the Pentecostal “ I Feel Like Singin’” with Cory rolling in the aisles, while the entire congregation, I mean audience” sang along in refrain to “Trouble Don’t Last” before Henry and the choir encouraged the attendees to “Go To God In Prayer”. When was the last time you heard THIS message in West Hollywood?!?
Then, just when you thought the sermon was over, fellow gospel artists and Grammy award winners jumped on stage to add to some “testifying”. I didn’t catch all of the names and numbers, but there was one lady who can be our pulpit replacement any time for the next Women’s Retreat, as she sang with ‘the feelin’!” After that, Baylor Project hubby and wife Marcus and Jean oozed the Holy Ghost with Henry with a version of “He Leadeth Me” that turned the shouting down to a prayer. From there, jazzer Robert Glasper hit the ivories with Henry and some guests on bass and trumpet to make only an alter call the only missing ingredient.
By this time, it was midnight, and my buddy and I had to go home so we’d be alert for our own church service Sunday morning. But the grace was not over yet, as when we went to pay the valet for our parking, we were told that Henry paid for all of the guests. Amazing grace, indeed!
Upcoming shows at The Sun Rose include Sophia Galate 02/07, Danny Janklow 02/08, Tei Shi 02/12-15, Theo Croker 02/22 and Brandee Younger 03/26
