Canter Bridge

It is almost impossible to exaggerate the role of the church as cultural cradle for the North American African-American population. Worshipers at largely black churches may grow to take the level of musical talent that thrives among them for granted. Occasional visitors, such as this (white) reviewer and sometime visitor to North Carolina’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church are more easily caught in jaw-dropping astonishment.

This CD channels a particular family’s musical gifts—no less than that of four sons of Bishop Eddie and Vanessa Long—into easy, instrumental, jazz.

The result is deeply satisfying.

Nine tracks, intended to inspire, are likely to be recognized as simply fine music by those who look to such a project for smooth tunes rather than inspiration.

If the Creator of all men and women—red and yellow, black and white—is indeed the Chief Musician, I suspect he smiles upon the work of these, children as he puts his feet up after one (or six days ) of creation and leans into some easy listening.