THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: The unbelievable vocals of 'The Young Elder' help bring Gospel to new heights

Plus: Old black Spirituals go mainstream with new CD release, 'Motherless Child'

The unbelievable vocals of 'The Young Elder' high on the wave of the new Urban Gospel movement

   *Producer/songwriter Claude Deuce joins other songwriters in sharing his vocal abilities with us. A Gospel vocalist, Deuce joins a wave of artists that are being classified as “Urban” Gospel because of  their sound and delivery, which is not Traditional or Contemporary Gospel.  With the release of his debut CD, “Claude Deuce The Young Elder,” on Livin' It/Taises label (with exclusive Wal-Mart distribution) you can hear this new genre of music for yourself.

   Deuce, a musician fluent on the drums, sax, bass guitar and piano, joins Kirk Franklin, Tye Tribett, Mary Mary, Tonex and Canton Jones (to name a few) in combining Urban R&B and Hip-Hop with Gospel lyrics. Claude goes a step further because his sound also has a touch of Soul.

   “I started out as a songwriter and then (became) a singer,” said Claude about his music career. “I wrote songs and my manager got them to the record labels and three or four artists used my songs.”

   Deuce had song placements for such artists as Deitrick Haddon, Canton Jones, Big Al, and Tonex. As a singer, his voice is unbelievable. Imagine hearing Ne-Yo or Usher singing Gospel, Claude has that same feel.

   The minister of music at New Life Worship Center in Augusta and an Elder at the Church of God in Christ, Claude said he wants the listeners to hear the influence that other artists has had on him. He says  the source of that influence changes from song to song.

   “On 'It Ain't Over'  I tried to show my Michael McDonald influence... but some  told me I sound like the Winans,” Deuce laughs.

   Speaking of “It Ain't Over” that is one of my favorites on “The Young Elder”  CD. So heartfelt and uplifting with emotional vocals to carry you up and over your troubles. That song, along with “Show Me,” came to Claude at a time of, what he says was a “crossroad.”

   “I came up with the songs when I had just got back from California and it seemed like I was at a crossroad,” he said when asked if any of the songs on the CD, he believes, came directly from God.

   Deuce went on to say that while on the west coast all the producers he wanted to work with (ie, The Underdogs) were willing if he came to L. A. and he talked of all the opportunities out there. So his prayer was questioning God whether he should moved or not.  He says the answer came back no, he was needed where he was, which was Augusta (two hours from Atlanta). Claude says “Show Me” came out of that and “It Ain't Over.”

   To learn more about the Claude Deuce log onto www.myspace.com/ClaudeDeuce.

Rosephayne Powell brings back African-American Spirituals with 'Motherless Child'

   It was while in college when Rosephayne (pronounced: ro-seh-fuh-nee) studied Black Spirituals that she realize how proud she was of her people. Now a professor of music herself at Auburn University in Alabama her goal is to introduce the old Spirituals to mainstream with her debut CD release “Motherless Child” on the Inkhorn Music imprint.

   “(The album is about) My journey coming from the deep south,” Rosephayne said about why she tackled the project of recording and releasing a CD. “My grandfather was a foot-soldier for Martin Luther King...went to Alabama...singing Spirituals...that peaked my interest in blacks' contribution.”

   Powell said God lead her to do the record project of delivering the black Spirituals with her R&B and Jazz influences to mainstream. A Soprano, Rosephayne has an awesome operatic voice that I can hear on a Broadway stage. The instrumentals on the album are all masterful, love the piano and horn solos.

   “God said to tell the story,” Powell points out. “To educate...He challenged me to 'think outside the box'.”

   Rosephayne went on to explain that she started to search for producers but they all said she wasn't Classical enough because she had too many bends in her vocals. She tried to find instrumentalist but that didn't work out, but she said God told her 'you are going to do it yourself.' She did just that with the help of her husband, Dr. William C. Powell - the pianist and director of music at Auburn University, who formed a record label, Inkhorn Music, to distribute her projects.

   My favorite songs off of the “Motherless Child” CD release is the title track that brings back all those pictures of slavery; “Deep River,” sung so emotionally I felt every word she sang and it also has a piano solo that is just magical, and  “Soon – A Will Be Done,” which has some unbelievable harmonic vocals in the background.

   To learn more about Rosephayne or heard her music log onto www.InkhornMusic.com and www.rosephaynepowell.com.