The praise festival continues in this, the second of the now annual live recordings that issue from the Gospel Heritage Conference, organized by leading industry publication, Gospel Today.

With a focus on praise and worship, this Verity disk puts together the esteemed vocal talent that populates their artist roster, and places them under the production guidance of veteran Kevin Bond. With all the intensity inherent in a live recording (held at New Birth Cathedral in Lithonia, Georgia), the project begins with a string of six songs, spanning a total of over 35 minutes.

Marvin Sapp steps out first, delivering his soulful vocals on “Forevever (Lord You Are My Shelter)”, written by Oscar Williams. The select twenty-eight voice chorale behind Sapp works in step with him in call and response, as band (including Bond, Jonathan DuBoise, Michael Bereal, Darrell Freeman and Jeremy Haynes).

Then it’s Vickie Winans’ turn, as she moves freely into the smooth praise glide “Magnify (The Name Of The Lord)” penned by Bond and Chris Byrd. Winans puts her mark on the cut, tearing up the song with her power-laden delivery by song’s end.

New music from Tonéx and Richard Smallwood are also in the mix, with Smallwood’s pipes all over Guy Robinson’s mid-tempo, complexly orchestrated “Sweet Jesus”. Tonéx doesn’t disappoint on the vertically-directed ballad “To You Know”, using his vocal pattern to mingle with the sprightly jazz vibe of the cut’s opening segment, before moving up several notches in intensity as the song builds.

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Gospel Today founder Teresa Hairston writes “Worship Experience”, drawing on the now-familiar rich voice of William Murphy, III to interpret the song. Murphy again shows his gift in drawing us beyond the veil into communion with God in the context of musical praise.

In contrast with the ‘big Gospel’ sound of much of the project, Donnie McClurkin combines simply with Kevin Bond on piano to work “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, ably demonstrating that the most powerful praise and worship does not necessarily have to also be the loudest.

As an extra bonus, tacked on to the end of the conference cuts are several additional live or ‘live-feel’ tracks pulled from a variety of sources. Prime among these is the Fred Hammond medley “You Are My Life / Total Praise”, which until now could only be heard on Hammond`s Speak Those Things: POL 3 - Live in Chicago concert video. The song ends by fusing into Richard Smallwood`s popular praise hit.

Also included is Debra Killings' “Jesus” and Virtue`s “Nothing Else I Can Do”, as well as John P. Kee and the VIP Mass Choir's rousing “Holy Hands” —all previously released but nicely assembled together here to help round out a memorable project.