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  • Sean O'Bryan Smith - These Are Not Your Daddy's Hymns



    Album Review
    Sean O'Bryan Smith - Reflection
    Genre: Faith

    Okay, so here’s a comparison: When you buy an album of, say, Christmas music, you are likely to know all or at least MOST of the songs. The question whether to purchase will mostly be based on the artist. Do I want to hear this person’s interpretation of the hymns or carols I already know? Do I want traditional? Do I want something completely re-interpreted by this particular band?

    With his album, REFLECTION, Sean O’Bryan Smith re-interprets songs of faith. Not specifically Christmas music, of course, but hymns that can be enjoyed year round. He and his associates take a soulful, jazzy look at some of the most beloved hymns/spirituals of all time. The delivery is fresh, very personal, and it showcases every ounce of his God-given talents as a bass player. You’ll recognise the tunes, for sure, but the arrangements will evoke emotions different to what you would feel in more traditional settings. With a couple of original numbers mixed in to expand on Smith’s own contemplation of faith, this album is as new as it is well-recalled.

    What Walter Murphy did with his funky, organ-fueled versions of Classical music, Smith is now doing with his bass guitar driven hymns and spirituals. And, Brother, it WORKS!

    Featured on the album are:

    01 - How Great Thou Art: Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Tommy Ogle - Sax; Whit Stiles - Guitar; Bill Bachman - Drums

    02 - Blessed Assurance: Jeff Franzel - Piano; Tommy Ogle - Sax; Shannon Wickline - Organ; Ric Latina - Guitar; Jeff Hale - Drums

    03 - Mighty to Save: Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Whit Stiles - Guitar; Bill Bachman - Drums

    04 - Blessed Be Your Name: Chuck Loeb - Guitar; Jeff Franzel - Piano; Tommy Ogle - Sax; Shannon Wickline - Organ; Jeff Hale - Drums

    05 - Me Without You: Jeff Franzel - Piano; Lisa Hearns - Vocals

    06 - Called: Gerald Albright - Sax; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Whit Stiles - Guitar; and Bill Bachman - Drums

    07 - Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Jack Pearson - Guitar; Frank Catalano - Sax; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Bill Bachman - Drums

    08 - Give Me Jėsus: Randy Brecker - Trumpet; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Whit Stiles - Guitar; Bill Bachman - Drums

    09 - The Blood: Frank Catalano - Sax; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Ric Latina - Guitar; Calvin Nowell - Vocals; Chloe McGoogin - Vocals; Jim Klingler: Drums

    10 - Yes You Have: Gary A Brown - Vocals; Chloe McGoogin - Background Vocals; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Ric Latina - Guitar; Jim Klingler - Drums

    11 - Battle Hymn Of The Republic: Tommy Ogle - Sax; Keith Guillot - Baritone Sax; Shannon Wickline - Keyboards; Ric Latina - Guitar; Jeff Hale - Drums; Bill Bachman - Drums and Percussion

    12 - Reflection: Malcolm Jamal Warner



    When I think of How Great Thou Art, I am accustomed to a monstrous cathedral pipe organ echoing through the hollow recesses of a high-ceiling nave, with wave upon wave of heavenly choir voices - the faithful blowing off the rafters to proclaim their devotion. Gives me shivers every time. Sean O’Bryan Smith takes the song to the Funk-Side, and has a talk with God from the heart of a modern musician. The organ still makes its appearance, but now in the form of the wicked licks of a B3.



    After watching this, you should get the idea that these are not your Daddy’s hymns!

    Blessed Assurance is a soul-filled, bass-led take on a hymn written in 1873. Music is truly timeless, and is a gift from the authors to all who have hearts, and ears. O’Bryan Smith finds this tune within himself, then re-creates it for a new generation. And so the beauty lives on. Makes me shed a tear, y’all.

    Mighty to Save is an easy going take on a more modern hymn. It doesn't have the timeless history of Blessed Assurance, but O’Bryan Smith makes sure the listeners will add this song to their collection of remembered spirituals. The fade-away ending is marvelous for swaying to, or for bobbing heads.

    Smith’s take on Matt Redman's Blessed Be Your Name will remind you of soul songs of the Seventies. A little more popped up than the previous numbers on REFLECTION. Bass and organ together! And the lovely tinkling piano. Nothing finer to these old ears. Check out the big slap bass solo halfway through.

    Me Without You is an original, composed by Jeff Franzel. It is the first song on the album to feature vocals, sung in gorgeous, calling fashion by Lisa Hearns. Franzel plays piano to her smooth, nostalgic voice, and O’Bryan Smith treats us to an almost brassy sounding fretless bass. The song feels like a personal romantic moment between two people, but when you put it in the context of praise, an image comes to mind of a lone individual strolling in an open field and enjoying all the beauty of creation, all the while thinking of how sad it would be if things were otherwise.

    Called is an original penned by O’Bryan Smith. Bass, sax, guitar, spitting snares, organ - a modern, upbeat song of spiritual contemplation. Being called doesn't have to be a sobering moment in one’s life. It can be a sense of overwhelming oneness. To be celebrated.

    Will the Circle Be Unbroken... well, most of us know this one. It was written in the early 1900s, but you’d never recognise it as an “oldie” from O’Bryan Smith’s sassy take. I love the smooth walking bassline mixed with the sax. Then some guitar licks. When you think of this song, don’t you imagine a big Revival, everybody clapping along? Tambourines a-shakin’ in the choir? Now we've got a Hammond organ and some slap bass!

    Give Me Jėsus is another more modern song of praise. This instrumental version is beautiful, slow, and - if you know the words - a nice number to sing along with. The trumpet is a wonderful touch.

    The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power is the next vocal song - featuring the stylings of Calvin Nowell and Chloe McGoogin. Combined with the whistling chords of the organ and a slow-dancing tempo and you have a very soulful spiritual number. Grinding saxophone, and - of course - some great bottom end by O’Bryan Smith, and this is one that’ll have you calling Hallelujah!

    Yes You Have features the vocals of Gary A Brown with Chloe McGoogin on background vocals. The song opens with bass and organ, then whispering vocals. As soon as Brown begins to sing, you’re hooked. Praise fills the air; you feel the cries of devotion. Magnificent bass solo midway through.

    Battle Hymn Of The Republic opens with various marching percussion, and right away, you’re on your feet and ready to take it to the streets. The band joins in and you are infected with a true gem of funk and soul. Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! Sing the chorus and march along. The saxophones will surely get you moving.

    Reflection is a spoken word expression of one man’s contemplation of the Universe. It’s modern and mysterious. Nice ending touch to this project. Written by Smith and performed by Malcolm Jamal Warner.

    I am not a particularly religious person, but I enjoy listening to songs of praise. People, when they proclaim their devotions, can produce some of the most moving music of all time. In terms of my own tastes, I am very much a traditionalist - the pipe organs, the echoing naves, the choirs, but listening to an album like REFLECTION gives me a chance to hear these wonderful, modern interpretations of the music of faith.

    My top three faves on this one would be:

    Blessed Assurance
    Me Without You
    Yes You Have

    As to Smith’s bass playing, he is the master of being both front man and the bottom end you feel but never see. Alive and carrying the tune when needed, and thundering from somewhere below when it’s someone else’s turn up front. A consummate bass player who really makes it look easy! Thanks to Sean O’Bryan Smith and the musicians on this album. To all who love bass and good music, REFLECTION is an album you should try!

    Available on Amazon, iTunes, and wherever excellent music is sold!

    Sean O'Bryan Smith

    © 2013 CL Seamus for Thunder Row



    Stay tuned, Thunder Row. Sean is going to answer some of our questions, and we'll be posting the interview shortly.
    Comments 6 Comments
    1. TobiasMan's Avatar
      TobiasMan -
      Cool! We often launch into long, swingy/jazzy jams of songs we are doing. Some of them we've even sprung on the congregation. They often comment that it was interesting to hear a familiar song in a different style.

      We don't feed them a regular diet of our "musing" but throw one in now and then and they seem to generally go over well as a band special. Most folks get lost trying to sing along with jam type versions of songs.
    1. debitcred1's Avatar
      debitcred1 -
      Different, but I would add to my music collection.
    1. thunderman's Avatar
      thunderman -
      I got it, I turned it on, and it was one of the biggest surprises of my (musical) life! I love it!
    1. thunderman's Avatar
      thunderman -
      Great review, by the way, Elmeaux!
    1. stantonl's Avatar
      stantonl -
      Great album and a great review Elmeaux! I highly recommend checking out Sean's latest release "Quartet da Funk" as well!
    1. Elmeaux's Avatar
      Elmeaux -
      Quote Originally Posted by stantonl View Post
      Great album and a great review Elmeaux! I highly recommend checking out Sean's latest release "Quartet da Funk" as well!
      Got that one, too. Fantastic album!
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