SR5031: My Soul Says Yes!   -- Cliff Dubose

Available October 7, 2022

  

Cliff Dubose is recognized as one of the hardest working church musicians in Chicago, yet is most recognized for his kind, laid back, gentle soul. On "My Soul Says Yes!" his music reflects this personality and temperament. Cliff plays with fresh Sunday morning zest on "I'm A Soldier" and "There's Something Mighty Sweet About the Lord", a relaxed and easy going feel on "Amazing Grace", and love and faith on hymns like "Jesus Loves Me" and "Praise Him! Praise Him!". On this disc, Cliff plays both piano and organ. Cliff is accompanied by the virtuoso Richard Gibbs on bass throughout and on organ on "I'm A Soldier". Drummer Kenard Pulliam forges a solid rhythmic base. They accompany lead vocalists Pastor DeAndre Patterson, Fred Dubose, Jocelyn Buchanan, and Renee Webster.

 SR5007

 SR5010

 SR5012

 SR5016

 SR5017

 SR5019

 SR5023

 SR5026

 SR5027

 SR5029

 SR5030

 SR5033

Press / Music CD Reviews

"My Soul Says Yes!" By Cliff Dubose transplants listeners into an old-fashioned Baptist worship service without the announcements, sermon, and collection. The gospel songs and gospelized hymns Dubose and his team present on the album have withstood wave upon wave of musical trends to become African-American church standards.

A man of few words but many skills-he plays organ and piano on the album - Dubose labors in the music ministries of no less than three Chicagoland churches, including Christian Tabernacle, founded by another keyboard master, Reverend Maceo Woods. Dubose and his musicians, including the multitalented Richard Gibbs on bass and organ, deliver superb instrumentals of the Sunday school favorite "Jesus Loves Me" and the spritely "There's Something Mighty Sweet About the Lord". An inspired inclusion is the 1949 gospel hit "King Jesus Will Roll All of My Burdens Away". The masterpiece was written by Chicago-based song writer Kenneth Morris and sung and recorded by some of the city's top soloists, including Sallie Martin, Robert Anderson, and the Caravans.

Although the focus of the album is Dubose, who plays keyboards with the studied passion of a veteran church accompanist, several selections feature vocal solos. For example, DeAndre Patterson, pastor of Christian Tabernacle, leads the spirited title track and, with even greater verve, the congregational favorite "I'm a Soldier". Renee Webster sings Princess Stewart's trademark "A Child of the King". Jocelyn Buchanan turns the Wesleyan hymn "Father I Stretch My Hand to Thee" into a lilting jazz ballad influenced by Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind". Cliff's younger brother Fred interprets I Won't Complain with gusto, especially when he explores his upper range, but in general, the track lacks the fiery fervor of the late Reverend Paul Jones' original.

A trademark of the Sirens issues is their immaculate production quality, and "My Soul Says Yes!" doesn't disappoint. Cheers to label owner Steven Dolins for giving traditional gospel music the same attention to sonic detail afforded classical music.

Cliff DuBose's set opens with the rousing "I'm A Soldier" and continues in a fairly traditional manner - which is not meant to be dismissive - quite the opposite in fact -- Cliff DuBose is a vastly experienced gospel musician. "Father I Stretch My Hand To Thee" is impressively sung by Jocelyn Buchanan in a relatively modern manner and with a discernible jazz influence, but most of the other numbers are very much what is often deemed "church" music. Cliff's own playing on piano and organ is impressive throughout.

Cliff Dubose comes from a family of six children where the Gospel held a preponderant place. Known and respected by various Chicago congregations, he was for many years the organist and choir director of God's House for All Nations Church on 43rd Street. A key figure, he has accompanied countless artists such as Fontella Bass, Arthur Scales, Albertna Walker, Pastor Maceo Woods and the Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir, he has also toured Europe alongside the Brown Sisters. For this successful recording from start to finish, the brilliant pianist called on his former friends and accomplices of the Divine group, namely Jocelyn Buchanan, Renee Webster and Pastor Fred Dubose who is one of his brothers. All three are excellent on great compositions like "Father I Stretch My Hand To Thee", "I Won't Complain", "A Child of the King" or "I'm A Soldier". Let's also not forget Pastor Andre Paterson who is admirable on "I'm A Soldier" and "My Soul Says Yes", but also the formidable version of the classic "Amazing Grace" which is here admirably revisited by an imperial Cliff Dubose on keyboards!

C. Dubose is a pianist-organist and composer who enjoys great prestige on the black gospel scene in Chicago. He began a prolific career at the age of 15 in many local churches and he accompanied an impressive panel of big names in gospel, such as Pastor Maceo Wood, Albertina Walker, Fontella Bass and others, but also in toured Europe with the Brown Sisters, Soul Stirrers, etc. In 2002 he created the group Divine, whose soloists are present on this album. C. Dubose is on piano on 11 sides and on organ on 8 sides, with Kenard Pulliam on dms and Richard Gibbs on bass from start to finish and on organ in a superb "I'm a Soldier (in the army of the Lord)" well removed and sung with gusto by Pastor DeAndre Patterson who begins the album. The rest is to match, excellent from start to finish, with sung sides like the eponymous title with D. Patterson again on vocals (dynamic and swinging), "Praise Him! in medium with Vincent Harris, a talented singer boosted by a dynamic choir, etc. Among the instrumental sides stand out a nervous version of "Amazing Grace", a poignant "Jesus Loves Me" in slow, a boosted "There's Something Mighty Sweet About the Lord" and a very inspired "King Jesus Will Roll All of My Burdens Away ". We want more!

We finish this trilogy devoted to gospel piano and organ players with Cliff Dubose, the eldest of six brothers and son of gospel singer Omega Dubose who taught her sons her love for gospel. For many years Cliff has been organist and choir director at God's House for All Nations Church on Chicago's 43rd Street. Since he was fifteen years old Dubose has devoted himself to play both the organ and piano in different Windy City churches, which has allowed him to back excellent vocalists like Albertina Walker, Fontella Bass, Arthur Scales, Pastor Maceo Woods or Pastor Janice Martin among many other amazing gospel voices, in addition of doing several tours in Europe.

In 2002 Cliff founded a gospel group called "Divine" and recorded his first album with Jocelyn Buchanan, Renee Webster and Pastor Fred Dubose. Some of the group members also participate in this album for the joy, delight and happiness of all followers of this so spiritual musical genre, because the feeling and climax that arises between them is really impressive.

Today Cliff Dubose is one of the most demanded and prolific musicians of Chicago churches and enjoys an undeniable popularity. The eleven album cuts will awake in every listener the deepest religious feeling we all carry inside, thanks to the sensitivity and devotion Cliff Dubose gives to each song, something that comes from the depths of his soul.