Celebrated media personality and music executive Gerald Jones is set to shine a long overdue spotlight on a collection of gospel’s finest unsung independent talents in the form of his newest forthcoming effort THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT PROJECT (Mixed Bag/eOne) slated for a summer 2015 release. The first official radio single “If It Had Not Been” performed by rising Soul band SENSERE impacts gospel radio this week.
No better example of that atypical sound would be that of gospel soul band SENSERE, with the stirring single “If It Had Not Been” written by Major3rd Productions (Justin Francis, Carlos Woodard and Gerald Jones), produced by James Wright of SENSERE and co-produced by Woodard. The rousing tune masterfully showcases the Miami natives’ soulful harmonies while tapping into elements of R&B, neo soul, and a modernized twist on traditional gospel.
A compilation of some of the industry’s best-kept secrets, the INDEPENDENT SPIRIT will provide a platform for independent gospel artists who don’t have “the machine” behind them to showcase their deserving talents. And, given the wealth of hidden gems in the gospel music realm, Jones believes the venture couldn’t be any timelier.
“The time is now because I’ve never seen a project solely focused on independent artists where the artists are actually on par with the some of industry’s biggest names and top sellers,” he says. “The gospel music industry is slowly changing and making its way from the typical sounds to new voices and new faces.”
About Gerald Jones:
Gerald Jones is a recognized media force in the entertainment industry with branches extending to television, music, journalism, and more. While his enduring impact on the gospel music industry has sprouted some of its most celebrated ventures in every medium, he is best known for being the Founder and CEO of DaGospelTruth.com – one of gospel’s leading source for news and entertainment.
Gerald is also the A&R/Marketing Director for Earnest Pugh’s label EPM Music Group, a contributing writer for Essence.com, an A&R Consultant for emerging label Mixed Bag Entertainment (Virtue, Committed) and has written songs for award winning artists Amber Bullock, Lowell Pye, Virtue and more.
About SENSERE:
SENSERE is an award-winning gospel group hailing from South Florida. Comprised of an eclectic mix of vocalists and instrumentalists that includes James “JDubb” Wright, Brian Williams, Terrell “T2” Terry, Dwayne Charlton, Darryl Efford, Charles McKay, Wildmayer Marcelin, John Robinson, the group has taken the gospel music industry by storm since the international release of their debut studio album ‘THE SOUL OF FUTURE WORSHIP VOLUME 1’.
Their contemporary offerings – described as a fusion of rock, soul, and gospel – have earned them commercial and critical acclaim, most notably two Gospel Association Guild (GAG) Awards in their ten-year tenure. Boasting the distinct honor of being the first gospel group to perform at the annual Jazz In The Gardens festival opening for Patti LaBelle, Kenny G and Mary J Blige, other noted tastes of their live offerings have been served via appearances on BET’s “Bobby Jones Gospel”, TBN, and ABC/CBN’s “700 Club”.