In its nearly 30-year career, the 285-voice Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has distinguished itself with six GRAMMY awards, nine Dove Awards, an RIAA Gold video certification, two No. 1 hits and more than 4 million in album sales. Known for songs such as "Praise You" and "Midnight Cry," the choir is using its latest offering to "declare" God's name globally.

Declare Your Name (0-00768-47302-3, Integrity Music/Provident-Integrity Distribution), was released Nov. 17.

It features Israel Houghton on the upbeat "I'll Sing of Your Love" and Paul Baloche on the acoustic ballad "Helpless." Pop star Jonathan Butler shows up for "Coming Back" and the Caribbean-flavored "It All Belongs to You." Alicia Olatuja's soprano soars on the "Wonderful to Me," while the set closes with the hand-clapper "Declare Your Name."

All 13 songs were composed by choir founder Carol Cymbala and her in-house song-writing team that includes choir director Onaje Jefferson and assistant director Jason Michael Webb.

"One of the objectives that we had was to be able to create—with God's help—songs that the world could sing," said Webb, referring to uncomplicated songs with easy refrains and moderate vocal modulations. "The basic thing we can understand is that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, and everything we see He created and it all belongs to Him. All of the songs relate to that."

The release will be promoted in part with a karaoke contest in January. Contestants will download an instrumental track from the CD and record a new version that will be posted on YouTube. The winners will receive a trip for two to New York City to perform the song with the choir.

To order, call 800-333-9000 or visit www.provident-integrity.com.

• Prev
• Next