Multi-facted Gospel veteran Steven Ford offers his own project this time out, a feast of keyboard interpretations of beloved hymns, old and new.

Songs for Hymn is dedicated to his father, Bishop Andrew J. Ford Sr., and was specially put together to recall the precious times when he would play the old hymns on the piano as Bishop Ford meditated on scripture or prepared sermons.

The fifteen songs on the album are keyboard labors of love, compositions where the melody is always out front and surrounded by gentle rippling chords and arpeggios along with improvised theme and variations. Never overdone, Ford always leaves the inherent beauty of the melody to speak the familiar words to the soul.

"Tis' So Sweet" starts off the project, leading to the song of faith, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" before moving into the Gospel standard "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and the relatively new now-classic from Kirk Franklin, "The Reason Why We Sing".

Steven Ford

Check out the album's liner notes written by Steven Ford in honor of his father, Bishop Andrew Ford Sr. Click here.

The album brings in Fanny Crosby's "Blessed Assurance" which is faintly marinated in background organ fills, and also an mellow take on Elisha Hoffman's "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms".

Less familiar but no less satisfying gems such as Percy Bady's "In My Name", first made known by Rev. Milton Brunson's Tommies, and the little-known "Make Jesus My Choice" from Harrison Johnson & The Los Angeles Community Choir, are also in the mix.

Songs for Hymn is obviously a personal and prized collection from a master of the genre, and will find an easy home with anyone who loves the old classics and is looking for a project that honors them in a laidback style.