Vickie Winans (Woman to Woman: Songs of Life) - Reviews

Vickie Winans
Woman to Woman: Songs of Life

Woman to Woman: Songs of Life has been a long time in the making, and it shows. The project includes plenty of family and spans a multitude of genres. The double disc set on Verity Records is Vickie Winans at her best, and includes big-name song contributors on both the live cuts and studio material.

No surprise from the title, Winans' overarching theme is musical ministry to her fellow woman, addressing numerous topics common to many. The live-recorded set (before a capacity crowd at Chicago's House of Hope on Mother's Day, in May 2006) is produced jointly by Winans and Steven Ford, with a specially-assembled "Chicago Choir" in support together with backing vocalists from the eight-member Steven Ford Singers and a full band and orchestra.

Production on the studio set is handled by names including Cedric and Victor Caldwell, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins, Marvin Winans Jr., Asaph Ward, Mario Winans, Aaron Pearce, Kayla Parker-Tolbert and Vickie Winans.

The hit single "Alright" has been a staple on Gospel radio for months, with its infectious groove and calming message, as Winans works with Kayla Parker-Tolbert (vocals) and Aaron Pearce (instruments). On "Go Go Praise", producer Rodney Jerkins brings his New Child sound and mixes in MO HORNS and Parker-Tolbert's distinctive backing vocals to create a can't-forget praise.

Woman To Woman: Songs of Life

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Son and Bad Boy Entertainment artist Mario "Yellowman" Winans delivers a spoken-word tribute cut "Thirty Reasons Why I Love You Mommie". Then on "You're More Than a Mom", Marvin "Coconut" Winans Jr. adds his own tribute, a strings-filled ballad with Eric Johnson on keybaord that he uses to express his devotion to his mother. Rounding things out on the family front is the "Never Separate (A Song for Friends)", which brings in Winans' guitarist brother, Tim Bowman, and "We Need Your Love", a duet between Winans and her husband, Joe McLemore.

Joann Rosario and Asaph Ward write "Angel of Mine (A Song for Friends)" and Daniel Winans contributes "I Need a Man" and "Watch The Wind".

The music just goes on and on. The second disc features the eight live cuts (read live recording recap with photos), and then adds in another seven more studio songs. Bishop T.D. Jakes dramatically intros the live set before things move into "A Change Will Come", penned by Marvin Winans Sr. and produced by Steven Ford.

Other highlights on the live side include the ballad "Stand Up and Carry On" (written by Mario Winans), "The Rainbow" (from Brent Jones) and the driving "Alive Alive" from the pen of New York's David Bratton.

Elsewhere Winans covers "Stretch Out", first made popular by Bishop J.C. White, and also the Hawkins' classic "I Love You Lord". Warryn Campbell writes and produces the jam, "He Loves Me" (a duet between Winans and her son, Marvin Winans Jr.), and on "A Thousand Pains", PreZence, signed to Winans own Destiny Joy label, accompanies her on this melodic gem.

Winans is one of the very few Gospel artists who easily and successfully moves from the contemporary to the traditional (and back again). Woman to Woman: Songs of Life (33 songs worth) is proof that Winans can do it all.

Listen to the audio provided below, courtesy of Verity Records. Audio tracks are available in RealAudio format (click logo below to listen. )

"It's Alright" --
"Waiting On Jesus" --
"Madly In Love" --

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Production: Various album release date: August 8, 2006
Verity Records

— reviewed by Stan North —