Few community choirs can rival the vocal diversity and spirited delivery of Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music. Debuted in 1994 at Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, MD, the choir has backed some of the finest artists – both secular and sacred – to hit the stage. They have performed at the White House, at the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts and toured overseas singing in Portugal, Spain and Italy.
Now the renowned and award-winning choir drops a brand new project called Majesty: A Recording of Anthems, Hymns and Spirituals. A musical collage of uplifting music, the project is available now. Through their distribution deal with New Day Christian Distributors, the new release is available at Christian bookstores and other retailers. In addition, the CD can be purchased online through CDBaby.com, iTunes and Amazon.com.
Appropriately titled, Majesty, the 2-CD set finds the choir spanning the gamut musically, and doing it all superbly. Lundy says, “As I have traveled the country in response to requests to conduct workshops and clinics, it has become apparent that the ability to offer anthems, hymns and spirituals in a choir’s repertoire has become a lost or dying art. Consequently, quite similar to the vision God gave me for Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music (PL&MOM) to be a choir which is capable of ministering all genres of sacred music, the concept for Majesty resulted from the need to keep anthems, hymns and spirituals alive in our worship experience. I wanted us to be able to share with others the passion we feel for sacred music in a way that reflects worship and reverence, is delivered with excellence and is true to what the composer was inspired to write. Of all of the CDs we have released, I believe this project truly represents the totality of the Choir’s musicality.”
Songs like “Take It To The Lord In Prayer”, sweetly arranged by Rev. Nolan Williams, “Hold On” by Arphelius Paul Gatling, Jr. and “Nothing But The Blood”, arranged magnificently by Myrna Summers offer a variety of breathtaking music, executed flawlessly. Sixteen tracks in all, listeners will enjoy other tracks like the churchy “Highway To Heaven”, the majestic “It Is Well With My Soul” and the unforgettable masterpiece, the bonus track “Even Me”. A choir director’s dream, this project stands out from the rest with stunning vocals, perfect intonation and dictation, brilliant orchestration and arranging and one spirited, heartfelt performance after another.
This project debuts the Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music – GA Connection, which began in February 2014. Based in Georgia, the group is the sister choir of PL&MOM – DC. Disc 1 consists of selections from Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music – DC and Disc 2 consists of selections from the GA Ministers and combined choir selections. The project’s special guests include gospel greats Evangelist Dorothy Norwood and La Shun Pace. The classical guests are the renowned NaGuanda Nobles and Joyce N. Lundy. The incomparable John Stoddard, a musical genius in his own right, worked on the collection’s superior orchestration.
The music isn’t the only thing that sets this recording apart from others. The location of the live recording added to the distinctiveness of the project. Lundy adds, “A primary highlight of the project is that it was recorded at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, which was pastored by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s father. In addition to its significance in the Civil Rights Movement, Ebenezer has a longstanding history of appreciation of anthems, hymns and spirituals and, acoustically, is a magnificent venue for such concerts.”
Founder-Director Lundy believes listeners will be blessed by Majesty. “Majesty is an inspirational/meditational type of CD,” shares Lundy. “It gives listeners an opportunity to slow down, become introspective and hear God’s voice to receive revelations about where they are in life, in their relationship with God and where they need to go. We have received feedback from many listeners who have said they use the CD as a soundtrack for their prayer time or that they have had to pull over to the side of the road while listening to Majesty because it is so captivating that it makes them feel they are listening to angels.”
Majesty is the choir’s 7th CD, a highlight of a music ministry spanning more than 20 years. Since 1994, the community choir has shared the stage with artists such as Lyle Lovett, Roberta Flack, Peabo Bryson, Jennifer Holliday, the late BB King and many others. They’ve performed at the Historic Howard Theatre and Congressional Black Caucus Prayer Breakfast, both in Washington, DC, for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and countless other prestigious events. They participated in three events celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama. In addition, the choir regularly supports charitable causes including benefit concerts for the Children’s National Medical Center and victims of hunger, disease and domestic violence. The choir is headed by Patrick Lundy, a graduate of Howard University with a degree in the Music Business with a concentration in management and voice. He is a composer, arranger, workshop clinician and Director, Christian Fine Arts at Reid Temple AME Church in Glenn Dale, MD.
For more information, log on to the choir’s website, PLundyMOM.com. Connect with Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music on Facebook and Twitter (@PLundyMOM).
