Kaleidoscope (CD - 2002)

Personnel includes: Rachel Lampa (vocals); Tom Howard (arranger); Carl Marsh (conductor); Chris Rodriguez (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Mike Haynes (trumpet); Brent Bourgeois (Wurlitzer piano, background vocals); Leland Sklar, Tommy Sims (bass); Eric Darken (drums, percussion); Dan Needham (drums, programming); Bernie Herms, Pete Kipley (programming); Tiffany Palmer, Lisa Cochran, Ruby Amafu (background vocals); London Session Orchestra.

Producers: Brown Bannister, Brent Bourgeois.

Recorded at The Parlor, Masterlink, Nashville, Tennessee; Dark Horse, Franklin, Tennessee; Air Lyndhurst Studios, London, England.

Personnel: Rachael Lampa (background vocals); Chris Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Mike Haynes (trumpet); Brent Bourgeois (Wurlitzer organ, background vocals); Leland Sklar, Tommy Sims (bass guitar); Eric Darken (drums, percussion); Dan Needham (drums, programming); David Mullen, Pete Kipley, Bernie Herms (programming); LaTara Conley, Gene Miller, Jerard Woods, Lisa Cochran, Molly Felder, Natalie LaRue, Tiffany Palmer, Chris Willis, Ruby Amanfu (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: F. Reid Shippen; Steve Bishir.

Recording information: Air Studios, London, England; Dark Horse Recording, Franklin, TN; Masterlink Studio, Nashville, TN; The Parlor, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Robert Sebree.

On first listen, you might think hip-hop-influenced R&B grooves and irresistible pop hooks like these would only be encountered on a secular record by the likes of, say, Jennifer Lopez or maybe Janet Jackson. You'd be quite wrong. Rachael Lampa may put the bulk of her lyrical focus on praising the Lord and examining both the joys and the trials of maintaining faith in an ever-changing world, but the high production values and rich sonic textures could easily compete with those of Ms. Lopez or Ms. Jackson. Things kick off on an up note with the aggressive "Savior Song," punctuated by sharp blasts of heavy electric guitar. Subsequent cuts move through more subtle R&B tones ("I'm All Yours"), lush balladry ("No Greater Love"), and funky widescreen pop-rock ("Sanctuary"), but it's Lampa's flexible voice that provides the thread of continuity and focal point of the eclectic arrangements on the appropriately titled KALEIDOSCOPE. minimize