Somethin' 'Bout Love (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Fred Hammond (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drum programming, background vocals); Fred Hammond; Joey Woolfalk, Errol Cooney (guitar); Matt Cappy (trumpet); Daniel Weatherspoon (keyboards, bass synthesizer, drum programming); Luther "Mano" Hanes (keyboards, bass synthesizer); Warryn Campbell (keyboards, bass guitar, drum programming); Steve "Supe" White (keyboards, drum programming); Noel Hall, Johnnie "Smurf" Smith (keyboards); Marvin McQuitty, George "Spanky" McCurdy (drums); Darius Fentress (percussion); Ivan "Orthodox" Barias (drum programming); Toya Smith Adams, James "Jayshawn" Smith, Davey Hammond, Brian Fentress, John Michael Gray, Eugenia "Bootsie" Newman, Frederick Purifoy II, Pamkenyon Donald, AAries, JoAnn Rosario, Juanita Wynn, Melonie Daniels, The Singletons, Straight Gate Mass Choir (background vocals); Brian McKnight (vocals); Marvin Winans, Musiq (Soulchild).

Audio Mixers: Fred Hammond; Kevin Jackson; Ray Hammond.

Recording information: Battery Studios, New York, NY; Face To Face Studios, Southfield, MI; Gospo Centric Studios, Inglewood, CA; Home Cookin' Studios, Philadelphia, PA; Sound On Sound Recording, New York, NY; The Studio, Philadelphia, PA.

Arrangers: Fred Hammond; Ivan "Orthodox" Barias; Juanita Wynn; Steve "Supe" White; Johnnie "Smurf" Smith.

Detroit vocalist Fred Hammond has danced skillfully on that gloriously blurred line between gospel and sweet soul music for decades, whether solo or with his group Commissioned. Hammond's knack for letting the spirit resound in his vocals has earned him a well-deserved following. The energetic SOMETHIN' 'BOUT LOVE adds to his catalogue of energetic records with a slate of inspired, groove-laden odes to salvation.

Hammond is also a skillful songwriter, co-penning most of the album's tunes, including the deft, intricate single "Celebrate (He Lives)." Brian McKnight and Marvin L. Winans join him for a lustrous trio on the undeniably catchy "Lord We Need Your Love." Hammond's closest musical cousin in the secular world is Stevie Wonder, a connection accentuated when he ably covers Wonder's "Love's in Need." Hammond's records craftily interweave R&B and inspirational music, and SOMETHIN' 'BOUT LOVE continues that tradition. minimize