Elsa Harris – I Thank God

Elsa Harris is one of the most talented and respected gospel keyboard musicians in Chicago today. She has a huge heart and it is clearly reflected in her music. Elsa plays with force or grace, depending upon the piece she is performing. Her piano playing is precise like a classically trained pianist but with rich gospel chords and a heavy dose of the blues. On this disc, Elsa Harris plays traditional gospel songs and adds soul and funk on several tracks. Elsa sings on one track which reminds us that earlier in her career she was a renowned vocalist.

She is accompanied by two of the best gospel musicians in Chicago, Richard Gibbs on organ and Curtis Fondren on drums. They create music that swings with heaps of spiritual energy.

Track Listing:
1. Glory Glory Hallelujah and Down at the Cross Medley -   2. Lord Don't Move that Mountain -   3. What a Friend -   4. What a Mighty God We Serve, Oh the Blood, Nothing but the Blood, There is Power Medley -   5. Down By Riverside -   6. Just a Closer Walk With Thee -   7. Wicked Shall Cease From Their Troubling -   8. Greatly to be Praised -   9. I Love to Praise His Name -   10. Joshua Fit the Battle -   11. Walk with Me Lord -   12. Looking for Trouble -   13. I Need Thee / How Great Thou Are -   14. I Thank God -

Reviews:

1. Lahoradelblues.com –2019.08.04
Elsa Harris es una de las pianistas de góspel más respetadas y solicitadas de Chicago para acompañar el culto y los servicios dominicales de las iglesias baptistas, anglicanas y pentecostales de toda la zona. Elsa es capaz de tocar con enorme pasión y fuerza, pero también con una gran sensibilidad dependiendo de la canción que interpreta en cada momento. Posee además los recursos y la técnica de los pianistas de música clásica pero al mismo tiempo conoce todos los recursos y secretos de la música espiritual y el góspel a los que adorna con los fraseos y cambios característicos de los patrones del blues. En este álbum Elsa Harris interpreta catorce temas del góspel más tradicional a los que añade algunas pinceladas de soul y funk y lo hace con el atrevimiento de una mujer de su tiempo. Todas las canciones están desarrolladas en clave instrumental excepto la canción “Looking For Trouble”, tema que nos permite apreciar sus indudables buenas cualidades vocales ya que sus inicios fueron como cantante. El este álbum Elsa Harris dispone del acompañamiento de Richard Hibbs al órgano y Curtis Fondren a la batería, dos de los mejores instrumentistas de la escena del góspel de Chicago. Da gracias al Señor por este excelente álbum porque El es bueno y porque es eterna su misericordia. MUY BUENO. 

Elsa Harris is one of the most respected and requested gospel piano players in Chicago to perform at Sunday services of Baptist, Anglican and Pentecostal churches of the whole area. Elsa is able to play with a deep passion and strength, as well as with a great sensibility depending on the song. She also knows the musical technique of classical piano players but at the same time she knows all the resources and secrets of spiritual and gospel music she displays with the usual phrasing and changes of the blues patterns. In this album Elsa Harris performs fourteen songs coming from the most traditional gospel where she adds a touch of soul and funk and she does it with the audacity of a woman of the most actual times. All the tracks are instrumental ones except "Looking For Trouble", a song that allows us to appreciate her undeniable good vocal qualities, as her musical career started as a singer. In the album Elsa Harris has been surrounded by Richard Hibbs on organ and Curtis Fondren on drums, who are two of the best instrumentalists of Chicago gospel scene. Give thanks to the Lord for this excellent album because Lord is the goodness and his forgiveness is eternal. GREAT.