The debut album by Jason McGee and The Choir features a variety of music styles, but the thread connecting them all is a message of hope, joy and healing. “Power,” the title of the new project by the popular gospel group, contains nine uplifting tracks ranging from the current hot single “It’s Not Over” to the creative rendition of Andre Crouch’s “Oh the Blood” to the hand-clapping, foot-stomping “Wonderful.”
“Our goal and our desire and our prayer was to give every single person in the world something to grab on to in this album,” said McGee, who is one of the leading choir directors and in the gospel music industry. “This project was designed to reach the hearts of our listeners with hope. After such a turbulent year, we’ve all shared common experiences that have brought us to a crossroad. We want to encourage people that they can find joy in believing again.”
Describing the different selections, he said, “The opening song has a bit of a country feel with acoustic guitars running through it, while other numbers are super-super churchy. We also have songs for the more inspirational audience. So, we really wanted to make sure we worked hard to curate an album that everyone could enjoy.”
The versatility of the album is comparable to the many talents of Jason McGee and The Choir, who have backed rock bands, R&B artists and pop groups since arriving on the gospel scene about 17 years ago. Under McGee’s leadership, the ensemble has appeared on the Grammy’s, American Music Awards and the BET Awards as part of the event production team. The group can also be heard on the “Space Jam 2” movie soundtrack as well as singing for the films, “The Black Godfather” and “Birth of a Nation.”
“I’ve always been connected to choirs and churches. I started directing the choir at age 14 at my home church in Bakersfield, California and I started directing professionally in 2004, putting singers together and directing for a lot of mainstream events,” recalled McGee, a 2021 Stellar Award nominee.
He and the choir have performed live with several music icons including Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Raphael Saadiq and David Foster. In the recording studio, they’ve collaborated with with Usher, Lil Nas X, Erica Campbell of Mary Mary, Christian artist Matt Redman, and The Fray’s lead singer Joe King.
Currently, Jason McGee and The Choir are part of the My Block Inc. label, which is headed by mega-producer Warryn Campbell. And McGee said he appreciates the “family atmosphere” formed by Campbell and his wife, Erica.
“I’m able to pick up the phone at any given moment and call them and ask questions and they always answer the phone. They always check in and make sure I’m okay. It’s great and they give me the room to flex and be Jason,” he said.
While he’s excited about releasing “Power,” McGee said he will maintain his trust in God – no matter what the future may bring – by relying on his favorite scripture, Psalm 27:13 – “I would have fainted unless I had believed in the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
“I’ve been very open about my 2006 battle with suicide and it’s the scripture that got me through because somewhere deep inside of me – even when I was at my worst possible place – I never, ever stopped believing that there would be this moment when God answered what I had been praying for,” McGee said.
“After the smoke had cleared and I was okay, I got that scripture tattooed on my arm so that every single time I’m down, I look down and say, ‘That’s right. I still believe.’”
Reflecting on the impact of “Power,” McGee insisted, “This is an exciting moment in our music journey. My hope is that the world will be strengthened by this album’s message. We can’t give up now because it’s not over. There’s hope, healing, and joy ahead.”
Follow Jason McGee and The Choir on all social media @iamjasonmcgee and jmcgeechoir.
