I was definitely trying to rock this one yesterday for “Cover Me” Sundays, but I guess I got caught up. <--- See what I did there. No but seriously, those that know me, know how much of an Anita Baker head I am and further "Caught Up In The Rapture" is the song that started it all for me: My love of Anita Baker, my understanding of song structure and harmony etc., so you know the critical ear was on for a listen to this. Quite simply JoJo and her team's take here is fabulous and it illustrates what I've been saying since: A great production and performance is nothing without a great song. All three have to in sync, period and they are here. This production of "Caught Up In The Rapture" is included as a part of a #LoveJO mix that also includes a cover of Phil Collins' "Take Me Home" and a rendition of "Glory" inspired by Kathleen Battle. I encourage you to check it all out and added it to the collection and tell someone that loves good music. My hope is that this trend will continue and not only through looking back to the great material of the past but also through current creators challenging themselves to create at this level. As I always say a great song is a great song and if it sounds great on just a piano or guitar with a vocal it should go that much further with a full production.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
