Chris Willis

Item: Chris Willis
Author: Stephen Trickey

(1996)

Reviewed by Stephen Trickey

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Star Song RecordsThe LighthouseJune 1996

ccm jazz r&b

They say timing is everything, and that is increasingly important in the music industry. Debut artist Chris Willis may have chosen the perfect time to release his self-titled project. The timing has nothing to do with a lack of new artists, as each year more and more new talents are being introduced. It does however, have everything to do with his sensational vocal talent.

Willis' voice will easily draw immediate comparisons to veteran artist Larnelle Harris. However, after a complete listen to the 11-song project, it is obvious that there are also influences from artists such as Stevie Wonder and Andrae Crouch. With Willis writing eight of the 11 songs, the overall feel of the album is a consistent, mid-tempo jazzy R&B sound. His vocal performance is excellent as he displays the ability to hit both high and low notes with ease. The quality of his voice is such that he is able to use his vocals to set the tempo of the songs instead of following a dominant musical beat. Musically, there is plenty of piano and light horn play that give just the right support for his soulful delivery.

Willis gives a great introduction of his style in the first two cuts. Both "Nobody But Jesus" and "More Than Enough" are smooth, mid-tempo songs that are the epitome of Willis' vocal prowess. These songs, with what can be best described as light R&B with a touch of jazz influence, reminded me a bit of Al Jarreau and Jeffrey Osborne. Other songs in this vein include "Church Without Walls" and "My Heart Belongs To You." Willis shows some flexibility with some great pop-like ballads such as "Out Of My Hands" (written by Scott Krippayne) and "My Heart Belongs To You" (a big Larnelle Harris sound-alike). There are also two up-tempo tunes that will fit nicely as radio-friendly pop songs, "From Now On" and "Mighty Love."

Lyrically, Willis is able to get his spiritual message across effectively. As with the musical tempo, the lyrics are light, yet profound. Messages of the grace of Jesus and trusting God in hardship are clear and presented with conviction.

Back to the timing issue... With new pop solo artists like David Robertson, Jonathan Pierce and Greg Long on the scene, now is a good time for an artist with a slightly different sound. Willis' light R&B sound will find favor with fans of the Winans and Larnelle Harris. His ability to also produce a couple of ballads and up-tempo pop songs will allow for a broader audience. His voice is pure, his lyrics uplifting, and his style fresh. Chris Willis has certainly produced a quality project at what could be just the right time for him.