Desmond Pringle - Be Still

By Richard Picart

After the rocky road that Desmond Pringle has traveled professionally, you don’t have to be prophetic to know that God was seasoning him for the birth of a great thing. Well, the delivery day has come and the baby is called Be Still.

This sophomore release, from one of gospel’s foundational talents, is a well-balanced listening experience that takes his fans into his heart for congregational worship. Lead single Let There Be Praise is an instructional anthem that grabs attention and forces you to dance, praise and exalt the Creator. Co-producer Roger Ryan and Pringle crafted a piece that is not just another Black gospel piece but has a global melody, that opens the doors of the church and transcends all barriers. Well done!

A prolific songwriter, Pringle shares his conversation with God on Everything To Me in an intimate and majestic way. You Are God is a pleasant easy listening song that is a fresh breeze in this culture of beats and rhymes. If you love the Oakland, CA flavor of gospel, this song will sit well with you.

I appreciate that Be Still has a few songs from other projects. It’s a great collection of songs that include Shirley Caesar on Just a Closer Walk with Thee, James Cleveland on the digitally re-mastered duet Jesus Is The Best Thing and the Born Again Choir.

Jehovah Reigns, produced by Maurice J. Rogers, is a great song of declaration. The vocals on this are mind blowing and Desmond shows his Baptist roots with a little Holy Ghost preaching. Go ahead Evangelist Pringle.

I could do with a few more fast songs on this album so that it isn’t just a Sunday morning delight. This receives a high recommendation for your holiday shopping list.