James Fortune & FIYA

By Peggy Oliver

James Fortune, a songwriter/choir director out of Texas, home state of Kirk Franklin, jump-started the Contemporary Gospel chart back in 2004.  The breakout single, You Survived, was composed by Fortune, who was facing numerous struggles in his personal and professional life.  The project of the same name carried encouraging themes and loads of upbeat worship.  Now what could be in store three years later?   The Transformation somewhat follows suit as Fortune teams again with FIYA (Free in Yahweh’s Abundance), a hand-picked vocal band from various Houston churches.  The group, a regional youth choir mostly in their twenties, has received accolades for several years.  That group almost didn’t have a chance to record because Fortune was tempted to change careers due to severe trials during that debut CD, yet God mapped You Survived and a two-year recording investment.  

The sophomore Worldwide Music release took a while to produce as well, drawing upon several urban soundscapes, a smidgeon of experimentation, and an effective update of a Gospel landmark.  As usual, Fortune is on the sideline leading the proceedings, in the vein of Franklin, handing the vocal duties to FIYA members and superb soloists. 

Sometimes The Transformation mirrors the debut, which also begins with a worship ballad.  Anaysha Figueroa’s flexible voice takes the lead on I Owe You, ranging from calm to crescendos.

In an interview posted on jamesfortune.gospelkeyboard.com, Fortune mentions he appreciates both anointed and versatile musicianship.  That trend resonates again on several tracks.  Reggae rhythms decorate the chorus on Follow You, a song about sincerely committing to God’s will.

Hinting on the Minneapolis (Minnesota) Sound, a shuffling funk drives I’m Good, lending hope “for everyone that’s been counted out.” 

I Wouldn’t Know feeds off a mesmorizing soul/jazz hybrid.  However, just when this groove gets deeply serious, Nakitta Fox invites the listener to church as FIYA battles “every trick of the enemy.”

Daring to be different can enhance a composition.  Unfortunately, the hip-hop induced If You Want To drowns in too much ambition, including awkward bridges, weak hooks, and electronic masking, burying Nikki Ross and the other soloists.  A risk taken on the crunk-type rap break mixed with Gospel inflections on the previous CD, My Dance, maintained a smoother flow, delivering an energetic praise atmosphere.

An obvious difference between the two projects is the first single.   While You Survived dealt with struggles on a personal level, Fortune chooses a song from a Gospel legend, The Blood, Andrae Crouch’s signature piece, soars with Zacardi Cortez’s passionate vocals piercing the worship zone, while honoring the original melody.

Two other recommendations come to mind:  Great Is Thy King, a simple but on-point praise romp, blends vocals, horns, strings, and rhythm section displaying bright colors and preciseness.  Then there’s an inventive twist on O Holy Night in the form of a new melody simply titled, Holy Night, doused with splashy percussion.

Longtime collaborator Terrence Vaughn returns as Fortune’s right-hand man and as co-writer and co-producer for most tracks. While the musicianship is sharp, especially with Phillip Lassiter’s deft horns, there are fewer memorable tracks compared to You Survived, especially dealing with fluent Latin beats and Ross’ strong vocals for He’s Mighty, and snappy R&B harmonies on Praise Anthem.  However, Fortune & FIYA can still flow with both old and new, just as long as their material does not overwhelm their message.