Gaither Vocal Band and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Together
Gaither Music

“Together” combines the talents of the Gaither Vocal Band and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. Fifteen studio recordings are included on the CD version, and an excited Louisville, Ky., crowd is added to the mix for the live DVD. The DVD features 14 songs from the CD with a healthy helping of comedy, behind-the-scenes footage and 11 songs not found on the CD. Ninety-five percent of the material is familiar to existing fans, but the arrangements are (mostly) brand-new Lari Goss creations.

The DVD ranges from the sublime to the delightful with a few silly moments. On the sublime extreme is “I Then Shall Live” set to Jean Sibelius’ classic “Finlandia” with a soothing string accompaniment. At the other end of the spectrum is soundman Rory Rigdon kissing Bill Gaither’s cheek while Gaither looks on in mock horror as Jeff Easter attempts to perform a solo on harmonica in spite of Gordon Mote’s interruptions.

In between are titles like “Sinner’s Plea,” featuring a compelling violin introduction. “Great Day” is punctuated by horns and moments of ascending chromatic tension. You don’t hear sophisticated upbeat arrangements like this every day.

If your expectations of the product aren’t dampened by a lack of new songs, you should be delighted with “Together.” The production quality is super, plus there’s the bonus of these two groups interacting with an audience and each other. (By David Bruce Murray)