Long one of the most successful and respected voices in the world of African-American gospel music, with Purified CeCe Winans makes a bid for crossover success. Her seventh solo album is a mixed bag, thematically speaking, combining funky pop music, moderately gritty R&B, and more typical gospel fare. Things get off to a slightly awkward start with the hackneyed and maudlin "Mamma's Kitchen" ("Can't we just go back to the simple kind of living," etc.), but gradually finds its groove over the course of the next few tracks: "You Will" is a gorgeous expression of spiritual devotion and trust, and "Pray" (the album's first single) is a delicious pop-funk gospel confection. "All That I Need" invokes early Anita Baker with its surging quiet storm groove and throbbing vocals, but combines that seductively earthy sound with artfully ambiguous romantic-spiritual lyrics. The album peaks about halfway through with "Just Like That," a funk-gospel masterpiece that opens with a spare and strutting verse before exploding into a rich and densely arranged chorus. "You Are Loved" is a winner as well, but then the program bogs down just a bit, finally reaching its nadir with the eye-rolling string of multi-culti banalities that is "Colorful World." "He's Concerned" goes a good distance toward redeeming the album's last stretch, but not quite far enough. Definitely worth acquiring, but you'll want to be selective about what you put on the iPod. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
Keith Thomas (Executive Producer), Darwin Hobbs (Vocals (Background)), Robert Torrez, III (Choir, Chorus), Mario Winans (Instrumentation), Keith Thomas (Arranger), Keith Thomas (Keyboards), Brandon Hill (Rap), Jovaun Woods (Vocals (Background)), Bill Whittington (Mixing), Josiah "Chuks" Bell (Keyboards), Tiffany Palmer (Vocals (Background)), Keith Thomas (Guitar (Acoustic)), Debbie Selby (Vocals (Background)), Mario Winans (Various), Josiah "Chuks" Bell (Drum Programming), Ryan Kyzar (MIDI Technician), Kayla Parker (Vocals (Background)), Tommy Sims (Bass), Marcelo Pennell (Mixing), Bonafide (Rap), Bill Whittington (Engineer), Nissi Walls Allen (Vocals (Background)), Michael Ripoll (Guitar (Nylon String)), Eric Hunter (Engineer), Debra Winans (Vocals (Background)), Keith Thomas (Drum Programming), Demetrus Alexander Stewart (Executive Producer), Melinda Doolittle (Vocals (Background)), Tommy Sims (Guitar), Carl Gorodetzky (Contractor), Tim Akers (String Arrangements), Mario Winans (Audio Production), Chandra Jamison (Stylist), Michael Ripoll (Guitar (Acoustic)), Dan Muckala (Drum Programming), Andy Selby (Producer), Kayla Parker (Vocal Arrangement), Coffee & Bonafide Of Grits (Rap), Tommy Sims (Keyboards), Drew Douthit (Mixing), Andy Selby (Audio Production), Tommy Sims (Vocals (Background)), Jerry McPherson (Guitar (Electric)), Tommy Sims (Guitar (Bass)), Coffee (Rap), Ryan Kyzar (Digital Editing), Drew Douthit (Digital Editing), Mario Winans (Producer), Andy Selby (String Engineer), Lloyd Barry (Conductor), Melinda Doolittle (Choir, Chorus), Ken Lewis (Mixing), Keith Thomas (Bass), Chris Harris (Vocals (Background)), Kenny Vereen (Hair Stylist), Tommy Sims (Drums), Keith Thomas (Piano), Denise "Nissi" Allen (Vocals (Background)), Chris Harris (Choir, Chorus), Chris Yoakum (MIDI Technician), Kwaku Alston (Photography), Nashon Fondren (Vocals (Background)), Tom Coyne (Mastering), Josiah "Chuks" Bell (Drums), Tommy Sims (Guitar (Acoustic)), Robert Torres (Vocals (Background)), Derrick Rutledge (Make-Up), Ken Johnson (Production Coordination), Adam Anders (Audio Production), Adam Anders (Producer), Andy Selby (Programming), Lloyd Barry (String Arrangements), Roni Burke (Stylist), Keith Thomas (Producer), CeCe Winans (Vocals), Lisa Cochran (Vocals (Background)), Keith Thomas (Audio Production), Jerard Woods (Vocals (Background)), Darryl Bush (Production Coordination), Danny Duncan (String Engineer), Dan Needham (Drums), Giulio Turturro (Art Direction), Delores Cox (Choir, Chorus), LeAnne Palmore (Vocals (Background)), Nashville String Machine (Strings), Ryan Kyzar (Production Coordination), Debbie Selby (Choir, Chorus), Nashon Fondren (Choir, Chorus), Keith Thomas (Guitar (Bass)), Dan Muckala (Keyboards), Grits (Rap), Debbie Winans (Vocals (Background)), Drew Douthit (Engineer), Michael Ripoll (Guitar (Electric)), Drew Douthit (Assistant Engineer), Andy Selby (Engineer), Eric Darken (Percussion), Michael-Anthony Taylor (Executive Producer), Keith Thomas (Drums), Tommy Sims (Audio Production), Denise "Nissi" Allen (Choir, Chorus), Tommy Sims (Producer)
Purified is the seventh solo album by gospel artist Cece Winans. This album was released under her own label, Pursprings Gospel. The singles "Pray" and "All That I Need" were released in July in anticipation of the albums release. Winans' nephew, Mario Winans, produced the hit single "Pray" while her son, Alvin Love III, helped write three songs on the album.
Track listing
Mama's Kitchen (S. Sanders, D. Ramsey, T. Sims, H. Headley)
