Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Olivia Grange, Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, shares a quick word with gospel recording artiste DJ Nicholas at the launch of the JCDC 2008 Gospel Competition. - Contributed

A SERIES of 'street blocker' concerts will take the 10 finalists in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) 2008 Gospel Competition live and direct across the island, but there is a strong possibility that their voices will go before them.

Just about three weeks before the first stop on the road in Falmouth on June 14, the 2008 Jamaica Gospel Album was officially launched at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday, May 20.

The album presents the work of the eight finalists in the contest and it is the 11th time the JCDC has put out a compilation of this type.

Finalists

Those finalists are God Is My Refuge by Andrew Dixon, produced by Paul Barclay; By Faith by Rohan Clarke, produced by Jon Williams; Satan You Lose Again by Tarshea Williams, produced by Alex-Martin Blanken; No Condemnation by Deneese Wright, produced by Garfield Martin; This Is Your Child by Sushann Holmes, produced by Grub Cooper; Remember Heaven by Gamel Grant, produced by Courick Clarke; Jamaica Needs To Change by Givron A. Moore, produced by Dennis Ruston; I Know A Friend by Ovando Levy, produced by Mario Lawrence; Let Us Pray by Minister Treasure, produced by Othniel Lewis; and God Is by Kereen Gregory, produced by Jenieve and Robert Bailey.

The finals will be held on Saturday, July 26, at the National Indoor Sports Centre in St Andrew, the 'street blockers' going to the Rudolph Elder Park, Morant Bay, St Thomas, on June 21, after the initial stop in Water Square, Falmouth, Trelawny, a week earlier. On Saturday, June 28, the live shows move to Leiba's Esso Tiger Mart in May Pen, Clarendon, and the final road show is at the Turtle River Park, Ocho Rios, St Ann, on Saturday, July 5.

Guests artistes

In addition to the contestants, there will be a pair of guest artistes at each stop. Prodigal Son and Joseph Scott will perform in Falmouth, whereas Judith Gayle and Kerron Ennis are the special guests in Morant Bay. Ryan Mark and Lubert Levy will make their presence felt in May Pen, with the RB Gospel Singers and Rohan Blair being the guests at the final stop in Turtle Park.

The 2008 Jamaica Gospel Song Competition is being held under the theme 'One God - One Family' and is sponsored by Grace Tropical Rhythms, Digicel, CVM, LOVE FM, LOVE TV, KLAS, Nationwide News Network, Power 106, IRIE FM, ROOTS FM and Sun Island Jamaica.

The 10 finalists in the Jamaica Gospel Song Competition 2008. (Back, from left) Rohan Clarke, Tarshea Williams, Givron A. Moore, (from left, middle row) Andrew Dixon, Kereen Gregory, Deneese Wright, Gamel Grant, (from left, front) Sushann Holmes, Ovando Levy and Minister Treasure at the One God One Family album launch, held the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Tuesday, May 20. - Contributed