Israel & New Breed leaves you SPEECHLESS

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What is the objective of a live worship album?

I believe it's to get the focus on the One that is being worshipped. How? By dancing, moving, jumping, clapping and then bringing the crowd, or "church" to a quiet stillness of praise. THE BOTTOM LINE? SINGING YOUR HEART AND SOUL OUT!!!

Israel Houghton has surpassed that with his latest album, "Jesus At The Center."
This 2 Disc album is jammed pack full of funk, hip hop, soul, contemporary worship and CHURCH!!!! Gospel at it's finest!!!

Following two back-to-back Billboard Top 200-selling, GRAMMY Award-winning solo studio albums, Israel Houghton returns with New Breed for their first live recording in five years, Jesus At The Center, releasing Aug. 14 on Integrity Music. Recorded live with thousands of worshippers at Houston’s Lakewood Church, this double-CD, 17 song album with three additional studio singles features Israel & New Breed returning to their roots, delivering new anthems for the modern day church. The recording follows the group’s critically acclaimed, GRAMMY Award-winning, A Deeper Level (2007).

Joining Israel & New Breed to produce the studio version of the soon to be released Christian AC single from Jesus At The Center, “Your Presence Is Heaven,” is hit maker Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Britt Nicole), while acclaimed vocalists Jason Nelson and James Fortune are featured on the studio version of “It’s Not Over (When God Is In It).” Other guest vocalists featured on the live recordings are Aaron W. Lindsey, Michael Gungor, T-Bone, Bishop Michael Pitts, Jeremiah Woods, Daniel Johnson, Charlin Moore, Adam Ranney, Tina Baker, Onaje Jefferson, Krystle Harper and Israel’s daughter, Mariah Houghton.




“The overarching story of the album is that sometimes we can be so ‘churched’ that we can lose sight of the ‘who, what, why’ of worship,” says Israel Houghton. “This project simply places Jesus where he is supposed to be. We intentionally removed the metaphors and simply focused on his name.”


Co-writing all the songs, except the Bob Dylan cover, “To Make You Feel My Love,” and “You Have Me,” by Michael and Lisa Gungor, Israel said that it was time to do another live album with New Breed. “We’ve always been known for what we do live and we felt like we had songs that could serve as a resource to the church worldwide.”


It was that spark that ignited the recording. “The concept started with the title track, ‘Jesus At The Center.’ We felt strongly that it was necessary to make sure that these were all Christ-centered songs that would, for the most part, find a place of effectiveness in the worship experience of any church. ‘Rez Power,’ ‘Your Presence Is Heaven,’ ‘Speechless,’ ‘Jesus The Same’ – these songs accomplish that and resource worship teams and listeners alike,” notes Israel.


In addition to the Jesus At The Center two-disc album, a companion DVD was recorded live in high-definition and features all 17 songs along with behind the scenes footage, story behind the song vignettes and other bonus material. Israel & New Breed will also simultaneously release an exclusive iTunes® LP. The LP follows Houghton’s Love God. Love People. LP that became the first-ever Christian artist iTunes LP and first LP, mainstream or Christian, which included various interactive capabilities. The Jesus At The Center LP will not only include the new music, but also video Work Tapes, a Photo Montage and the “Jesus At The Center” video tutorial.




Israel Houghton will share the stage for the very first time with peers Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp and Donnie McClurkin on The King’s Men tour. The 15-city major market US tour begins Sept. 16

The King’s Men Tour:

Sun, Sep 16, Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre

Wed, Sep 19 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre

Sat, Sep 22 Concord, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre

Tue, Sep 25 Dallas, TX Verizon Theatre At Grand Prairie

Wed, Sep 26 Houston, TX Reliant Arena

Fri, Sep 28 Atlanta, GA Chastain Amphitheatre

Sun, Sep 30 Miami, FL AmericanAirlines Arena

Tue, Oct 02 Tampa, FL USF Sun Dome

Thu, Oct 04 Norfolk, VA Constant Convocation Center

Sat, Oct 06 Washington DC Verizon Center

Sun, Oct 07 Philadelphia, PA Liacouras Center

Tue, Oct 09 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center

Wed, Oct 10 Chicago, IL United Center

Fri, Oct 12 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre

Sun, Oct 14 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center


MY FINAL THOUGHTS. . .
WOW!!! I wish I had been there!

Funny. . . After listening to it from beginning to end, I actually feel like I was!

If listening isn't enough for you, make sure to get the
Jesus At The Center two-disc album, a companion DVD was recorded live in high-definition and features all 18 songs along with behind the scenes footage, story-behind-the-song vignettes and other bonus material.

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