Javen | Keeping The Faith

Javen – Keeping The Faith

For an artist who is able to multi-task a career with elegance and grace in a short period of time, Javen has made an impact with everything he has accomplished.  Whether as a TV host, a pastor, actor, or a singer/songwriter, Javen has touched lives for Jesus while engaging audiences with his animated personality.  In fact, he has remained in so much high demand including a period where he appeared in four movies that were released within a short period of time including One Night With The King starring Omar Sharif.   Javen has also balanced assignments as a church pastor and as a host on a popular weekly radio show on The Urban Network.   This scenario of having both feet in entertainment and ministry was not quite what this Florida-born talent dreamed up, not less imagined singing in the church choir growing up.  Even though there was no fairy tale story or American Idol episodes that made his career possible, it was simply the power of music and the adrenalin of acting that brought him many opportunities along the way.  With upcoming movie roles in The Preacher’s Kid and Abadoned, Javen still sparks the musical flames with his latest disc, a return to the major label fold with Keeping The Faith.

Since his 2002 debut, Javen’s rich persuasive tenor voice absolutely grabs the soul as a worshipper and lets loose during a funky ‘souled out’ jam.   Javen’s released his debut self-titled disc on Word Records featuring the disco-injected “Never Give Up On Love.”  The next step was to go the independent route with his JCM imprint.  In 2003, his second disc, Changes (2004) was an acoustic worship setting that also favored Javen’s expressive pipes.  Flexing his confidence as a musician, Javen demonstrated his ability to reshape Christmas classics such as boldly putting a smooth jazz frosting on “O Holy Night” for his third project also released in 2004, Christmas With Javen.  Next was Believer from 2007, which is probably his most urban intensive recording to date featuring Garcia, Deitrick & Damita Haddon and Israel Houghton.
 

Several songs from Believer are reprised on Keeping The Faith.  Javen’s latest disc is the most ambitious project he has tackled where there is more emphasis on the pop and rock elements, but the R&B grooves that Javen is recognized for are not totally forsaken.  The title track that evokes a bit of classic soul was written for those in mind going through those tough days. Kicking up a contemporary gospel storm that Fred Hammond might sink his voice into is the crazy praise jam “Celebrate.” Javen and his duet partners Israel (“Wipe Away My Tears”) and Deitrick (“Not Gonna Worry”) wear their fervent voices on their sleeves.  Damita’s silky vocal harmonies absolutely stress the lyrical intent of the later piece.  The softer and slower moments – “Count It All Joy” (the only non-original composition) and “Then Came You” – gives Javen’s sensitive vocal side more opportunity to flow.

Certainly Javen can handle numerous genres without vocal apprehension.  However in the case of Keeping The Faith when he does enter into the pop/rock praise territory on a few occasions (i.e. the techno-edged With All My Life), he loses a bit of soulful luster.  That factor is really the only mild blemish on an otherwise recommended praise and worship collective.  No matter what the oversights and triumphs down the road and after all is said and done in his multi-faceted career, Javen will always be the consummate professional who handles his business with grace and class.