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Jon Blass:

For the past few years, Jon Blass has been working as a mix assistant and editor for Yosh and his clients.

yosh... what's new.

UPDATE: As the dust settles in Nashville after Stellar week, and the whos-who list of Gospel greats head back to their respective home towns, we celebrate with Vashawn Mitchell and many other artists we had the priveledge of working with this year on their wins.  Vashawn went back to Atlanta with 6 statues of his own - the number 1 winner this year for his album Triumphant!  Many congratulations are also in order for Kirk Franklin, who took home 4 Stellar awards of his own, and of course, thanks to Marvin Sapp for co-hosting the event. 

It should be no surprise that Vashawn Mitchell is the number one nominated artist at the Stellar Awards this year after the release of his album Triumphant peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Gospel charts more than 68 weeks ago and still remains.  It takes quite a record to sustain that kind of chart life and Yosh is proud to have been able to have mixed it. The album was spurred on by his huge number 1 single "Nobody Greater," which is still in the top 10 after more than 71 weeks! It's no wonder the Stellar Awards saw fit to nominate Vashawn for such esteemed categories as Artist of the Year, CD of the Year, Album of the Year, and Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year.  The album was so successful Vashawn and EMI released a Deluxe Edition featuring 2 new songs as well as a forty-five minute DVD of special material.  Check out the music video, which is included in the DVD below, and be sure to keep an eye on this talented artist who's sure to leave the Stellar Awards with several of the coveted statues. 

Kirk Franklin is a phenomenal producer and choir director, and together with his production team, incredibly talented singers, and Fo Yo Soul Records, he created a masterpiece entitled Hello Fear, that Yosh had the distinct honor of contributing mixes.  

Certainly congratulations to Kirk are in order after a huge first week, selling nearly 90,000 copies (making it the 4th best selling gospel album of all time) and debuting No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Chart as well as No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and appearing in top spots of several other charts as well.  Even amidst all this success, however, what makes Kirk Franklin Kirk Franklin is his heart.  As he told UGospel.com, "I am just humbled.  It is a blessing to know, that after all these years of making music, God continues to give me songs that people want to hear. I knew going into this project that God was not as concerned about what I do in the process of this album but what I become in the process of this album. I am hopeful that Hello Fear reaches the hearts of everyone who purchased the CD and helps them along their process of becoming who God would have them become." 

If you haven't heard the album yet, it is available in any record store, or Walmart, as well as iTunes.  He is also on tour with Steve Harvey, a show definitely worth seeing. 

Yosh had the honor of mixing the great Gospel musician, Marvin Sapp's latest album, Here I Am in the beginning of 2010.  This live recording, produced by Aaron Lindsey is a powerful album and is being proven as such by record breaking sales.  At it's release, the album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, an honor no other Gospel release has achieved.  Selling 76,000 copies in it's first week, Here I Am has set new marks in Gospel releases.  

The album remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for 17 weeks minus a one week drop to No. 2, and it's first single "Here I Am" charted on the Billboard Urban chart and R&B/hip-hop chart, displaying it's crossover into mainstream music, a feat very few gospel artists have achieved. 

This enormously successful release is Sapp's eighth solo album and follows his previously biggest release Thirsty, which has sold over 712,000 copies to date and became Sapp's first RIAA certified Gold record.  It will be exciting to watch Here I Am continue to sell and impact the music community and Gospel music. If you haven't heard this record, check it out on iTunes, the Marvin Sapp website, or any store that sells CD's.

With the Nashville flood still very much a reality here in Music City, relief efforts are on everybody’s mind and continue to be needed.  An ongoing emergency relief, Nashville Engineer’s Relief Fund (NERF), has been supported for the past 13 years with the Audio Master’s Benefit Golf Tournament.  This year, Nashville music professionals will be getting together for two days of golf with all proceeds going to NERF, May 27 and 28 at Harpeth Hills Golf Course.  Numerous local and national audio companies will sponsor each hole, handing out free food, drinks, prizes, and swag.  Of course, this chance to get out of the studio and on the golf course is always enjoyed by everyone, and looked forward to annually. 

If you want to register a team to play, sponsor a hole, or contribute in any other way to NERF or the Audio Master’s Benefit Golf Tournament, more information can be found on theAES Nashville website or the Audio Masters website.   

Nashville Recording Workshop and Expo

I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Nashville Recording Workshop and Expo hosted by the Audio Engineering Society last weekend at Belmont University.  The two-day event featured panels, master classes, and demonstrations with some of the industry’s dominant professionals, and during any downtime between these events several companies and organizations were represented to exhibit their products.... 

Read the rest of this article at www.getyoshed.com

The end of January saw the release of the newest Tommee Profitt record, produced by John Jaszcz and John Lawry (www.johnlawry.com).  Tommee is a young worship leader and songwriter from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  He currently serves as the worship leader at Grace Bible College.  Beautiful Grace is a collection of ten original worship songs that are both fun and focused on bringing hearts back to God's beautiful grace.  

To learn more about Tommee Profitt and to purchase Beautiful Grace visit his website - www.tomeeprofitt.com 

Congratulations to all nominees for the 41st GMA Dove Awards.  John Jaszcz had the distinct honor of working on projects nominated for several awards:

Cat. 9: Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year: "Lost" from Big Picture by Da' T.R.U.T.H.
Cat. 19: Contemporary Gospel Song: "Wait on the Lord" by Donnie McClurkin
Cat. 19: Contemporary Gospel Song: "So Good" by Melinda Watts, Freddy Washington Jr.
Cat. 21: Rap/Hip Hop Album: The Big Picture by Da' T.R.U.T.H.
Cat. 31: Contemporary Gospel Album: Smokie Norful Live by Smoke Norful

The Dove Awards are hosted by the Gospel Music Association as a night of music and celebration to bestow their highest award to the top Gospel/Christian artists of the year. Good luck to all nominees, we'll be watching April 21st!

For full details, please visit DoveAwards.com

John Jaszcz recently had the opportunity to work with students of the MTSU Records class (www.mtsurecords.com) in Detroit, MI on a Motown medley.  As part of a documentary about the once prominent record label Yosh recorded some of the top Detroit players of today playing some of the top Detroit songs of the past. 

Read the full story at the Get Yoshed blog!