Professor's Label Fills Inspirational Niche

03/07/2004 8:02 PM, Reuters
Deborah Evans Price

For those looking for music that fits their Sunday-morning church services, James Roberson's JDI Records has long proved inspirational.

Roberson, a professor of music at the University of California at Los Angeles, launched the label eight years ago. Since then it has become home to Norman Hutchins, DeNetria Champ, the UCLA Gospel Choir and other noted acts whose music uplifts church congregations and believers everywhere.

Roberson recalls the label's genesis, when he went to his church pastor with concerns that "we were having a hard time finding Sunday-morning music, because everybody was trying to cross over and do the contemporary thing," he says. "My pastor said, 'Instead of complaining about it, do something about it. Start a record company and do that music.' So that's how JDI came about. It was to do music for Sunday-morning worship.

"We've been very successful, because we are filling a niche that wasn't being met by other people," he continues. "We have a great following of people who will buy our music even if they don't know the artist, because they know our type of music and the quality of music we do."

JDI is distributed in the general market through Navarre and in the Christian market through Butterfly International Distribution. Central South also distributes JDI product to independent retailers.

On Tuesday (March 2) the label released "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus" by Minister Timothy Britten & Shabach Praise Co. The project was recorded at Interdenominational Faith Assembly in Baton Rouge, La., where Britten has been minister of music for 10 years.

Roberson and Britten met at the 2003 Stellar Awards and began talking about doing a project together. "When I look for talent, I look at the person's ministry first and foremost," Roberson says. "Are they in it because they are interested in being a star? If it's being a star, then JDI is not the right label for them. We are always looking for people who are ministry-oriented.

"Secondly, they understand that they've been called to do this," he continues. "And we look for people for our label who have strong songwriting abilities and overall excellence in how they present themselves. It's hard to find those things in one package."

Britten had served as music director for the late Rev. James Moore and had worked with such artists as Dorinda Clark-Cole, Rance Allen and Yolanda Adams .

"Rev. Moore encouraged me to do something on my own, because he wanted me to make it one day on my own," Britten says, adding that Moore influenced his "writing skills and how to put music together."

In keeping with the label's goal of aiding church music programs, the CD contains a bonus cut, an accompaniment track that can be used in worship services.

Reuters/Billboard