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Now that the dust has fully settled on every other 'Best-of 2009' list, it's time for the UKGospel.com team to cast a wistful - perhaps even critical - eye back at a rather eventful year for the Black Music gospel scene in the UK.

It’s 2010 already. Wow...
 
More than that, we're almost at the end of the second month. Wow again.
 
I suppose I'd better get a move on, then...

   If you've followed my annual recaps over the last 3-4 years, you
  know I like to run my list articles and features quite a while after
  everyone else.

  There are three reasons for that. The first reason's quite a practical one:
  it's all about when I can get round to doing them.

  The second, more significant reason is that there’s no point offering up
yet another feature while we're all gorging on similar lists from a dozen other sources.

And finally, I like to do my research. Properly.
 
BIG MOMENT: FRIENDS AND FAMILY…
This year's review is particularly special to me.
 
For the first time ever in the history of UKGospel.com, the annual recap comes your way not just from me, but also via contributions from a few of the many people I respect on the UK scene. That basically splits the review into two rather broad areas:

Firstly, you get my usual take on proceedings.

And secondly you now have the views of the extended UKGospel.com
family: the good folk who have - both visibly and otherwise - been part
of the running of this site by way of their regular writing input (step up
and take a bow, George Luke).

Then there are those who have taken time out to contribute to the
range of 100% UK-centric content of the site (I see you, Rachel-Yvonne 
and Faith Jegede). 

COMING OF AGE...
In early January I put the call out to the team for their take on 2009, and to find out if anyone cared to share their thoughts. The result is what you'll see coming your way throughout February, perhaps even into March.
 
From my point of view, events in 2009 were hugely encouraging.

  Things can always be better, but the industry continues to come of age:
  the peripheral structures, talent and mechanisms required to mature the
  scene beyond its core offering of artists and producers are starting
  to establish themselves in this nascent industry:

  Birmingham-based GL Media's 'GL Live' consistently puts a great event on, bringing together the best of US and UK talent, while new London-based companies Quadosh Studios, Creative Piece and Sanctified Photography and Design presented quality photographic services to the marketplace.

And then there's the other Brum powerhouse, MBrio Music, easily the best thing to happen to the UK's Internet landscape in the last couple of years or so. Don't need to say much more than that. Have a look at that site. Be prepared to be blown away. Simples.

And those are just three examples of a market heading in the right direction of growth. Black Grape Venue, set up only in the second half of last year (if memory serves) is already becoming a linchpin on the London live scene.
 
Sure there's still some way to go, but these supporting services mark a significant moment in the history of this industry.
 
KEY TRENDS
Two key features made 2009 different from earlier years: the
new generation of UK artists that keep the industry fresh
and vibrant stepped up their game significantly.

From Faith Child's noteworthy debut album to Guvna B 
further developing 'brand Guvna' even without an album out,
to partners-in-musical-crime Victizzle and Tunday selling
out London's Ocean Music Venue, the young bucks pushed the envelope hard, arguably a portent of the gospel Underground moving from a highly specialised, hidden scene to one that can - given the right opportunity - engrave itself on the public consciousness.

Two words for you: MOBO Gospel [picked up by Victizzle] and the Urban Music Awards (UMA) Gospel [Guvna B]. Technically they're not words, but you get my drift, I'm sure... :-)
 
COLLECTIVE
The second trend is one that many who've been around the scene for a while admire about the new generation of artists: the sense of a collective drive around building momentum for a movement.

The cross-pollination and viral promotion from many of the younger artists working together is straight out of Acts 2, 44-45, invariably enhanced by the naturally viral nature of social networking.
 
Guvna B's new site, powered by Ning, is an excellent case in point. It is less of an artist's promotional platform as it is a community powerhouse with several co-dependent social ecosystems gathered for a common purpose.

That project itself is created by the genius that is Christophe Pierre. But seeing as this development occurred only last month, you're going to have to wait for the 2010 review next year, if God is gracious enough to keep me...
 
GUEST WRITERS AND THE BEST MUSIC OF 2009 - AS VOTED FOR BY YOU!
  While my input this in year's recap is enhanced by
  other writing contributions, there's also your influence on
  proceedings.

  If you've ever bought a CD, book or ticket from UKGShop.com,
  then you've already had an impact on one of the features that
  will be coming up as part of the recap series: 'The Best Sellers of
  2009'.

At a time when we're told a combination of the recession, digital piracy and (perhaps most profoundly) changing music consumption habits is having a tremendous negative effect on retail in general and the Christian music sector in particular (don't forget 2009 was Wesley Owen's final trading year), the 'Best Of 2009' series reveals an interesting state of affairs from the UKGShop.com point of view. Guvna B had the highest votes by far in 2008, so 2009 should be interesting. That's all I'm saying...

And then there's 'new boy' Henry Yanney's 2009 retrospective, as he picks out a handful of highlights about what made 2009 special for him. 
 
And finally, coming completely out of the UKGospel.com leftfield is Karl Nova. Not so much a writer as a serial blogger and free thinker, with much of his rather prickly and smart thinking done in public, warts and all.
 
His new multi-part series for UKGospel.com 'The UK Gospel According to Karl Nova' (my choice of title, not his, I hasten to add), was birthed at least in part from his observation that many of the newer artists coming through on the scene probably do not have an appreciation of the groundwork laid down by those that came before. It makes for very interesting reading...
 
There's so much more to write, but there not much space left. Besides, I still have both Henry and Karl's pieces to prepare, not to talk of mine.

So, onwards and upwards. Enough of the long intro. Let's get to the good stuff.

2010 is already turning out to be so much fun. I can't wait for next year's recap...

George Luke

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