Jon Who Brings Gospel Vocals to Glass Houses

Jon Who (@@djonwho) has released “Glass Houses,” a new collaboration with vocalist GEORGE ANTHONY MUSIC that draws directly from the piano-driven, gospel-influenced house records that helped establish the genre. Out now on Groove People Records, the single combines a prominent electronic bassline, classic house piano chords, and a lead vocal from a singer with over 25 years of experience performing gospel and contemporary music.

The collaboration brings together musicians with quite different professional histories. Jon Who spent his early years studying piano and orchestral composition before pursuing architecture and eventually establishing himself as a DJ in Zurich. George Anthony developed his career singing in church and performing with international gospel ensembles, including The Best of Black Gospel.

House producers have long worked with singers whose musical education began in church, and that influence remains apparent in contemporary vocal house. This collaboration is worth discussing because of the relationship between Jon Who’s classical training, his preference for soulful house, and Anthony’s extensive experience as a live performer.

Those ingredients give the record a specific musical context beyond its intended club use.

The relationship between musical education and house production also came up in our interview with KC Lights about his piano edit of “Hold On”. KC Lights discussed using an M1 piano sound to rework the track for festival performances, showing how familiar keyboard sounds can still work in contemporary club arrangements.

George Anthony Brings Decades of Gospel Experience to Glass Houses

GEORGE ANTHONY MUSIC contributes the lead vocal, drawing on a career that began in church and subsequently developed into international touring and studio work.

His experience includes performing with gospel ensembles such as The Best of Black Gospel, alongside work in contemporary gospel and other musical styles. That background is particularly relevant to “Glass Houses” because of gospel music’s established relationship with house production, especially the soulful house recordings associated with Chicago, New York, and later European producers.

Gospel and house share several musical characteristics, including repeated harmonic progressions, expressive vocal arrangements, and the use of piano and organ. House producers have incorporated these elements for decades, frequently working with singers whose live experience comes from church choirs and gospel ensembles.

We examined a recent example in our interview with Gene Siewing about his gospel-inspired EP “I’ve Been Blessed”. That project featured vocalist Ingrid Arthur and the 100% Gospel Choir, with Siewing discussing how his appreciation for gospel and soul influenced the record.

A similar relationship exists between musical background and production direction on “Glass Houses,” though the instrumentation and arrangement reflect Jon’s approach.

Anthony also brings extensive live performance experience to the collaboration. Singing in gospel ensembles involves working with instrumental accompaniment, other vocalists, and changing musical arrangements, all of which can influence how a singer approaches phrasing and delivery in the studio.

For a vocal house record, those abilities are particularly relevant. The vocal needs to function as part of a repetitive electronic arrangement while retaining the expression and melodic detail associated with a complete song.