If there was an old family recipe for cutting an album, it might read something like this: "Take one part producer, one part artist and a handful of songwriters; mix well. Stir in arrangers and musicians to taste; set aside. Preheat studio to 350 degrees. Pour mixture onto tape using seasoned recording engineers; mix and bake until tender." Every ingredient in the recipe determines the ultimate flavor of the project, and the possibilities are endless.

The ingredients assembled for Heavenly Place, the debut album from new artists Jaci Velasquez, are impressive as well as diverse. Produced by Mark Heimermann, this album includes the songwriting talents of Chris Eaton, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Dann Huff, Bob Farrell, David and Nicole Mullen, and Heimermann, among others.

Though it is mostly classic pop from head-to-toe, Heavenly Place manages to display plenty of musical variation while still preserving a sense of continuity, which is no small feat. The songs "Baptize Me" and "We Can Make A Difference" are Heimermann's most overt contributions to the recipe (he co-wrote both) in that they are musically reminiscent of other projects he has produced, namely Change Your World (Michael W. Smith) and Free At Last (DC Talk). Other highlights include a great Velasquez/Chris Rodriguez duet on "Shelter," several ballads, as well as the highly infectious No. 1 song "If This World." The title cut, "Un Lugar Celestial" (which means "a heavenly place') has a delightful Spanish/Latin feel that reveals, in Velasquez's words, that "…I do have a little child running through my veins.'

Even those who are not fans of the straight-up pop style of Heavenly Place can't deny that Jaci Velasquez is something of a wonder kid. At 16 (yes, 16) she has the vocal maturity of some others twice her age, and though there could be more ebb and flow at time to the intensity of her voice, she has the potential of any top pop-songstress of today (as well as plenty of time to develop it!).

Those who have been blue over what seems to be a trend away from overtly Christian lyrics will find plenty to smile about on this album. Scripture (or spiritual content) is woven through just about every fiber of these songs. Of particular interest is "I Promise," a song Velasquez co-wrote with her youth pastor about sexual purity. She seems truly serious about wanting to be a role model for today's teens, and it really becomes her. But don't be fooled, Heavenly Place is not an adolescent project; it is a fine debut from a young woman who is musically talented and spiritually minded far beyond her age. Copyright © 1996 CCM Communications. CCM is a registered trademark of CCM Communications.