Customer Reviews

Gospel Train (Special Packaging)

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No way am I the first to review this fantastic disk.

You can read other amazon reviews of some of her other disks, all of which will tell you that she is one of the great, unfortunately, hidden talents in gospel/jazz/r&b.

Gospel Train stands out, particularly for the sizzling, rocking version of Jericho.

Getcher-self some Seester Tharpe right now!

Sister Rosetta Tharpe is incredible - both her singing and her guitar playing are fantastic. She performs gospel songs infused with r&b and blues, and was transforming gospel and bringing it to the public long before the well-known pioneers Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Staple Singers, and James Brown. They took gospel intensity and song forms and turned them into soul and r&b in the fifties and sixties; Tharpe is more gospel-based, and began her recording career in the thirties - though she recorded a bit of more straight-ahead blues - and got into a lot of hot water with the gospel community for her trouble! She continued to play well into the late sixties. The Proper label 4-cd box set is excellent without a doubt, but I actually prefer this because the fidelity is so outstanding. For anyone who loves music from that magical time before rock'n'roll, soul, and r&b became the 'thing,' Tharpe's music is a must, and really something of a revelation. Unfortunately she's one of American music's sorely overlooked foundations, so do yourself a favor and hear her music!