Customer Reviews

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Overall, this is an excellent CD. No. 3 of Aretha's Gospel Epics.

There is some heavy preaching by Jesse Jackson and Rev. Jasper Williams. This may turn off some listeners, but it does give one the full impact of a religious service in an African-American Baptist church (minus the taking of collection).

Aretha, Mavis Stapes, and others handle the material excellently. They do Clara Ward justice on "Surely God Is Able" and "Packing up." "Be Grateful" is pretty good too as "I've Been In The Strom Too Long."

Unfortunately, there are two drawbacks. One is that this CD was not well recorded. You really have to amp the volume on this one to get it good. Secondly, years of cigarette smoking (or improper throat care) has taken much of the lustre from Miss Franklin's voice, which puts the performance level at a couple of grades below 1972's Amazing Grace or her 1956 debut "Never Grow Old" (a.k.a "Aretha Gospel").

In spite of that, it's a worthwhile and enjoyable purchase. But I wonder why it was out of circulation for so many years?

This is the digitally remastered version of the original "One Lord" collection from 1987, with 4 bonus tracks.

The album is not as consistently strong as 1972's "Amazing Grace," but there are several high points. "Surely God Is Able" and "Higher Ground" are standouts...but the bonus track "Beams Of Heaven" catches Aretha at her most inspired in this outing. The inclusion of this one song, a duet with Joe Ligon (Mighty Clouds Of Joy), is almost enough by itself to move this project to a 5 star rating. The first time I heard it, it literally gave me goose bumps. It is the song that comes closest to the genius and spirit of the "Amazing Grace" album, and makes one wonder how in the world it was left off the original release. "Be Grateful," a duet with Mavis Staples, is another gem that has finally been released from the vaults; and as with "Beams," it's apparent that Aretha is not just going through the motions with this one.

The low points? As one mentioned in the review of "One Lord's" original release, there may be too many spoken words/prayers for the average listener, and time has taken a toll to some degree on the voices of the participants (most obvious on "Ave Maria" and "Oh Happy Day").

Having said that: anything Aretha commits to a recording is worth having, period. I recommend this album to anyone who wants a good ol' fashioned dose of gospel from the Queen's court.

Of course, it is always good to hear from the Queen. I am more than happy that this album from 1987 has been remastered and available.

This is a great set, featuring Aretha,her brother, sisters, cousin Brenda and Mavis Staples(another emotional power house vocalist who comes from the church) and gospel power Joe Ligon of the Mighty Clouds of Joy among others. Fans of Aretha wont be dissapointed,but dont expect another Amazing Grace. In comparsion the album doesnt come close to the 1972 master piece. Obviously Aretha's voice has deepened and hoarsened, she delievers the songs slighty under the intensity of Amazing Grace, but that is not to say her singing and emotions are not well displayed, she is still the Queen of soul and possibly the greatest vocalist of all times.

High lights include "Oh Happy Day" with Mavis, "I've Been In The Storm Too Long" with Joe, and "Packing Up" with all the singers including Aretha's sister. The latter ends the set in a romping and stomping finale. "The Lords Prayer" also stands out, Aretha gives it to us good on this one.

There are alot of speeches from popular ministers such as Rev. Jesse Jackson among others that are excessive and perhaps present the sets down side, but on the other hand it gives the listener the impact of the church service. I perfer some of the speeches but the music is what it is about mainly.

You all will enjoy this set overall, a must have for fans.

I adore the "Amazing Grace" cd ( I have both versions, and still play them both regularly ). The music on this one, though, has that terribly slick, over-produced eighties sheen to it that I just can't get into. It has none of the soul that made "Amazing Grace" transcend all boundaries. The vocals are, as usual, incredibly moving. It's just the music itself that I don't care for. If you are a fan of newer RnB styled Gospel like Yolanda Adams and things like that, you might like this. I just found it "samey", much like the majority of Aretha Franklin's eighties recordings for Arista.

I started listening to Aretha franklin in the early 80's and I am just finding this album. This is a very spiritual moving and inspirational album made back in 1987 by The Queen of Soul. Aretha makes a very poinent observation that she was very happy to have her family there singing and praying with her including her two late sisters, brother, and grandmother the mother of the late REV. C.L. Franklin. My Favorite songs on the album are surley god is able, Packing up, we need power, and ive been in the storm too long. All these songs Aretha goes all out vocally on. Dispite the fact that Aretha's voice has changed she puts her heart and soul into this inspirational project. I am waiting for Ms Franklin to make another gospel album.

By the time this album came out in 1987, entitled "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism",
the long anticipated follow-up to the fantastic and iconic 1972 gospel double album
"Amazing Grace", Aretha's once unparalleled vocal instrument was weathered from
years of hard singing, weight fluctuations, age, and a 20 year smoking habit
which left it raspy and not as clear in it's higher register as it once had been.
Not to say that The Queen still couldn't work her mid and lower registers well enough
to upset the church as she always had when she took to the mike at her home church
of New Bethel Baptist, but you could still hear that her best days were behind her by then.

There are some great moments on here, like the arrangement of "Ave Maria",
which Aretha gives a baptist gospel singer meets metropolitan opera diva treatment!
She also does "The Lord's Prayer" with a pretty good measure of finesse, but again...
the raspy highs wear on the ears after awhile.
Then there's the Clara Ward tribute of "Surely God Is Able" and
"Jesus Hears Every Prayer", where she muses in tone about the good old days of
her childhood growing up in her father's old church (New Bethel had an old church down
on Hastings & Willett which had been rebuilt by the time this album was recorded,
just three years after her father's tragic death.) and seeing all of the old gospel
greats like Clara & The Ward Singers, The Swan Silvertones, The Gospel Harmonettes,
The Dixie Hummingbirds, etc., and she is joined onstage by her cousin Brenda,
baby sister Carolyn, who wrote some of her most soul-stirring soul ballads
and who would succumb to cancer just a year after this album was released,
and also her older sister Erma (now deceased) for some good old time gospel harmony!

Other highlights are a few of the sermon's given by her late brother/manager and
ordained minister, Cecil Franklin, who would also succumb to cancer two years
after this album was released, as well as a few of the other guest ministers
who were asked to speak during the three day gospel program which served as the
recording sessions for this album. The duets between her and the legendary Joe Ligon
of the fabled Mighty Clouds Of Joy, who Aretha herself hails as "One of the most soul-stirring
voices of the 20th Century!" are particularly rousing as well!
"I've Been In The Storm Too Long" and the later released on this digitally remastered
20th anniversary commerative of this album as a bonus track, "Beams From Heaven",
which is an old black gospel staple, are both "raise the rafters" quality in the
vein of the "Amazing Grace" album. But there again, Aretha's voice, though effective
for the occassion, is not at it's clearest. Overall, I give this album 3 stars because
with exception of the songs I mentioned, the rest of the album is just okay, and even
some of the keys of the songs seem weird to me.
I guess it was just hard for The Queen of Soul to even live up to the high standard
that she set on "Amazing Grace"....but even a slightly off her game Aretha is better
than a whole lot of today's so-called singer's at their best!
For her, I know this album is special because it is the first album she produced herself
as well as a time capsule of her and her siblings, all of who are deceased now,
singing, shouting and praising GOD in the way they had done since childhood.

doesn't compare to the Amazing Grace recordings but this is still an excellent example of moving, soul stiring gospel music

This album was recorded 15 years after AMAZING GRACE, Aretha Franklin's groundbreaking gospel album. It's hard to top that album, but this is a nice collection nonetheless. You can tell that Aretha loves this kind of music. I wish she would do another album like this! Guests on the album include Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Jasper Williams, and Rev. C.L. Franklin, plus Mavis Staples, Joe Ligon, and her sisters, Carol and Erma.

I have to say my absolute favorite is her rendition of "Ave Maria". It's breathtaking, and one of the best versions I have heard of this song. Aretha sings standards like "Surely God Is Able" and "The Lord's Prayer,", and a scorching version of "Higher Ground."

Overall a really nice return to Gospel. Every Aretha Franklin fan should hear this cd!

Even though she has aged and such is displayed in her voice, the Queen's ability to use experience and such vocal control is unparalleled... I can hardly wait for the next gospel recording by the Queen!!! I LOVE YOU RE-RE!!!

CLASSIS RECORDING A TRADITIONAL HISTORICAL MUSICAL TRIP THROUGH AMERICAN GOSPEL WHICH HAS ORGINATES FROM SLAVERY, A MUST HAVE. LOVED IT Ms. K