Customer Reviews

Right on Be Free

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I dont know why THE VOICES have fallen into virtual obscurity. This is EAST HARLEM soul and funk circa the early 70s and delivered via a huge choir backed by a funky rhythm section. (The basslines are driving !) Long before the SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS and KIRK FRANKLIN the VOICES were doing crossover... but they werent watering nothing down. This is simply a FUNKY and ENERGETIC album plain and simple. The message is liberation... the groove is JB. This is one choir that WILL get you seeing the HOLY GHOST... (Holy Ghost as in the BAR KAYS - - remember that groove ? Well this is just as funky.) - - Im sorry to see that AMAZON at this time doesnt have up wavs so I can prove my point, but PLEASE trust me.

Essentially, this is a raw and funky youth choir that mixed traditional gospel with downhome Soul (they opened up for Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies concert, FYI). This CD will make you clap your hands, stomp your feet and say YEAH in a way that few CD's of recent times will do. The gutbucket rhythm section works well with traditional gospel tunes such as "No No No" and "Music in the Air." This is mixed with early 70s liberation anthems like the title cut and "Simple Song of Freedom." The VOEH (not to be confused with the Boys Choir of Harlem) also adds then funky gospel choir treatment to preiod tunes like "For What It's Worth" to great effect and the rendition of "Let It Be Me" is enough to bring tears to your eyes. But the pint-sized marvel Kevin Griffith really sets things on fire with his high powered lead on Ritchie Havens' "Shaker Life" (reminds one of Little Stevie Wonder leading a choir).

This wonderful, high energy CD is reminiscent of the soulful gospel of the Choirs of Edwin Hawkins and Andrae Crouch that were the predecessors of what Kirk Franklin and Hezekiah Walker are doing today. Only complaint- This CD and the other VOEH albums NEED TO BE ON CD IN AMERICA!