Customer Reviews

When Gospel Was Gospel

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

 

 

This is THE best rocking, shouting, one CD overview of Black Gospel from 1947 to 1963, produced by the man best qualified to do the job, historian and self-described gospel "monomaniac" Anthony Heilbut, who has devoted his life to the music. If you like the singing of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Whitney Houston or Lou Rawls, or `60's soul from Motown or Stax-Volt - you'll love this CD. This is where it all came from. It's all here, the sweet falsetto crooners (R.H. Harris, Claude Jeter), the church wrecking baritone shouters (Silas Steele), the earthshaking basso profundo's (the classically trained J. Robert Bradley, equally at home in German lieder or Gospel shouting), the choirs (St. Paul's Baptist Church), the quartets (Dixie Hummingbirds, Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones), the women (Mahalia Jackson, Clara Ward, Delores Barret Campbell), the men (Brother Joe May, Professor Alex Bradford), and one caught in between (Wilmer "Little Ax" Broadnax, a woman who lived her life as a man in the macho world of male gospel quartet as the much admired tenor lead for the Spirit of Memphis Quartet).

There is not a weak number on this album, and most are gloriously good. There are half a dozen rare "in the spirit" "LIVE" recordings, including the rarely recorded legend Queen C. Anderson, and an absolutely scorching Swan Silvertones medley that segues from a searing Dewey Young baritone shout to a soaring Claude Jeter falsetto tour de force. I think it is the best thing ever captured by this much recorded group. The packaging and liner notes are impeccable, including an authoritative 20 page history of the music and performers.

This project was clearly conceived as an ideal follow up to the seminal 2 CD set "The Gospel Sound" produced on Columbia 30 odd years ago by Heilbut and the legendary John Hammond. There is NO overlap at all between the two collections - they focus primarily on different artists, and where the same artists appear (Mahalia Jackson, Dorothy Love Coates, Dixie Hummingbirds) different (and equally powerful) songs are used. You'll want the Columbia collection as well, since one CD covers the pre-1947 roots, including the unbelievable precision harmonies of the Golden Gate Jubilee Singers on 3 tracks, and the second CD rivals this for coverage of the period from WWII to the 1960's. After these 2 albums you might check out Heilbut's other Gospel collections on Shanachie, "The Gospel Women, Vol 1 and Vol 2", "Kings of the Gospel Highway", "The Great Men of Gospel, Vol 1" or the Dorn/Friedlander collection "Gospel Music" or "Jubilation, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2".

This collection is beautiful. The Queen C. Anderson medley is AMAZING (wish we could have heard more from this great singer)!!! Dorothy Love Coates is perfect (as always) and Rosetta Tharpe is impeccable as ever. Love it!!!!!!

I was introduced to Robert Harris and The Soul Stirrers through this album, and followed up with the 2 CD set "He's My Rock", see my review. On this album of When Gospel Was Gospel, #5 is mislabeled, giving credit to "The Roberta Martin Singers, for the song "Yield Not To Temptation", which is definitely done by Robert Harris and The Soul Stirrers. I have played the first 6 songs of this album, over and over, for much comfort, as they are so beautiful. Also a close second are #8,9,13,14 and 15!
Sincerely,
Bob McKenney

Their is no comparison to the originals of Gospel music. Some of these pieces are priceless, and to own them is a blessing. My greatest gratitude to anyone who takes the time to bring back our heritage. As a singer these saints are my inspiration. They will never grow old.

Okay, some of the tracks here show their age - but for the Blues Gospel lover it's well worth it, if you can get past the uneven sound quality. After all, this was before stereo and multitrack recording - but straight in the Golden Age of Gospel! If you wonder where artists such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin got their soul-stirring power, look no further!

Standouts include "You're Gonna Need Him" by Brother Joe May and Jacqui Verdell, "Standing On The Highway" by The Angelic Gospel Singers & The Dixie Hummingbirds, and two songs by the Davis Sisters - "Too Close To Heaven" and "Jesus Steps Right In". And IMO the "Mahalia Moans" track alone is worth the price of the album. There's plenty more, too....

The only small downside to this cd is that, at times, the recordings sound like an old / worn vinyl album - a bit scratchy.

Anthony Heilbut has done it again! Prepare to be BLOWN AWAY. Put on your shouting shoes church folks! Listen in awe to J. Robert Bradley's resonant,dazzlingly melismatic "Amazing Grace" Clara Ward's incisive phrasing and pure, high alto on "Time is Winding Up", get your gospel blues on with Jacqui Verdell and Brother Joe May in "You're gonna Need Him", go back to the old sanctified church you grew up in with Rosetta's "Little Boy How Old are you?" and Marions "Traveling Shoes", shout like it's going out of style with Dewey Young roaring "I Thank you Lord" and be gently soothed back into consciousness with Claude Jeter's silvery "I have a friend", be both charmed and moved by Deloris Barrett's "Yield Not to Temptation" and listen to Ruth Davis give modern gospel singers a lesson in squalling in "Jesus steps right in" and "Too close to Heaven".....BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT. RUN, DON'T WALK.

After sampling this new Shanachie product "When Gospel Was Gospel", I can testify that this is African-American singing to the "nth" power. This style of "full-throated" singing is seldom heard anymore because African-Americans either prospered after the Civil Rights movement or fell to the seductive power of "Hip Hop" genre that captured the heart, mind and spirit as Classical Gospel once did.

This music started in the 1930's when African-Americans were in their "Great Depression". And African-Americans have a Ph.d in suffering and hard times. This music is a testament to our ability to "ground" ourselves in a strange land of North America and plant our beliefs, hopes, and aspirations in a musical form.

I am always impressed with these singers who have went to Heaven. Each one has something to offer new generations of singers in tone, drama, and breadth of personality. I recommend this CD to those who are struggling to find meaning in their lives. Those who are looking for excitement and surprise.

African-Americans know about the negativities of life and we know how to create "Joy that comes to our mornings"

Rev. Khalil Canady M.div
age 27