Utterly magnificent, sublimely soulful survey of the Gospel Roots label, subsidiary of the mighty TK Records at the height of the Miami Sound.
A&R was co-ordinated by Gospel legends Ira Tucker — from the Dixie Hummingbirds — and Ralph Bass, veteran producer with Savoy, King and Chess. The label was run by Timmy Thomas, who had recently smashed with Why Can’t We Live Together, for another TK spin-off, Glades. Operations were overseen by Henry Stone himself, unlikely King of Disco, who had recorded a young Ray Charles, and pushed forward James Brown. They drew in artists from all over the US, from St. Louis, Columbus, Memphis, Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago: unknowns like Camille Doughty, reluctant to jeopardise her job at GM (‘Generous Motors’) in Detroit, and huge-sellers like the revered Brooklyn All Stars, who started out on Peacock in 1958.
Choral belters, deep ballads, harmony quartets, epic city-blues, gritty funk, powerhouse female soul… Killer-diller Philly like a scorching version of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ Wake Up Everybody; and Jean Austin’s raw Spirit Free, co-written by Ronnie Dyson, produced by Jesse James at Future Gold. Chicago Sound like The Fantastic Family Aires — named after the family’s furniture store on North Cicero, but reminiscent of the Staple Singers at their best — through to the full-blown glory of The Fountain Of Life Joy Choir, led by Marvin Yancy from The Independents, and featuring Natalie Cole… Singers like Versie Mae Gibson, from the Jordans, by rights up there with Irma, Etta and Ree… Bangers 100%-guaranteed to find their way into Theo Parrish sets; and mortal delirium for the prissiest of soul and gospel purists.
Beautifully presented… the LPs with a 12”-square, full-colour, sixteen-page album of photos and original artwork, the CD with a forty-page booklet — and truly outstanding notes, including insightful new interviews across the board; mastered at Abbey Road.
Dread and civitas, grit and transcendence.

‘America’s greatest singer’; ‘the greatest gospel singer of her generation’; ‘the greatest singer ever’ (Pulse, Time, Rolling Stone). Check the title track for her influence on Little Richard, The Isley Brothers, James Brown and co. Stuffed with gems.

Johnnie ‘Who’s Making Love’ Taylor, Jimmie Outler, Paul Foster, S.R. Crain and James ‘Love Is a Five-Letter Word’ Phelps; the albums Jesus Be A Fence Around Me and Encore!!, plus seven tracks recovered from singles and a label compilation, and four previously unissued — all recorded between September 1959 and July 1964. With an excellent essay, which traces the Stirrers’ story to their formation in 1926.
Stealin in the name of the Lord… this is a terrific bargain.

Bobby Womack, with brothers Curtis, Harry, Friendly Jr and Cecil; produced by Sam Cooke between June 1961 and September 1964, for his own SAR label. Gospel as the Womack Brothers; R&B as the Valentinos, including the original version of It’s All Over Now. With seven previously unreleased tracks, and excellent notes, drawing on interviews with several members of the group.

More compelling salvage from his 1970s period with Clinton Moon’s Showtime Productions, debuting the ballads We’ve Got To Get It Together and Child’s Play, the social protest of Today Is A New Day and Singing In Poverty, and dancefloor action like Total Love, A Case Of The Boogie and the sensual Gimme A Little Action — besides top-notch alternate mixes, like So Tied Up and What’s It Gonna Be from The Show Must Go On, and new versions of Alpaca Phase Three’s Someone To Run To, featuring a previously unheard SD rap, and Touch Me With Your Love, adding more than a minute…

Like Saturday night on a Sunday morning. Patsy on Jesus. Elvis-no-pelvis. With four celebrated Nashville sidemen fresh from June 1958 Presley sessions.

Rough, rousing gospel recorded live in 1987 by the seventy-nine-year-old (who came through busking in Washington DC). Mostly traditional songs, with Flora’s full-flavoured singing self-accompanied on slide, and extra guitar backing by Eleanor Ellis.

Terrific collection of spiritual and gospel songs performed in informal non-church settings between 1965-1973 — mostly guitar-accompanied and performed by active or former blues artists.

Soul-drenched, late-sixties gospel from Cleveland.

In the sixties they shared bills with every gospel superstar going (not to mention Little Bald Head Johnny, who had no tongue, and Mule Man, who presumably had a big willie and pendulous balls).

A sample of fifty years’ ministry: two dozen soul stirrers, with sermonettes, guest soloists and righteous radio clips. ‘A hurricane starts off slowly… when she gets a certain speed, that’s when she’s dangerous.’

Classic gospel soul from 1971, with the scorcher Hang On In There.
The Sisters were former Ikettes, who sang back-up for Norman Greenbaum on Spirit In The Sky, versioned here.

Drawn from the hundreds of reel-to-reels and cassettes that Jones — aka The Hurricane, The Fireball — has made of his Southern preaching, raving between speech and song, since 1960. From Dust To Digital.

Following Alan Lomax, Daptone placed a small local ad, asking singers to show at Mt Marian Church a certain Saturday. This marvellous record of acappella gospel is the result, including everyone who showed up.

Heartfelt hymns and songs of praise, deconstructed and rebuilt. Sometimes reverent, sometimes raging, sometimes playful, always spellbinding. ‘Christ Is Not Cute’ runs the Fahey quote on the sleeve. A beauty.

Primitive choirs, spacious breaks, congas, old-boy rappers impersonating the devil, cast-recordings, thumping bass, and JB copyists — all with a heavy slathering of gospel gravy.