New Gospel Course Coming This Fall

I have just signed on to doing a 4 class course on “The Great Gospel Mass Choirs” at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education this fall.

Classes will be held weekly on Wednesdays from 3:30 – 5:30PM from
November 8th – November 29th.

Registration for the fall semester probably won’t start until sometime in September, so I’ll keep you all posted.  This is just a heads up to save the dates if you are interested.

The Great Gospel Mass Choirs

In the 1960s Rev. James Cleveland and his Gospel Music Workshop of America brought the large gospel choir out of the church and into the everyday world of gospel music.  There is no other sound quite as moving and awe inspiring than a large gospel choir.  In the course we will explore the music, personalities and history of choirs like The Georgia Mass Choir, The Mississippi Mass Choir, The Florida Mass Choir and others.

Thanks,

R.L.

 

I Don’t Feel Noways Tired

James Cleveland has recorded several versions of this song with several different choirs, but to my mind, this is the definitive recording made in 1978 in Omaha Nebraska (not exactly the heart of the deep south!).  I have put together Parts 1 & 2 into one big audio file because the song was released as two  separate cuts on the album.  The song also features guest singers like Minister Keith Pringle.

  1. I Dont Feel Noways Tired (Parts1 & 2) Rev. James Cleveland Presents The Salem Baptist Church Inspirational Choir 11:35

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Grin and Bear It

Today’s a twofer day.  The first song is from one of my favorite old school gospel choir directors, Rev. Clay Evans, who is working with the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church Choir.  As I listened to this great traditional song I couldn’t help but think about Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Community Choir’s song “He Knows How Much We Can Bear”.  Although I’ve posted the Hezekiah song before, this is a great LIVE performance of the song.  I LOVE all the modulation in the vamp and how the sopranos and altos each take a word of the lyrics of the vamp (“How much…how much we…we can bear…we can bear”). Listen when they go acapella…with bass… at 3:02.

 

  1. How Much We Can Bear Rev. Clay Evans & the Fellowship M.B. Church Choir 6:03

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  1. He Knows How Much We Can Bear Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Community Choir 5:34

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God’s Way

Sara Jordan Powell is unquestionably a giant of gospel music. She made some classic albums in the ’70s, produced by gospel patriarch James Cleveland. Yet, demonstrating the curiously fragmentary nature of gospel music research Sara’s major contribution to gospel music history is not mentioned in gospel histories written by Tony Heilbut, Viv Broughton, Horace Clarence Boyer and Steve Turner. Only Bil Carpenter’s Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia rightly recognized that “Sara Jordan Powell’s recognition within the COGIC denomination is iconic” and that the singer is loved for her “semi-operatic soprano and her ear-piercing gymnastics.” 

  1. God's Way Sara Jordan Powell 4:51

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She told Joseph Middleton in an interview, “I believe the older gospel should be preserved because it is timeless. I believe young people need to relate to it because it is our heritage. Gifts and talents are a sacred trust which should never be abused.” 

I’d Be Baptized All Over Again

I was SO EXCITED when I stumbled on this song this morning!!  Great soloist and piano work!!  This is one of the first songs I ever heard performed live on Bobby Jones Gospel when I first started watching it on BET back in the ’80’s.  Given that the album this song is from the choir’s “Tell It To Jesus” album that was released in 1984, just about when I started watching, this must have been a hot new song back then and Bobby Jones must have invited the choir on TV to do it live.  FYI, the choir is from The Lighthouse Baptist Church in Chicago under the direction of Rev. Jerry Goodloe.

  1. I'd Be Baptized All Over Again The Evangelical Choir of Lighthouse Baptist Church 4:21

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Come On Up A Little Higher

Not to be confused with the classic Mahalia Jackson song “Move On Up A Little Higher”, this is a head on ’80’s full funk/soul gospel song from Alvin Darling from an album that predates his first commercial album from Savoy Records, “I’ve Learned to Put My Trust in God ” released in 1990.

From the opening funking slap/popping bass line that is joined by the B3 organ, you know you’re in for a funky gospel ride.  I love it!

 

  1. Come On Up A Little Higher Alvin Darling and The Alvin Darling Singers 4:39

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Feel The Spirit

Today’s feature song comes from my deep bag full of arcane/moldy/lost gospel songs.

As I previewed this song this morning looking for a song to post, something about the song seemed familiar.  Then it dawn on me. The notes, not the lyrics, sounded a lot like a song thought I remembered.  As the song went on, I knew right away it was a gospel remake of Peabo Bryson’s 1978 hit , “Feel The Fire”…and then I understood why the song title was “Feel The SPIRIT”.

Makes sense to me.   It’s 1980, gospel isn’t the ubiquitous thing it is today, and so to attract high school kids in Trenton N.J. to sing in a gospel choir, why not rework a kewl R&B slow jam??

So, I’m posting both songs for your listening pleasure.  The “Peabo” album was one of my favorites and I almost wore the groove out on it.  Enjoy.

 

  1. Feel The Spirit The Trenton High School Gospel Choir 7:39

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  1. Feel The Fire Peabo Bryson 4:30

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Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Gospel comes to Motown…or Motown comes to Gospel…or better yet:
Gospel IS Motown and Motown IS Gospel.

  1. Ain t No Mountain High Enough Pastor W. A. Treadwell & The United Faith Tabernacle Choir 3:21

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Jerry Wexler, the famous producer for Atlantic records, helped bring soul and R&B music to the world. Early on in his career Wexler coined the term R&B.  He later said, I shouldn’t have called it “Rhythm and Blues”, I SHOULD have called it “Rhythm and Gospel.”

Amen to that.

Be Right There

“When trouble come and block my way, He’ll be right there.
No matter how dark the day, He’ll be right there.
When I”m down He’ll pick me up, when I’m low He’ll fill my cup…”

 

  1. Be Right There Timothy Wright & The New York Fellowship Mass Choir 3:53

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A wonderful uptempo song from Rev. Timothy Wright and his New York Fellowship Mass Choir.  I love the fat, popping, slap bass line at the start…let’s you know what kinda song you’re getting into. Because of the refrain, many people call this song “Hallelujah Anyhow”.

A Closer Walk With Thee

Although clearly inspired by the old Baptist hymn, “Just A Closer Walk With Thee”, this song is an original composition from the 1970’s.  It’s old school gospel with great vocals and wonderful blues/gospel piano chords throughout; listen closely to the piano, the musician does a wonderful job. Great song!

  1. A Closer Walk With Thee Rev. Maceo Woods & The Christian Tabernacle Concert Choir 3:58

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