Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns

Read About This Recording

When Mahalia Jackson sings, the angels rejoice and heaven moves slightly closer to earth. Such is the power of this phenomenal gospel singer. It's redundant to use her name and gospel in the same sentence-Mahalia Jackson is gospel music. Her alto and soprano vocal quality is pure soul, her songs praise the Lord and release the frustration of African-Americans' suffering and pain. She also uses her songs to testify while reflecting on the teachings of the bible.

Volume 1 contains 36 tracks of Jackson's moving versions of gospels, spirituals and hymns. This collection covers the artistry of her great performances from the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, to Hollywood and New York. Most of these songs are directly out of the black Baptist church, Negro spirituals that praised the Lord every Sunday morning and at nightly prayer meetings. It was Jackson's dynamic voice and spiritual faith that introduced these moving songs to the world. One doesn't have to be a devout Christian to listen but be assured, Jackson will take you to church and you will be inspirationally moved. Jackson combines her sacred passion with the improvisational energy of jazz and the deep roots of blues that instills truth and shakes the heavens.

Mahalia Jackson is pure inspiration.

-Ron Scott

Extended Article

Mahalia Jackson is the Queen of Gospel. This collection catches this amazing artist at the height of her career and showcases her dynamic voice in uplifting arrangements.

Her performances run the gamut from soulful, heart-felt emotion, to powerful, shake-the-rafters rejoicing.

As the person who basically defines gospel music, these 36 songs are guaranteed to inspire and thrill.

Included are the essential I Will Move On Up A Little Higher, Trouble Of The World (from the movie Imitation Of Life), and In The Upper Room, and two previously unreleased songs including the standard What A Friend We Have In Jesus.

Contents

Didn't It Rain; My God Is Real (Yes, God Is Real); Walk Over God's Heaven; If I Can Help Somebody; Come On Children, Let's Sing; What A Friend We Have In Jesus; I Found The Answer; It Is Well With My Soul; Great Gettin' Up Morning; You Must Be Born Again; Elijah Rock; Jesus Met The Woman At The Well; A Satisfied Mind; Keep Your Hand On The Plow; Roll, Jordan, Roll; Calvary; In My Home Over There; I Will Move On Up A Little Higher; In The Upper Room; The Christian's Testimony; If We Never Needed The Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now); A City Called Heaven; Trouble Of The World; Without God I Could Do Nothing; Take My Hand, Precious Lord; Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho; His Eye Is On The Sparrow; God Put A Rainbow In The Sky; He's Got The Whole World In His Hands; A Rusty Old Halo; Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen; Dear Lord, Forgive; I'm Going To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song; Search Me Lord; If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again; Walk On By Faith.

Mahalia Jackson, Vocals.