Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The sleevenote to this re-issue claims, "The recordings of this quartet stand the test of time extremely well." Not every gospel enthusiast will agree for although the harmonies are polished and the songs, taken exclusively from the huge groundswell of black spirituals, the sound quality is pretty poor (not surprising considering that the 24 tracks here were recorded between 1915 and 1920) while the vocal arrangements often sound stilted and targeted as much at a white listenership as anything else. Of course we mustn't forget the huge historical significance of the Fisks and not only did they save their fledgling Fisk University from bankruptcy, they also were amongst the first American African acts to tour overseas. But the fact remains you will probably find better recordings of "Steal Away To Jesus", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Oh Mary Don't You Weep Don't You Mourn", "Ezekiel Saw De Wheel" and many others without too much trouble.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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