Reviewed by Jamie Hailstone

Mahalia Jackson (1911 to 1972) was one of the first gospel singers to achieve success in the mainstream and is widely regarded as the genre's finest. 'A Gospel Confession' contains more than an hour of archive black and white footage of Mahalia in action. Sadly, there is no information about when or where it was recorded, which is a bit frustrating. It appears to have been recorded in a television studio, although some of the tracks may have been recorded at different times. The picture and sound quality also vary in places. As a singer, Mahalia Jackson could not be faulted. Her versions of "God Will Take Care Of You", "Give Me That Old Time Religion" and "When The Saints Go Marching In" all shine, despite the grainy footage. As a historical document, this DVD is remarkable. It is a rare glimpse of one the finest singers that the world of gospel has ever known.

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