Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you think that all African American pre-war preachers sound more or less the same, this album will show you otherwise. The nine tracks here by the Rev W M Chambers recorded in Chicago in 1941 start with a rather subdued sermon which quickly builds to a fever pitch and then drops down again with Chambers sounding absolutely shattered. One particularly intriguing sermonette is "Let Jesus Convoy Your Soul" which has a World War 2 metaphor of the Devil torpedoing souls. Quite different is the Rev Frank Cotton whose four sides for Paramount Records were recorded back in 1928 and show an intense "straining preacher" style which is exciting particularly when one of the sisters in the congregation appears to reach an ecstatic peak by "falling out" during "Jesus Healed The Sick Woman". Equally interesting are the 10 tracks here recorded by Deacon Leon Davis. Davis was a longterm associate of the phenomenally popular Rev J M Gates. Davis proves to be a fine preacher in his own right and "Deacon's Prayer Service" and "Experience Meeting" come complete with testimonies of Christian conversion.

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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