Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The Southern Sons were, in anybody's book, one of the best pre-war jubilee quartets and were up there with the Golden Gate Quartet (in fact, Bill Langford left the Gates to join the Sons). The 20 tracks here by the Sons feature the lilting high lead of James "Kissler" Baxter. The other member of the group up there with the gospel greats was Cliff Givens, whose rich basso profundo tones made him one of the great voices of gospel and a voice which was later heard on tracks by pop rock men James Taylor and Ry Cooder. The "pumping" syncopation given by Givens on some of these tracks shows that the Sons were clearly pioneers of the secular doowop sound that was to follow. As long as many great gospel oldies the group recorded patriotic numbers like "Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition" and pop ditties like "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (issued under the pseudonym Knights Of Rhythm). As well as the complete recordings of the Southern Sons, this CD offers collectors the first recording session (done in New York City in 1943) by the great Harmonizing Four. The six tracks here include Thomas Dorsey's "When I've Done The Best I Can" and again shows the gospel origins of the doowop sound to come. All in all, there are plenty of vocal group classics scattered through this CD which is surely a must for connoisseurs of the early gospel sound.

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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