Reviewed by Tony May

It works! It actually really works. 'A Soulful Celebration' describes this album very succinctly. Warner have called in a cluster of superstars for this. Amongst those stretching the tonsils are Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Take 6 and Gladys Knight. Vocal groups include Sounds Of Blackness, Commissioned, The Yellow Jackets and The Boys' Choir Of Harlem. More conventional gospel artists include Tramaine Hawkins, The Clark Sisters, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Daryl Coley. Which is all a long-winded way of saying that the cast could hardly be classier, and that the vocal performances are totally as breathtaking as you would anticipate. The programme's overture "A Partial History Of Black Music" skilfully covers African through to hip-hop though I'm not sure what happened to the blues section. Handel's masterpiece takes to black gospel ways with a broad grin, loving every minute, so to speak. I bet the old boy's getting down to this up there.

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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