Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you've never heard the eerily haunting sound of Sacred Harp or shaped-note singing and you're interested in folk music of rural America and particularly white spirituals you're in for a treat with this fascinating release. In 1885 a young Georgian farmer John G McCurry had published his collection of hymns and songs The Social Harp - with a system of simplified musical notation known as shape notes which was used to teach thousands of rural congregations to sight-read choral music. Now some of the songs from McCurry's collection are sung with authenticity by Southern traditional singers recorded at the Vineville Baptist Church in Macon. The album is divided into two parts, Singing-School Pieces and Camp meeting And Revival Spirituals. For me an illuminating listening experience.

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