Reviewed by Iain Nash

Producer Mark Carpentieri made the perfect choice, inviting Marie Knight to record an album of songs by blues and gospel man Reverend Gary Davis. While Knight was singing in nightclubs with the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe during the '50s, Davis was playing blues and gospel on the streets of Harlem. On this album, Carpentieri found the only player worthy of accompanying Knight on such a project, Larry Campbell, the muso who played with artists such as Bob Dylan. Campbell gives a stunning display of blues guitar picking during the introduction of "A Little More Faith" where you can also hear a tinge of mandolin. The 12 songs chosen on this album really do give the 78-year-old Knight the chance to stretch out her soulful voice, especially on the hand-clapping "Let Us Get Together" and the toe-tapping "I Am The Light Of This World". Probably the most instantly recognisable song featured is Brumley's old country gospel song "I'll Fly Away". It's also pleasing to hear some awesome reed-bending harmonica, which adds another dimension to the slower songs such as "12 Gates" and "Death Don't Have No Mercy". This album really is a grand celebration of timeless blues gospel.

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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