Pace Jubilee Singers, C&MA Colored Gospel Quintet - Pace Jubilee Singers Vol 2 1928-1929 & The Remaing Titles Of C&MA Colored Gospel Quintet
STYLE: Gospel RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21353-12095 LABEL: Document DOCD-5618 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £9.99
Reviewed by Tony Cummings
The Pace Jubilee Singers may be rather forgotten today but in their day they were stars and with their strident lead singer Hattie Parker helped keep alive the popularity of the old songs like "Everytime I Feel The Spirit", "Ezekiel Saw De Wheel" and "What A Friend", the latter a huge hit for the Singers in 1928 and the first song featured here. In fact, Hattie's rendition of "What A Friend" is still the template for many gospel soloists today. The fascinating sleevenote on this roundup of 19 tracks by the group tells us that the group's "Old-Time Religion" was sufficiently popular to be issued in Germany, Britain and Australia. The Singers were also responsible for popularising the compositions of Charles A Tindley written two decades earlier and their renditions of "Nothing Between", "Leave It There" and particularly "Stand By Me" helped establish them as gospel standards. As well as Hattie and co this compilation also features four tracks from the C&MA (Christian And Missionary Alliance) Colored Gospel Quintet. Originally released (possibly in 1922) on the obscure Chicago Gospel Tabernacle label, their stilted, white-sounding mannerisms mean that they are of more historic than musical interest. But the Pace Jubilee Singers and the mighty Hattie alone make this compilation worth investigating.
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