Reviewed by Tony Cummings

The Tuskegee Institute in Alabama had in its principal and sole teacher of its first 30 students, Booker T Washington, one of the giants of African American history. The Hampton-trained Washington was an educational and political giant who strived tirelessly to see black Americans given the same opportunities that were open to white Americans. Ultimately Tuskegee grew into a juggernaut of a powerbase and Washington became a much listened to spokesperson for black Americans. The Tuskegee Institute Singers/Quartet were the fund raisers for their college and although the "Bible of blues fans," the discographic tome Blues & Gospel Records 1902-1943 listed Tuskegee's output as "of little race interest" in fact their renditions of spirituals are seldom as stilted, and European-orientated as other ensembles of their ilk. The slow and mournful "Go Down Moses" recorded in 1914 obviously suffers from an extremely primitive recording but is actually quite emotional; the jubilee "Good News" features antiphonal slow and quick paced passages; and "Steal Away" has some excellent harmonies, if a bit on the barbershop side. All in all the Institute's 20 recordings here are fascinating stuff. The four bonus tracks by the quaintly named Aunt Mandy's Chillun are fun too with an expressive bass-voiced preacher giving us "the nekkid gospel" complete with a joke about how the prodigal son lived in a room so small that you had to lean out the window to change your mind.

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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