Reviewed by Tony Cummings

  For some strange reason the name Sydney Carter won’t bring blanket recognition from Cross Rhythms readership.  In fact he has made a giant contribution to 20th century Christian music with the words he put to an old Quaker hymn to create “Lord Of The Dance” being sung in seemingly every school assembly in Britain while his many other religious works make him the most sung living hymnwriter in schools.   Alongside that Sydney, now in his 80s, was one of the father figures of the popularisation of folk music in the ‘50s and ‘60s as well as being a renowned writer and newspaper columnist.  Now a wide sweep of artists both secular (the Swingle Singers, Sarah Jane Morris, etc) and Christian (Matt Redman, Martyn Joseph, etc) have gathered together to turn in sparkling renditions of a whole swathe of Carter compositions which together with poetry readings, some by Isla Blair and Jeremy Taylor and some by Sydney himself, make the most comprehensive presentation of the great man’s work ever compiled.  Considering Sydney’s somewhat eccentric liberal theological stance, it’s heartening to see the numerous evangelicals who’ve contributed their gifts to this project.  As well as Matt and Martyn turning in superb versions of “Creator Of The Living” and “Judas And Mary” respectively, you’ve got The Kingdom Choir doing a storming update of “Lord Of The Dance”, folk rockers Why? With “Come Holy Harlequin” and Carrie and David Grant singing “Green Like The Leaves”.  Only a wrong-headed decision by someone to remix “Lord Of The Dance” removing the rap originally put on there by N-Daze’s rhyme buster Paul Sevier stops this fine compilation from a 10 square rating.

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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