VA - Beginner's Guide To Gospel (2004) FLAC

Nascente's Beginner's Guide series has offered excellent primers on a wealth of neglected genres – salsa, tango, Indian filmi music, Arabian music, and many more – so it shouldn't come as a surprise that their three-disc volume of gospel music is a success as well. What may be surprising, though, is that its primary achievement isn't to resurrect a brace of hoary old chestnuts (many of which have already been reissued) but to shine a light on gospel's relatively recent past, which has suffered more than the classic gospel of the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Although gospel fans would argue (correctly) that these inclusions skip far too many gospel touchstones to constitute the proper guide for the uninitiated, the compilation is perfect for those who know their Golden Gates and Soul Stirrers back and forth, but have difficulty finding much to love in contemporary gospel. The first disc ("Gospel Roots") covers performers from the classic-gospel era (Mahalia Jackson, Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Dixie Hummingbirds), leaving one disc to investigate the merger of gospel and soul, and one to present the best in contemporary gospel. The set really shines on the third disc, which heavily takes into account the interests of secular listeners; Bebe Winans slides smoothly along on a beauteous cover of Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America," and Terri Carroll displays how well a talented gospel singer can do with TLC-styled urban/R&B. The brashest collision of spiritual and secular, though, occurs on a performance by the New Jersey Mass Choir, which elevates "I Want to Know What Love Is" (originally by Foreigner) to a higher plane.

Tracklist
1-1 Edwin Hawkins Singer - Oh Happy Day
1-2 Mahalia Jackson - I'm On My Way To Canan
1-3 Alabama Blind Boys - Amazing Grace
1-4 Rosetta Tharpe - Precious Memories
1-5 Rev C.L. Franklin - I've Decided To Make Jesus My Choice
1-6 Gospel Harmonettes - Let's Come In Thy House
1-7 The Consolers - Jorden River
1-8 Ward Singers - Surely God Is Able
1-9 Original Five Blind Boys Of Alabama - Mother's On The Train
1-10 The Dixie Hummingbirds - I Looked Down The Line
1-11 The Charioteers - Wade In The Water
1-12 The Caravans - Mary Don't You Weep
1-13 The Golden Gate Quartet - Rock My Soul
1-14 Rev Julius Cheeks & Modulations - Nobody's Fault But Mine

2-1 Al Green - Higher Plane
2-2 Dorothy Love Coats - I'll Make It
2-3 Otis Clay - When The Gate Swings Open
2-4 Original Soul Stirrers - I Love The Lord
2-5 Cleophus Robinson Jr. - Praise The Lord
2-6 Shirley Caesar - I Feel Good
2-7 The Violinaires - Nobody But You Lord
2-8 The Gerald Sisters - Lead Me
2-9 Bobby Jones - Call Jesus
2-10 Inez Andrews - Courage Lord
2-11 Vanessa Bell Armstrong - What's He Done For Me
2-12 Sensational Harmonizers - He Never Lost A Battle

3-1 Terri Carrol - U Don't Hear Me
3-2 Bebe Winans - Jesus Children Of American
3-3 Rizen - Lift Up Jesus
3-4 Sounds Of Blackness - Optimistic
3-5 Karen Clark-Sheard Feat. Faith Evens - Nothing Without You
3-6 Andraé Crouch & The Disciples - You Gave To Me
3-7 Ricky Dillard & The New Generation Chorale - You Oughta Been
3-8 New Jersey Mass Choir - I Want To Know What Love Is
3-9 The Winans - If I Labour
3-10 Mighty Clouds Of Joy Feat. Dottie People - He Will Do It