Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Down the years JSP Records have gained an excellent reputation amongst collectors of blues, country, bluegrass and gospel for their expertly compiled box sets. This fascinating set explores the rich gospel scene that has long been a part of the heritage of Memphis, Tennessee. Starting in the late '20s with sublime blues gospel exponents like AC & Blind Mammie Forehand and journeying through to the '60s when groups like The Sunset Travelers were showing that the quartet tradition was the foundation stone for much soul music (in fact, The Travelers' OV Wright made the switch to soul music), the music here is never less than good and occasionally brilliant. With 105 tracks here transferred from hard-to-find rarities on labels like Peacock, Sun and Duke, this compilation brings to CD for the first time some real gems. Particularly great are Rev W Herbert Brewster, the Sons Of Jehovah, the Spirit Of Memphis Quartet and Queen C Anderson, the latter offering a pew-shattering call-and-response blockbuster. It's fascinating that explorations into the early roots of African American gospel like this one are today, in the main, bought not by Christians but by white blues and gospel collectors who love the passionate music these pioneers made but, presumably, ignore the Christ-centred lyrics. This can lead to some peculiar comments when albums like these are reviewed. For instance, a reviewer of 'Memphis Marvels' wrote about how, on The Gospel Travelers' "God's Chariot", "all hell is let loose in the sound effects department" while the onetime member of the Caravans, Cassietta George, is described as singing "like a woman possessed as she leads The Songbirds Of The South on their tremendous version of 'Ninety Nine And A Half Won't Do'." Hopefully in the years to come believers - black and white - will come to appreciate the work of compiler Opal Louis Nations in bringing the thrilling sounds of early gospel to the attention of today's listeners.

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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