Gospel of the Blues, The

Personnel includes: Sister Rosetta Tharpe (vocals, guitar); Marie Knight (vocals); Stafford Simon (tenor saxophone); Archie Johnson, Nelson Bryant (trumpet); Clyde Hart (piano); Abe Bolar (bass); Panama Francis (drums); The Sammy Price Trio. Recorded between 1938 & 1947. Includes liner notes by Mary Katherine Aldin. Personnel: Sister Rosetta Tharpe (vocals, guitar); Trevor Bacon (guitar); Buster Bailey (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Billy Bowen, Ted Barrett, George James (alto saxophone); Stafford Simon (tenor saxophone); Ernest Purce (baritone saxophone); Freddy Webster, Archie Johnson, Nelson Bryant, William Scott (trumpet); George Stevenson, Joe Britton, Don Cole, Edward Morant, Eli Robinson, Floyd Brady (trombone); Clyde Hart, Sammy Price, Bill Doggett (piano); Herbert Cowans, Harold "Doc" West, Ed Bourne, Kenny Clarke, Panama Francis, Walter Bishop, Jr. (drums). Liner Note Author: Mary Katherine Aldin. Recording information: New York, NY (10/31/1938-12/02/1948). Arranger: Sister Rosetta Tharpe. With 18 Decca tracks from 1938-1948, this CD is not only a good survey of some of Tharpe's best work, but one of the best compilations of any sort to illustrate gospel's crossover into blues, R&B, and secular music in general. Admittedly that's not the busiest cross-fertilization of popular music, but it's not one that's given much attention. And if you think you might not like this because Tharpe is sometimes described as a gospel artist, think again, for this is fine stuff on any terms, mixing the devotional exuberance of gospel with first-rate accompaniment blending blues, early R&B, and at times some swing jazz. In truth, sometimes you won't think of this as gospel at all, such is it's rhythmic verve, even on the half-dozen numbers with nothing but guitar in the backup. Some other tracks find her backed by the groups of Lucky Millinder and Sammy Price, and the jubilant "Shout, Sister, Shout!" comes off as a missing link between gospel, jazz, blues, and the birth of rock & roll. "Trouble in Mind," "This Train," "Down by the Riverside," and "Up Above My Head I Hear Music in the Air" are other highlights of a set with no shortage of them. - Richie Unterberger.