Search - Various Artists :: The Great Gospel Women, Vol. 2

Essential listening for 'Roots Music' fans & spiritual...

Dayle | Boston, MA | 02/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... pilgrims alike. As was true of TGGW Vol I (see my customer review for that CD), Vol II provides the listener with an excellent array of the most influential recordings in the history of the Gospel genre, with key parts of the canon represented & liner notes that read like a crash course in Gospel music history. But Vol II is also an even more musically expert & spiritually stirring outing than Vol I (although such a thing hardly seems possible given the quality of the first CD!). Vol II's performances are, quite simply, incredible, with Mahalia Jackson's "Salvation is Free" & Gladys Beamon Gregory's "Ain't that Good News," to name just two tracks, grabbing your soul so hard that they bring gooseflesh to your arms and tears to your eyes. These songs aren't flashy, & they don't need to be: they grip you because the performances are so expert -- & so heartfelt. I bought the CD a few years back, after a good friend introduced me to Vol I, & it has been a mainstay in my life ever since -- one that I've shared with my musician/singer pals *&* with friends whom I thought might benefit from the CD's messages of struggle, redemption, & hope. Whether you're a longtime Gospel fan or just someone who wants an introduction to the history of the genre that gave birth to Blues, Folk, Rock-n-Roll, and R&B, you owe it to yourself to buy this CD."