Aretha Franklin - One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Here's a nice treat for a blessed Sunday at Chitlins.  I found this double LP in near mint condition at a local thrift - for a buck!!  I knew right away that it would be destined for this place.

Overall it's an excellent album but let's establish something... this record is a straight up church service.  Anybody lookin for an Aretha studio album should probably move on.  Her voice is certainly a large presence on here, but it's one of a few including Mavis Staples, her sister Erma & the good Rev. Jesse Jackson.  There is a longer list of characters infact, should you choose to listen.

It plays like a service would - preaching with song in between.  Jesse Jackson is given a full 10 minutes on side three, opening and getting things moving.  There are no boring or slow moments and the music is all fantastic.  I want to point out that the song "Higher Ground" begins at the end of side 3, and finishes at the end of side 4.  I blended them together as best I could and tagged them as one track.  You will hear a brief fade out and in during the song.  Aside from that, this transfer turned out really nicely at 24/48 FLAC... enjoy!!!

Fifteen years after Amazing Grace, her groundbreaking gospel record, Aretha Franklin returned to the church yet again, and though the results couldn't top the wall-to-wall power and spirit found on her first, the double-album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, it's still a worthy document of what the church meant to her. The roster of invited guests was enough to get gospel fans excited, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Jasper Williams, and Rev. C.L. Franklin (her brother, who delivered the invocation), plus Mavis Staples, Joe Ligon (from the Mighty Clouds of Joy), and her sisters, Carol and Erma. Slotted next to sanctified standards like "Surely God Is Able" and "The Lord's Prayer," were several great selections from the pop repertoire, including a scorching version of "Higher Ground."Staples stops by for an ebullient run through the latter-day standard "Oh Happy Day," and the performance closes with a touching finale, "Packing Up, Getting Ready to Go," featuring Staples and Ligon, plus Carol and Erma Franklin. - John Bush / AMG

Arista ‎– AL-8497

Recorded at the New Bethel Baptist Church, 8430C 1 Franklin Blvd., Detroit, Michigan
July 27, 28, 30, 1987

A1 Walk In The Light 4:00
A2 Prayer Invocation By Rev. Cecil Franklin 5:44
A3 Introduction Of Aretha And The Franklin Sisters By Rev. Jesse Jackson 0:37
A4 Jesus Hears Every Prayer 5:16
A5 Surely God Is Able 6:01
B1 The Lord's Prayer 5:05
B2 Introduction Of Aretha And Mavis Staples By Rev. Jesse Jackson 3:22

B3 Oh Happy Day 6:09
B4 We Need Power 6:30
C1 Speech By Rev. Jesse Jackson 9:57
C2 Ave Maria 6:48
C3 Introduction To Higher Ground By Rev. Jaspar Williams 4:10
C4 Higher Ground 1:07
D1 Higher Ground (Continued) 2:04
D2 Prayer Invocation By Rev. Donald Parsons 7:29
D3 I've Been In The Storm Too Long 7:55
D4 Packing Up, Getting Ready To Go 5:34

Arranged By [Music And Choir] – Minister Thomas A. Whitfield
Bass – Lanar Brantley (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B1, B3, B4, C4, D3, D4)
Conductor [Choir] – Michael E. Fletcher
Guitar – Michael Wright (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B1, B3, B4, C4, D3, D4)
Organ – Earl J. Wright, Jr. (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B1, B3, B4, D3, D4)
Percussion – Dana Davis (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B1, B3, B4, C4, D3, D4)
Piano – Nick Johnson (tracks: A4, A5, B3, B4, C4,, D4, D5), Thomas A. Whitfield (tracks: A1, C2, C3)
Producer, Vocals – Aretha Franklin