"This two disc release from specialist label Fantastic Voyage mostly features formative gospel music and sanctified blues from between 1949 to 1959 and the sheer diversity and quality contained within its 52 tracks makes it a musical treasure trove of the highest order. As its title boasts, a plethora of celebrities of their time - both gospel and secular - are featured here with legends such as the Staple Singers, the Golden Gate Quartet, Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama making appearances alongside the likes of Little Richard who appears here in accomplished blues singer mode. Elsewhere, a fascinating insight into the gospel roots of eventual mainstream big-timers such as Lou Rawls and Sam Cooke is given - the latter checks in with a delightful, previously unissued take of "Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles" - whilst pre-teen cuts from future stars Bobby Womack and Candi Staton in "The Bible Tells Me So" and "Too Late" add further historical value. As with many retrospective compilations, what makes this release stand out is the number of unexpected nuggets that grab the listener's attention. For example, the privilege of hearing previously unreleased live performances of "Jesus Brought Me" and "I Found Joy" by Dewey Young and the Swan Silvertones for the first time cannot be underestimated whilst the simply exquisite doo wop exposé "Ladder Of Prayer" at the hands of the vastly underrated Joe Hinton is the icing on the cake of this superlative and essential release. (Lins Honeyman; Cross Rhythms)
disc 1:
1. Mother Take Your Rest - The Soul Seekers 2. Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles - Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers 3. Dedication To Mother - Rev. Morgan Babb & The Philco Singers 4. Low Is The Way [Original Version] - The Staple Singers 5. Walk Around Me (My) Lord - The Sensational Wonders (A.K.A. The Mighty Clouds Of Joy) 6. When He Spoke [Live] - Mahalia Jackson 7. On Revival Day - Marie Knight & The Sensational Nightingales 8. I've Got A New Home - Nightingale & The Dixie Nightingales 9. I'm Tired - Ethel Davenport With Brownie Mcghee 10. Coming Up Thru The Years - The Five Blind Boys Of Alabama 11. When He Calls Me - Marion Williams 12. Robe Of Calvary - The Orioles 13. Amazing Grace [Instrumental] - Jesse Fuller 14. Ladder Of Prayer - Joe Hinton 15. Too Late - Candi Staton & The Jewel Gospel Trio 16. I'll Live Again - The Dixie Hummingbirds 17. This Same Jesus - The Staple Singers 18. God Has Promised [Fragments, Live] - George Mccurn & The Pilgrim Travelers 19. I Want To Go To Heaven And Rest - Nappy Brown With The Selah Singers 20. I Can Hear The Angels - Sister Rosetta Tharpe & The Harmonizing Four 21. I May Never Pass This Way Again - The Zion Travelers 22. I'm A Pilgrim - The Golden Gate Quartet 23. Big Wheel - The Gospel Clefs 24. Just A Little Talk With Jesus - The Jordanaires 25. Search Me Lord - Betty Hutton Presents Odessa Mccastle & Catherine Burkes With The Antioch Evangelist Temple 26. Steal Away To Jesus - The Gospel Clefs
disc 2:
1. On The Rock - The Soul Seekers 2. Cold Cold Ground - Rev. Morgan Babb & The Philco Singers 3. Living For My Jesus - Ollie Nightingale & The Dixie Nightingales 4. Since He Lightened My Heavy Load - The Staple Singers 5. Beautiful City - The Zion Travelers 6. Each Day [Live] - Mahalia Jackson 7. Book Of Revelations - The Gospel Clefs 8. In The Upper Room - Lavern Baker & The Alex Bradford Singers 9. I'm Serving The Lord - The Soul Seekers 10. This Old World (That Great Judgment Day) - Goldia Haynes With Joe Liggins 11. Have Thine Own Way - The Golden Gate Quartet 12. Satisfied With Jesus - Marie Knight & The Sensational Nightingales 13. Hark From The Tomb - Jesse Fuller 14. Last Mile Of The Way [Take 2] - Sam Cooke, Paul Foster & The Soul Stirrers 15. Be Ready When He Comes - Ann Cole & The Colemanaires 16. Somebody Touched Me - Judy Guions & The Drinkard Singers 17. Say A Prayer For The Boys In Korea - Little Joe Cook & The Evening Star Quartet 18. Ocean Of Prayer - The Sims Brothers (A.K.A. The Sims Twins) 19. Believe In Me - The Zion Travelers 20. Today (Evening Song) - The Dixie Hummingbirds & The Angelic Gospel Singers 21. Talking About My Mother [Alt. Take] - Little Richard 22. Strange Things Happening Every Day - Bill Doggett Quintet With Sister Dorothy Willett 23. The Bible Tells Me So - 10-Year-Old Bobby Womack & The Womack Brothers 24. Won't Be Back - Lou Rawls & The Chosen Gospel Singers 25. This May Be The Last Time [Original] - The Staple Singers 26. Jesus Brought Me / I Found Joy [Fragments, Live] - Dewey Young & The Swan Silvertones
