Various Artists – Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration

Description

Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration is a multi-artist album released on Warner Alliance in 1992, a division of Warner Bros. Records, a Time Warner Company. Also released on Reprise Records, a Time Warner Company.

It works! It actually really works. ‘A Soulful Celebration’ describes this album very succinctly. Warner have called in a cluster of superstars for this. Amongst those stretching the tonsils are Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Take 6 and Gladys Knight. Vocal groups include Sounds Of Blackness, Commissioned, The Yellow Jackets and The Boys’ Choir Of Harlem. More conventional gospel artists include Tramaine Hawkins, The Clark Sisters, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Daryl Coley. Which is all a long-winded way of saying that the cast could hardly be classier, and that the vocal performances are totally as breathtaking as you would anticipate. The programme’s overture «A Partial History Of Black Music» skilfully covers African through to hip-hop though I’m not sure what happened to the blues section. Handel’s masterpiece takes to black gospel ways with a broad grin, loving every minute, so to speak. I bet the old boy’s getting down to this up there. [Tony May, Cross Rhythms, April 1993]

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CD tracklist:

01. Overture: A Partial History Of Black Music
02. Comfort Ye My People
03. Every Valley Shall Be Exalted
04. And The Glory Of The Lord
05. But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
06. And He Shall Purify
07. Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
08. O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion
09. For Unto Us A Child Is Born
10. Glory To God
11. Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
12. Behold The Lamb Of God
13. Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
14. Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage?
15. I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
16. Hallelujah!

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Warner Alliance. Also released as a 12-inch double album.

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