Recorded less than three years after their first rehearsal, this disc spotlights the building blocks of the group’s later sound: sustained vocal harmony chords sung at full throttle. It begins with the group’s namesake song and includes Reagon’s tribute to Joanne Little, a couple of bluesy love songs, an adapted Langston Hughes poem, several hymns, and even a little piano. –Geoffrey Himes
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Sweet Honey in the Rock is an inspiration to me as a musician and a black person in America. They are outstanding musicians, with a tremendous artistic range. They also see themselves as educators and witnesses to the Black American experience, with Berniece Johsnon Reagon growing the group out of her experiences with the freedom songs of the Civil Rights movement. All interested in the experience of black americans and black music in America should check out their music.
This set of tunes hangs together well as an album. Particular favorites are “Dream Variations”, an inspired interpretation of the Langston Hughes poem, “Hey Mann” a song about a woman who opens her heart to love, and “Jesus is My Only Friend” a passionate spiritual. A couple of tunes use piano, which is relatively rare for Sweet Honey’s stuff. Several use the African percussion they incorporate into their work in concert. This is a lovely album and I dig all the tunes here. I hope and pray that more artists and listeners of gospel music will listen to this group and see how a faith in one’s God and one’s people can work together for brilliant music and an inspired message.
All interested in Sweet Honey should also check out the excellent Rounder compilation “Selections” as well.
–SD