Shall We Gather at the River is another excellent folk music anthology from the Florida Folklife Collection of The Florida State Archives. The emphasis is on African-American sacred music, mainly recorded from The Florida Folk Festival between 1955 to 2005. There are a few well known artists like The Dixie Hummingbirds but most are unknown regional artists. Like the other collections from The Florida Folklife Collection, which were reviewed here and here, the recordings are excellent examples of original American traditional music as they were meant to be played and heard.

This is gospel at its finest and rawest. No fancy productions. usually live and field recordings, mostly accappella, but lots of soul and heart-felt conviction. It’s hard to pick favorites. Certainly The Dixie Hummingbirds are as good as they always are but The Washington Singers and The Versiteers are just as awe inspiring . “Jesus be a Fence Around Me” by The Antioch Junior Choir should be heard for the incredible vocal turn by the lead singer. Deacon Dan Smith gives a toe-tapping number that would have typically been heard on the street corners or the Sunday church picnic. The Religioneers have a gospel doo-wop sound that is delightful on “Come and Go to That Land”. The traditional gospel church sounds can be heard on a clip from a Testerima Primitive Baptist church service and there is a wonderful “Daniel’s in the Lion’s Den” by Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers. The album ends with possibly its most beautiful song, a exquisite accappela “There’s a Bright Side Somewhere” by Reatha Pearl Marshall. This is an excellent anthology guaranteed to lift your spirits regardless of your race, creed, or religion.

The album is available as separate tracks in 96 kbps MP3. Don’t fret the bitrate since the recordings are monaural and of very good quality. But, if you wish, you can request a complimentory CD from the Florida State Archives.

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