Higher Ground: Voices of Contemporary Gospel Music

A good effort to get the word out about the state of contemporary gospel music, Higher Ground features--unfortunately--no live performances by the young artists who have freshened the form with rap and hip-hop arrangements, but there are excerpts from a few music videos. Instead, the program offers a fine overview, told from the perspective of several generations of artists, of a historical symbiotic relationship in which gospel influences secular music, which in turn has an effect on gospel's creative edge. We hear from Albertina Walker, Vickie Winans, and many others about short-lived past musical ‘scandals' in the church, such as Thomas Dorsey's introduction of honky-tonk and blues to gospel, Mahalia Jackson's trailblazing jazz touches, and the Winans' incorporation of the old Motown sound. Of course, what was once shockingly new soon became the norm in gospel, and in that context, hip-hop will no doubt join the musical ranks as one more means of serving up praise and thanks. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, the disc also includes extended interviews and music-only tracks. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)