Musicians talk about their faith while religious figures discuss the importance of music in director Don McGlynn's celebration of the gospel tradition. Some speakers hail from the secular world, like Motown legend Smokey Robinson, while others established their careers in conjunction with the church, such as Thomas A. Dorsey and Mavis Staples. McGlynn also differentiates between traits and practices associated with various denominations, like Baptists and Pentecostalists. Scholars, disc jockeys, and authors, such as Bill Carpenter (Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia) and Anthony Heilbut (The Gospel Sound), provide historical context for the extensive archival and contemporary performance footage. To Staples, gospel lifts people up when they're down, while others cite the thin line that divides performers and audiences—everyone feels like they're on an equal footing. Just as Chuck D of Public Enemy once quipped that rap is “the CNN for black America,” Carpenter describes Depression-era gospel in similar terms, noting that the songs provided a means to talk about poverty and racial inequality, among other issues. Many artists are featured here, but the spotlight shines brightest on the Dixie Hummingbirds, who thrilled audiences at the Newport Folk Festival; Sister Rosetta Tharpe, whose singles sold in the millions; Mahalia Jackson, who headlined Carnegie Hall; and the Blind Boys of Alabama, who won a Grammy Award for The Gospel at Colonus. Others include the Swan Silvertones, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and singer/pastor Andraé Crouch, who delivers the best line: “If we really heard the voice of God, we would be reduced to juice.” Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
Rejoice & Shout
(2011) 115 min. DVD: $26.98. Magnolia Home Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. Volume 27, Issue 1
Rejoice & Shout
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