The Sojourners

by Sojourners

Overview

Each of these three singers -- Marcus Mosely, Will Sanders, and Ron Small -- has been performing on the gospel music circuit for roughly 50 years. But as the Sojourners, they're a relatively new act and this is only their second album. Here they go back deep into the roots of modern gospel music, which is to say they go in a variety of directions: strong hints of country music on "It's Hard to Stumble (When You're on Your Knees)," a soulful take on the Los Lobos song "Peace in the Neighborhood," and a brilliantly bluesy rendition of the Reverend Gary Davis classic "Death Don't Have No Mercy." There are some weak moments, most of them related to pitch: Ron Small's opening solo is a bit flat, as is some of the singing on the trio's otherwise lovely version of the traditional "Brother Moses Smote the Water" and, especially, the opening section of "Lead Me Guide Me." But in most cases the group pushes through those ragged moments and immediately lifts the songs heavenward -- most notably and impressively on the stunningly powerful rendition of "Death Don't Have No Mercy," which also features a brilliant slide guitar solo by Steve Dawson. If the pitch problems had been caught and fixed in the studio, this would be a world-class gospel album; as it is, it's merely very, very good. ~ Rick Anderson

Product Details

Release Date:	01/19/2010
Label:	Black Hen Music
UPC:	0775020989429
Rank:	160709

Tracks

1. Nobody Can Turn Me Around
2. Brother Moses Smote the Water
3. Great Day
4. Another Soldier Gone
5. Strange Man
6. Lead Me Guide Me
7. The Neighborhood
8. When I Die
9. It's Hard to Stumble (When You're on Your Knees)
10. Death Don't Have No Mercy
11. By and By

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sojourners   Primary Artist
Keith Lowe   Bass
Steve Dawson   Percussion,Tack Piano,Pedal Steel,Weissenborn,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (12 String),Hawaiian Lap Steel Guitar,Banjo,Guitar
Ron Small   Vocals
Will Sanders   Vocals
Jesse Zubot   Mandolin
Geoff Hicks   Drums,Percussion
Marcus Mosely   Vocals
Mike Kalanj   Wurlitzer

Technical Credits

Sheldon Zaharko   Engineer
Traditional   Composer
J. Kennedy   Composer
Steve Dawson   Engineer,Producer,Mixing
Graemme Brown   Mastering
Doris Akers   Composer
Lou Perez   Composer
Dawson   Arranger
Ron Small   Arranger,Group Member
Pharoah Sanders   Arranger
D.L. Coates   Composer
Rev. Gary Davis   Composer
Will Sanders   Group Member
Franklin Williams   Composer
David Hidalgo   Composer
W. Smith   Composer
John Rummen   Design
Marcus Mosely   Arranger,Group Member
Ermant Franklin   Composer