Search - Mahalia Jackson :: Amazing Grace

Mahalia's start at Columbia

William V. Cleland | 01/05/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Mahalia had just left Apollo when she made these songs. Apollo music was called at that particular time "race records," everything from Mahalia's gospel to Calypso and the list goes on. Naturally Columbia did not know quite what to do with her then. I classify this album as an experimental musical event. It was music alien to Miss Jackson, but after all, she had signed a contract and had a producer over her. In her autobiography she would moan about being forced to sing drivel. She complained about missing her old southern, soulful sound. I've always admired Mahalia for trying new things. She despised the old hit "Rusty Old Halo," but white people loved it then. She, like Nat King Cole, was a cross-over singer at a time when whites dominated entertainment and television. Mahalia used to sing in the fifties and sixties on New York and Hollywood variety hour shows. She complained then about being stuck between clowns and elephant acts. "How am I going to bring out the Message," she would cry. Well, she did. She did for all time. She approached different genres, sometimes with trepidation and anxiety, but she plowed ahead. She was not always satisfied, but she touched the hearts of people without realizing perhaps that she had done so. What a feat! Mahalia has fantastic performances out there: Lincoln Center, Europe, Newport, Percy Faith and so on. Then there are really nice ones with a different twist. I put this one in that latter category. Her voice is marvellous. . . the three star rating I attribute more to the repertoire and vocal backings, dated and pure fifties. You either like it or you don't, but remember that Mahalia was doing her job. I think she did a good job here. The civil rights issues of those times are reflected in some songs here. She was working through history in the form of music, striving to unite people and foster understanding. People nowadays would do well to make that transfer into society today."

Amazing Grace Mahalia Jackson

Barbara Dunstan | Australia | 10/02/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is the third cd from the recent purchase, and again disappointing. I really think our problem is that we were expecting something of the richness of her recording of "The Power and the Glory", and these are all very different, so maybe we are being too harsh in our judgement of these 3, "Gospels, spiritals and songs" and "The Best of Mahalia Jackson", the last being the better of the three. I don't see these getting much playing and would be glad to sell them at a discount to anyone in Oz, if interested."

A WORTHY COMMPILATION

Steven | Germany | 01/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before the Legazy's new reproduction came out CBS Special Products, not Columbia Records brought out this superb disc of Mahalia's early 50ies recordings that were not even reissued on LP, long out of print tracks, yes even unpublished songs like the version of Amazing Grace or Somebody Bigger Than You And I, Impatient Heart and Lead On.

A real 'PRE-LEGACY' from CBS SPECIAL PRODUCTS!"