"At age 51 I feel qualified to critique Mahalia Jackson. If you really know her you have to admire her. Power and the Glory is just what it says: simply put "she's the mother of them all." Her voice in this is incredibly beautiful. Unparalled! It's not gospel as a specific genre--but it is sacred music at its best. Percy Faith drove her to her highest heights. She outperformed herself. She won awards for it and rightly so. Who else sounds like an archangel? This album proves this: if you have faith in God and in yourself, the sky is the limit. Listen and see! Her "Rock Of Ages" is the most sublime ever."
Powerfull and Glorious
Mike | Newcastle, Australia | 08/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Power & The Glory is not Gospel; it is a collection of beautiful old hymns that Mahalia makes her own and sings them with such incredible power and majesty all who listen will be taken to another place, a beautiful place. This album must rate as a musical masterpiece."
Onward, Christian Soldiers
Dwayne | Maryland | 07/08/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first 2 songs were excellent choices for starters. When Mahalia sings "Onward Christian Soldiers," it actually feels as if she is ordering you to join her 'Christian soldiers."If I begin to talk about "The Holy City," I will run out of room and I will not be able to finish. This is one of the most beautiful songs that I've ever heard. I don't cry too often when it comes to songs, but it actually brought a couple (only a couple, I promise...hahaha!) of tears to my eyes.A Great Buy"
Powerful memories
M. Struebing | Atl, GA | 10/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was our Sunday Morning breakfast after church music when I was growning up. She's back in all her glory"
Not for all Mahalia fans
K. Parent | Daejeon | 06/28/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Oh boy. It's up to me to be the first/only voice of dissent, and I'll probably garner a bunch of negative votes. I had heard a lot of Mahalia before I got this album. I'd heard all the Apollo sides and I'd heard a lot of the Columbias, and I liked them all, even the ones with strings that many fans speak disparagingly about. I knew this album had an orchestra and expected it would be more Mahalia with strings.
Mahalia refused top dollar offers to sing at Vegas or to sing more secular music. She always refused, staying true to her roots. The liner notes for this CD (and the original LP) state--proudly believe it or not--that she made several attempts to get out of making this album, claiming she was no opera star. But in the end, Columbia won.
Mahalia is far removed from her natural environment here. This is NOT gospel music. It's religious music in dated arrangements. There is no organ, piano and church choir; this is a full orchestra with brass and tympani and full chorus. Mahalia sounds very stilted by the arrangements. She does not improvise nor clap her hands nor sound like she's having a good time.
Some people disagree, like everyone who posted a review prior to mine. Give the samples a listen before you buy. To my ears, this is Mahalia for people who don't like black gospel music. And if that's what you want, by all means get this one.