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The Lord moves
in mysterious
ways.
When Canadian
blues icon Jim
Byrnes called
Vancouver based
gospel singer
Marcus Mosely on
the phone a few
years ago to ask
if he could
round up a
few friends to
record some back
up vocals for a
new album, no
one could have
guessed what
would happen
next.
From the moment
Mosely and his
pals, Will
Sanders and Ron
Small stepped up
to the
microphone and
began singing,
they realized
that they had
something very
special going
on. When Byrnes
dubbed the trio
The Sojourners
the name stuck
and – as they
say – the rest
is history.
Formative years
spent singing in
the churches of
Mosely, Small
and Sander’s
hometowns –
Ralls, Texas,
Chicago,
Illinois and
Alexandria,
Louisiana
respectively –
give The
Sojourners’
sound an
authentic edge
that only comes
with experience.
This is real
gospel - blessed
with a soul that
can’t be faked.
While it
wouldn’t exactly
be right to call
the Sojourners a
new act – given
that each member
of the group has
been in the
music business
for around fifty
years - the
sound, energy
and commitment
they conjure any
time they get
together would
be the envy of
singers half
their ages.
Hot on the tail
of their session
with Byrnes, the
Sojourners went
into the studio
with roots music
whiz Steve
Dawson to record
Hold On, their
first solo
album in 2007.
Two years and
many sessions
later, Mosely,
Small and
Sanders have
taken all
they’ve learned
in between and
returned to
record a second
CD simply
entitled The
Sojourners.
No longer the
new kids on the
block, the trio
had definite
ideas of how
they wanted
their follow up
record to sound,
and one listen
through the
songs
they’ve captured
here shows that
they’ve
succeeded beyond
their wildest
expectations.
Working again
with Dawson as
producer, The
Sojourners have
recreated a
classic gospel
sound this time
around - replete
with the warm
tones of Mike
Kalanj’s Hammond
B 3 organ and
Dawson’s dirty
blues guitar.
With Geo Hicks
and Keith Lowe
returning on
drums and bass,
and a soaring
cameo from Jesse
Zubot on ‘By and
By’, The
Sojourners have
found a band
that keeps pace
with the power
of their vocals.
This is not
music that
strives to be
polite. In the
Sojourners’
universe, echoes
of doo wop, R&B,
country and
blues weave
together to
create a unique
sound that has
all but vanished
from today’s
world.
This is gospel
music that can
take a punch and
remain standing.
Singing praise
music with their
own special
‘stank’, the
Vancouver based
Sojourners
sound just as at
home in a road
house bar as
they do in a
revival tent.
Never has
traveling the
hard road
between sin,
loss and
redemption
sounded as
glorious as it
does on these
eleven timeless
recordings.
Listening to
these seasoned
vocalists
breathe new life
into classic
tunes like Doris
Akers’ ‘Lead Me
Guide Me’ and
The Violinaire’s
‘Another Soldier
Gone’ is as
transcendent an
introduction to
gospel as anyone
could ever hope
for.
Other highlights
include a
chilling reading
of Gary Davis’
‘Death Don’t
Have No Mercy’ –
a song long
associated with
the Grateful
Dead. In this
version,
the Sojourners
are at full
strength as
Ron’s haunting
leads set a dark
tone that is o
set by sweet
harmonies from
Will and Marcus.
To hear all
three singers’
distinct vocals
meet at the
crossroads in
this song is to
experience the
signature
Sojourners sound
as different
gospel
traditions
come together
and blend
melodiously as one.
An uplifting
cover of Los
Lobos’ ‘Peace in
the
Neighborhood’
serves to remind
listeners of the
connection
between civil
rights, social
justice and
gospel
that Mosely,
Small and
Sanders have
explored
throughout their
careers.
The Sojourners
are a rock solid
unit and proof
positive that
faith can move
mountains. But,
don’t let that
scare you away.
Sinner or saved
- wherever you
are on your own
personal
journey, you
should listen to
The Sojourners.
You’ll feel
better for it. |
