Go Tell It On The Mountain is the first holiday theme album in the group's 60-year history, as well as their third release for Real World Records. This 12-song collection is a work of both comforting familiarity and startling innovation, with genre-crossing guest vocal appearances by Solomon Burke, George Clinton, Michael Franti, Chrissie Hynde, Shelby Lynne, Les McCann, Me'Shell NdegéOcello, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, and Tom Waits. There are special instrumental guest performances by Richard Thompson (electric guitar) and Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar) in addition to a superb studio band, led by organist John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame) with jump-blues guitar ace Duke Robillard and the peerless rhythm section of Danny Thompson (double bass) and Michael Jerome (drums).
Go Tell It On The Mountain is produced by John Chelew, producer of the Blind Boys' two previous Grammy Award-winning albums: Spirit of the Century (2001) and Higher Ground (2002). A percentage of the royalties from the new disc (to be released September 16, 2003) will be donated to the American Diabetes Association. During the ADA's national convention in June 2003, the Blind Boys of Alabama (three of whose members are diabetic) initiated a major fund-raising campaign with a donation of $5,000 to the organization.
(The Blind Boys) are a treat on stage, and on record that rare thing; a gospel act non-believers can enjoy on a daily basis... With exquistive harmonies from the Boys and a stellar cast of guests - plus a fantastic blues-funk-gospel band featuring John Medeski (organ), Duke Robillard (guitar) and Danny Thompson (bass) - it's one of the best Christmas albums you're ever likely to hear...
Wow! I wish all Christmas albums were as good as this. These guys sing with such gusto and rugged good heart that you feel the force of their sincerity and soulfulness... I can't imagine some of today's young whippersnappers making music as vital as this when they're octogenarians... Lacking in the tacky sentimentality that afflicts most Christmas fare, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" is arguably one of 2003's most soulful offerings.
Press review from: Blues & Soul (UK)
(The Blind Boys)... instil every live performance and studio session with such passion, integrity and conviction that they can make even such old chesnuts as Little Drummer Boy and White Christmas palatable. Being one of the greatest of gospel groups, they are on very safe ground when it comes to the hymns, but they also add gravitas to the more popular material.
Press review from: fRoots (UK)
A soulful star-studded Christmas cracker
Unlike the majority of Yuletide albums, there's nothing remotely smaltzy or cloyingly sentimental about this seasonal offering from the veteran gospel group. Renowned for charter member Clarence Fountain's craggy lead vocal and their robust supporting harmonies, here the Blind Boys take on standards such as White Christmas and O Come All Ye Faithful and fashion them into stirring soul sermons. ...Aaron Neville pops up on a gorgeous a cappella rendering of Joy To The World while noteworthy cameos by funk guru George Clinton and Spearhead's Michael Franti add a slightly surreal edge to the proceedings.
Press review from: Mojo (UK)
Pop CD of the week
...a great band, way-above-average guest contributions (from Solomon Burke, Tom Waits and Shelby Lynne, among others) and, obviously, the impeccable vocals of The Blind Boys of Alabama... Chrissie Hynde's In The Bleak Midwinter is lifted by a subtle guitar part from Richard Thompson; Aaron Neville's sweet lead floats above the Blind Boys' robust backing on Joy To The World; and it's no surprise that Mavis Staples's contribution, a barnstorming run through Born in Bethlehem, is the highlight of the album. A law should be passed forcing anyone who plays one of Cliff's Christmas ditties to play this immediately afterwards.
Press review from: The Times (UK)
album review
Shelby Lynn smoulders alongside leading Blind Boy Clarence Fountain on The Christmas Song; Solomon Burke does his ferocious soulman turn on I Pray On Christmas and Spearhead's Michael Franti embraces the sinister undertow to Little Drummer Boy. ...the Blind Boys turn an over-familiar hymn (Silent Night) into something spiritually uplifting. The magic of Christmas indeed.
Press review from: Evening Standard (UK)
Jesus Choice!
What Christmas album would Jesus listen to? Believers and non-might concur that this year, it'd be the Blind Boys of Alabama's Go Tell It On The Mountain (Real World). Guest stars either counter the Boy's gospel grizzledness (Chrissie Hynde, Shelby Lynne) or sound similarly septuagenarian (Tom Waits, George Clinton), with players like John Medeski turning up the spiritual-blues simmer.
Press review from: Entertainment Weekly (USA)
A Rare Seasonal Recording
One of those rare seasonal recordings you wouldn't mind hearing in March, or
July. The venerable vocal group strikes an ideal balance between material
familiar and fresh in a session that unfolds with the electricity and
impeccable pacing of a gospel sermon. Icing on the cake is the presence of a
far-flung group of guests including Tom Waits, Shelby Lynne and Aaron
Neville. The group's holiday tour stops Saturday at UCLA.
Press review from: LA Times (USA)
album review
People tend to forget that Christmas is a holiday rooted in religion, and many songs equated with the holiday also are steeped in religious overtones. So what better group to marry the two together than gospel's best, The Blind Boys of Alabama? Even better, how about a bunch of musical guests helping...all mesh well with the three powerful voices that weave their way through this holiday disc... Every song here conveys the the spirit of Christmas. The Blind Boys of Alabama have created another winner. It's so good you don't need snow on the ground to enjoy it.
Press review from: Relix (USA)
album review
As usual, there is no shortage of new Christmas albums this year...One that stands out from the pack is "Go Tell It On The Mountain" by The Blind Boys Of Alabama. Collaborating with an all-star cast...this venerable vocal group puts a gospel spin on songs like 'Silent Night', 'Joy To The World' and 'The Little Drummer Boy'.
Press review from: Newark Star-Ledger (USA)
album review
Is there anybody out there who does not love the Blind Boys of Alabama? We didn't think so. The group's latest disc and first Christmas-themed effort since they formed in 1939 is "Go Tell It On The Mountain", and we'd have to say it's the best of its kind.
Press review from: The Boston Globe (USA)
album review
Beautifully rich singing...
Press review from: NY Daily News (USA)
album review
The venerable choral group refreshes the genre with this passionate, inspiring album.
Press review from: People (USA)
album review
It (The Blind Boys of Alabama) modestly turns itself into a richly harmonizing backup chorale for Aaron Neville, and it joins in hearty call-and-response with Tom Waits, George Clinton, Solomon Burke and Mavis Staples. Clarence Fountain gets cozy with Shelby Lynne in The Christmas Song... And when the Blind Boys perform a bluesy Silent Night on their own they show they don't need any help.
Press review from: New York Times (USA)
album review
The Blind Boys of Alabama have been spreading their gospel since they started at the Alabama Institute For The Negro Blind in 1939. They're still a-wailin' and a-testifyin' on this clutch of festive favourites, each re-tooled to suit both their real-gone gospel harmonies and the sundry guest vocalists, including soul legend Solomon Burke on I Pray On Christmas (exquisite), the genius of Tom Waits on the title cut (wanton), Away In A Manger with funk titan George Clinton (damn!) and Born In Bethlehem with Mavis Staples (believe!). Get it on, lil' baby Jesus.
Press review from: Metro (Magazine Country)
album review
When it comes to Christmas 2003, Go Tell it on the Mountain from The Blind Boys of Alabama is the carol collection to play at your yule-tide party. Not only does a percentage of the proceeds go to diabetes research - three of the Blind Boys are diabetic - but with Tom Waits and MeShell Ndegéocello on the credits, you can indulge your seasonal sentimentality with street cred intact!
Why haul out Bing's "White Christmas" when jazz pianist, Les McCann can do it scat-style? Who needs Phil Spector when you've got George Clinton's 12-bar blues funk on "Away in a Manager" or Mavis Staples belting out "Born in Bethlehem"? With Waits growling in a minor key to the title track, Michael Franti free-styling on "The Little Drummer Boy" and Chrissie Hynde harmonising to Richard Thompson's guitar "In The Bleak Midwinter", there's no excuse for Slade this Christmas.
That The Blind Boys of Alabama can enlist such a surprising and stellar cast on one CD is an indication of the esteem in which these double-grammy winning veterans of gospel music are held.
Like earlier albums Spirit of the Century (2001) and Higher Ground (2002), John Chelew's production experiments with timeless traditional hymns to create a contemporary, sublime and often subversive sound. Robert Randulph's pedal steel on "Away in a Manger" is inspired as is MeShell Ndegéocello's sultry solo over "Come All Ye Faithful". Aaron Neville's a capella version of "Joy to the World" tenderly counterpoints the chorus while soul-singing pastor, Solomon Burke had me down on my praying knees.
If you want to melt under the mistletoe and feel groovy as you make the stuffing, then get Go Tell it on the Mountain. I guarantee, your festival will flow.
Press review from: BBCi (UK - internet)
album review
The legendary Blind Boys interpret some well-known Xmas songs in a way that only they can, but it is their choice of guests which add the icing to this rich cake. Tom Waits joins them for Go Tell It On The Mountain, and other tracks feature Chrissie Hynde, Aaron Neville and George Clinton to name but a few. This makes for a welcome relief from the usual MOR Christmas fodder.
Press review from: Music Week (UK)
album review
For this Christmas outing, exhilarating gospellers the Blind Boys have collaborated with a varied selection of "old friends". There are soulful work-outs with the likes of Solomon Burke (I Pray On Christmas), Mavis Staples (a gloriously swinging Born In Bethlehem), and even Tom Waits, rasping through the powerful title track.
Press review from: The Guardian (UK)
album review
This Christmas-CD-to-end-all-Christmas-CDs features a host of amazing guest artists (Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Aaron Neville, and others!) coming alongside to augment the Blind Boys' own rich take on some absolutely classic Christmas standards.
Press review from: paste.com (internet)
album review
You have never heard Christmas songs sounding quite like this before. In The Bleak Midwinter features a wonderful vocal from Chrissie Hynde and a ringing electric guitar solo from Richard Thompson. The title track teams the gravel-voiced Tom Waits with the Blind Boys on a powerful rendition of a timeless spiritual... Then there's the mighty Solomon Burke, who calls the Blind Boys the "hottest, workin', movin', groovin', jumpin', singin', shoutin' gospel quartet in the world"...
Christmas albums can sometimes be a dubious prospect, with a varied quality and a pure mercenary intent. But here's one that truly breaks the seasonal mould by concentrating on great songs and glorious vocals. Go Tell It On The Mountain guarantees it's going to be a very cool yule indeed.
Press review from: HMV Choice (UK)
album review
As you might expect, the Blind Boys are very at home with Solomon Burke's rapturous 'I Pray On Christmas', Mavis Staples is as funky as hell - if that's allowed at Yuletide - on 'Born In Bethlehem', while the harmonies on 'Joy To The World' with Aaron Neville are to die for. What's more there's a seriously swinging band behind them all... So, although you might not rush to buy Christmas albums, make an exception for this. It's the silver thruppence amid the stodge that is the usual Christmas fare.
Press review from: Jazzwise (UK)
Neguinha Te Amo
Tani Tana
