Battle,Kathleen / Norman,Jessye Spirituals In Concert CD

Also seen on television, this was a larger-than-life event [...] with two such dynamic, characterful artists giving heartfelt performances, the result is consistently compelling, the more so when most items are relative rarities. There is fun in the mixture too, typified by the most surprising and memorable of the items, Scandalize my name, an overtly comic duet on a serious theme, with piano accompaniment alone, very like a cabaret number. The singers' timing in it is delicious, pointing their witty attempts to upstage each other. The live recording, not ideally balanced, has plenty of presence. Penguin Guide* I cannot imagine there has ever been a concert of Spirituals quite like it. Gramophone, May 1991.