It's disconcerting to find out that no matter how liberal you consider yourself that occasionally you can find yourself guilty of stereotyping. It is said that awareness is the first step towards overcoming a character flaw and acceptance makes the task of doing so that much easier. So I guess I need to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to the two-CD set, Spirit Rising, Volumes I & II.
Prior to listening to these recordings, I had succumbed to the notion that all Black gospel music was spiritually uplifting, musically exciting, and filled with genuine passion. So firmly did I believe this that all you needed do was mention the names of groups like The Five Blind Boys of Alabama or The Staple Singers to cause shivers to run up and down my spine.
Somehow or other I formed the impression that all Black gospel singers were like Mahalia Jackson, Al Green, Mavis Staples, or Paul Robeson. That, man or woman, their faith was so intense that they sang for the sheer joy and anguish of their belief. Listening to these people and others led me to reach the conclusion that Black gospel music could always appeal to anyone, no matter what their faith, in the same way that any truly inspired work of art can touch your spirit whether or not you share the artist's belief.
Well, I'm ashamed to say that's what I believed. I was too narrow-minded to think it was possible for Black gospel music to be just as insipid and uninspired as anything Pat or Debbie Boone could come up with. But thanks to the two discs of Spirit Rising, my eyes have been opened. Just because it's Black people singing gospel music doesn't guarantee that it's going to be wonderful.
Now I'm not saying that the performers on the Spirit Rising discs aren't talented or skilled, because they are. I'm not saying that the music isn't funky and polished, with a good beat and designed to make you move your feet, because it is. In fact pretty much every number included on the two discs is beautifully produced and expertly presented with fine musicianship and great singing.
That, to me, is the problem with this music — it's almost antiseptic in its cleanliness. In spite of all their demonstrative behaviour, their declamations of love for Jesus, and their proclamations of faith, there seems to be little or no real emotion behind any of it, none of the raw passion that I've come to expect from Black gospel music. Even the audience responses sound contrived, more like the studio audience for a daytime talk show than a roomful of the faithful.
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