The Story Is Told

Jazz and Gospel Music

In an short article by Lucas Walter in 2020 (here) he writes about the relationship between Gospel and Jazz music; the differences and similarities. "The advantage of learning to play gospel music as a kid growing up in church was gaining the ability to hear and play piano (or keyboard). No matter how many rehearsals we held beforehand, the set-list never stayed the same during the actual church service. We had no other option as young musicians than to listen, figure out, and learn on the spot during the service. Frustrating as this experience was back then, I developed my ability to hear and play unwittingly and prepared myself for my journey into the world of jazz."

Chris Barber and others have underlined the similarities with albums like Chris's Jazz Sacred and Secular and Hot Gospel. Here is I Never Shall Forget from Hot Gospel Revisited:

The following story is an extract from the book Black Gospel: An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound by Viv Broughton:

"'Gospel's always been full of people who didn't quite fit the mould. Bessemer in Alabama for instance was renowned for its sensational quartets and any local guy with half a voice would fight tooth and nail for a place in the Kings of Harmony or the Blue Jays or the Swan Silvertones or any of a score of others. Yet in that town there was still Prophet Jones, bedecked in gorgeous robes, playing piano with his feet, who in turn inspired the young Alex Bradford to become everyone's favourite gospel showman through the 1950s and 1960s.

Immediately post-war, Bradford (as he became known to all and sundry) shipped himself out of Alabama and into Chicago where Mahalia and Roberta Martin reigned supreme. Roberta would introduce him at a programme as part of her regal patronage. 'So I got up, and they'd never heard a man make all those high soprano notes before. Baby, they were carrying folks out bodily.'

In the mid-1950s he formed the very first all-male gospel group - the Bradford Specials ..... they suddenly hit with Bradford's own song and subsequent gospel standard Too Close To Heaven. It sold well over a million copies and Bradford camped it up all over as the 'singing rage of the gospel age.' By the end of the 1950s he was using the occasional female voice in his group and Madeleine Bell joined him out of the Glovertones in 1960 ....' *

Here for a video of Alex Bradford singing Lord, You've Been So Good To Me.

This gospel song has been recorded by Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, George Lewis and others as Lawd, You've Sure Been Good To Me, and today we have projects such as jazz pianist Cory Henry's 2016 Revival Project - the 2 CD album is here. There are several videos on YouTube, here is one:

Each year at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival one of the regular events is a showcase for lesser-known talent: local school children. Gospel choirs from area high schools take the stage at the festival's Gospel Tent, continuing a decades-long tradition for Louisiana students. From the images and videos the energy and fun are tangible! Here is a short video about the event. Chicago is also alive with its St Sabina Youth Choir here; and in Alabama the Birmingham Youth and Young Adult Fellowship Choir here.