The Evolution of Gospel
Encyclopedia
The Evolution of Gospel is the critically and commercially acclaimed studio album
by the Sounds of Blackness
, released May 7, 1991, on A&M Records
. It has been widely praised for its use of multiple genres of African-American music, including gospel
, spirituals
, blues
, ragtime
, jazz
, R&B
and hip hop
. In 1992, the album received the Grammy Award
for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness is a Grammy Award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B chart and Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play...
, released May 7, 1991, on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. It has been widely praised for its use of multiple genres of African-American music, including gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, spirituals
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. In 1992, the album received the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album
Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album
The Grammy Award for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album has been awarded since 1991. From 1991 to 1997 it was awarded as Best Gospel Album by a Choir or Chorus....
.
Track listing
| # | Title | Length | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Lead Vocalist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Chains" | 1:02 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Carrie Harrington |
| 2 | "Optimistic" | 5:19 | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team... |
Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Ann Bennett-Nesby Ann Nesby Ann Nesby is an American R&B, gospel, and dance music singer and actress. She is the former lead singer of Sounds of Blackness; a songwriter with credits including hits sung by Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight; plus she co-starred in the 2003 romance musical The Fighting Temptations with Cuba... , Carrie Harrington, Coré Cotton, Patricia Lacy, Jamecia Bennett |
| 3 | "Ah Been Workin' " | 0:42 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Dorothy J. Townes |
| 4 | "The Pressure Pt. 1" | 6:04 | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 5 | "Testify" | 4:58 | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Ann Bennett-Nesby, Andre Shepard (of Lo-Key? Lo-Key? Lo-Key? is a American funk/R&B band that formed in Kansas City, Missouri and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their single, "I Got A Thang 4 Ya!" , reached #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, and #27 on the Hot 100.-History:... ) |
| 6 | "Gonna Be Free One Day" | 0:37 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Otis Montgomery |
| 7 | "Stand Stand! (song) "Stand!" is a 1969 song by the soul/rock/funk band Sly & the Family Stone. The song's title and lyrics are a call for its listeners to "stand" up for themselves, their communities, and what they believe in... " |
4:25 | Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart Sly Stone Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of... |
Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 8 | "The Pressure Pt. 2" | 5:42 | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Gary Hines, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 9 | "Your Wish is My Command" | 5:01 | Tim Wortham, Gary Hines, Tony Haynes | Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 10 | "Hallelujah Lord!" | 1:44 | Carrie Harrington, Gary Hines | Gary Hines | |
| 11 | "We Give You Thanks" | 6:16 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 12 | "He Holds the Future" | 5:01 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby, Carrie Harrington, Prof. T |
| 13 | "What Shall I Call Him?" | 4:04 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby, Patricia Lacy, Elizabeth Turner |
| 14 | "Better Watch Your Behavior" | 1:54 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | |
| 15 | "Please Take My Hand" | 4:37 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines | Ann Bennett-Nesby |
| 16 | "I'll Fly Away I'll Fly Away "I'll Fly Away", is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message... " |
3:49 | Albert E. Brumley Albert E. Brumley Albert Edward Brumley was a shape note gospel music composer and publisher.Brumley was born near Spiro, Oklahoma on October 29, 1905. Pre-Dustbowl Oklahoma was primarily made up of sparse agricultural communities; Brumley's family was no different. He spent much of his early life chopping and... |
Gary Hines | Shirley Marie Graham |
| 17 | "Harambee (Swahili for 'Let Us All Pull Together')" | 1:04 | Gary Hines | Gary Hines |
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Billboard 200 | #176 |
| 1991 | Top Gospel Albums | #12 |
| 1991 | Top R&B Albums | #4 |
"Optimistic"
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Dance Music/Club Play Singles | #17 |
| 1991 | Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales | #17 |
| 1991 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #3 |
"The Pressure Pt. 1"
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Dance Music/Club Play Singles | #1 |
| 1991 | Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales | #3 |
| 1991 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #17 |
"Testify"
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Dance Music/Club Play Singles | #7 |
| 1992 | Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales | #14 |
| 1992 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | #12 |