From Philadelphia, the The Davis sisters were known as one of the most energetic of female gospel groups of the time, and that’s saying something. Usually led by pianist and organist Curtis Dublin, the sisters Ruth, Thelma, Audrey and Alfreda mixed Sunday morning sounds with jazz and R&B in a most alluring fashion, as this2 disc, 51 song collection will testify.
They deliver a breezy jazz read of Get Away Jordan” while slow down to a simmering “By and By” , with Ruth belting it out from the pulpit. She is pounding the pulpit on “We Need The Power” and she takes the usually ditty of “Nothing But The Blood” and gets down and deep into the marrow. The harmonies are textured on “Too Close To Heaven” and “In The Shelter Of The Rock with Dublin joining in, and get into a rollicking R&B mood on “Earnestly P raying” that is a baptized version of the hit “Tossin’ and Turnin’”. That’s what you call turning water into wine! Try listening to this a few times and see if it doesn’t get you to the church on time!