Yes, it’s a bold claim that Sister Rosetta Tharpe was to gospel what Louis Armstrong was to jazz, but it’s simply true. Back in the 1920s, not only did Armstrong transform jazz by being the best trumpet player around, but also by being the greatest vocalist.
The same goes for Ms. Tharpe. Her guitar playing is up there with Charlie Christian in terms of swinging, with a unique mix of blues and preaching, while he bold vocals is simply unrivaled, with both being imitated and inspired by the likes of Eric Clapton, John Scofield, Little Richard and Elvis Presley. So there!
And while I don’t say this very often, there are very few albums that are essential to have in one’s collection, such as Duke Ellington’s 1940 Fargo concert, Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue and John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. This 3 disc, 78 song collection is one of those things you simply need to understand not only music, but America and well, maybe even how to worship God.
She’s in 3-4 basic settings here, with the ringer being her short stint with Lucky MiIllinder’s swing orchestra in 1941 with her mixing gospel with some saucy ideas, but her take here of “Trouble in Mind” and “Shout Sister Shout” are impressive. She’s also backed by Sam Price’s trio (although not mentioned in the liner notes, usually with bop drummer Kenny Clarke) alongside vocalist Marie Knight, and the two go back and forth like preaching Pentecostals on “Didn’t It Rain”, “”He Watches Me” and “UP Above My Head” .
But most of the time she has simple backing and is like a runaway locomotive as she steams through “This Train”, “Jesus Is Here Today”, “The Lord Followed Me” and “Strange Things Happening Every Day”. The mix of her uniquely syncopated vocal enunciation has her say things like “Hallelujah” with more colors than on Joseph’s dreamcoat, while the guitar string are picked, plucked and strummed like Jacob wrestling with God. In one sense, the music is so simple and basic, yet on the other hand there is a complexity and depth that makes you keep coming back to it over and over.
I’ve been p laying these songs every Sunday the past 30 years to get me ready for church, thinking to myself that if the worship music that week wasn’t very good, at least I got “the feeling” getting dressed. It’s that spirit filled. Do yourself a favor, and even if you’re a died in the wool atheist, see if the dead can still come to life.