Accessible to choirs of various sizes and skill levels, this practical collection of a cappella choral works offers music for any occasion. Featuring titles from some of the top names in choral music, this resource helps choirs from five to fifty-five discover the joy of a cappella singing. So dust off that pitch pipe, gather all around, and get singing!

Songlist: Rise Up! (Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow), Reap What You Sow, Lord, Have Mercy, Plenty Good Room, On that Great, Great Mornin', I Will Arise, The Stone Is Rolled Away, Good Tidings!, Deep River

This compilation contains six, delightful compositions by Rene Clausen for the express enjoyment of your mixed-voice group. "The Early Bird" is a tone poem that lets out all the stops, presenting a wonderful adventure for the advanced choir. "Song at Dusk" is much like a vocal tone poem, in how the soaring melodies dramatically illuminate the poem (by Leigh Haynes). "Plenty Good Room" is guaranteed to bring down the house, swinging with classy, jazz element including a scat solo. "Alleluia" is a dramatic piece containging marvelous harmonic build-up and a sensitive ending. "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a composition based on a poem by Christina Rossetti that was originally a Christmas poem expressing her piety and love for the beauty of nature. "Canticle of Praise" was originally written for the King's Singers (a 6-man ensemble) and the Morman Tabernacle Choir, however, this publication is the version re-scored by the Clausen for performance by his Concordia Choir. 

Songlist: The Early Bird, Song at Dusk, Plenty Good Room, Alleluia, In the Bleak Midwinter, Canticle of Praise

Robert Sund's Gentlemen Only is a varied collection for men's choir, covering all genres from pop to gospel and jazz to classical music. It contains, among others, a vocal arrangement of Brahms'' Hungarian Dance No. 5 as well as "She's Leaving Home" by the Beatles or Piaf's "La vie en Rose." In the last decades, Sund arranged all the pieces for his chamber choir "Orphei Drangar." Now these successful arrangements, most of which have been released on CD, are available for men's choir. Some of the arrangements contain piano accompaniment and solos. The program can be complemented by choreographies or scenic performances.

Songlist: Ganglat fran €ppelbo, I skovens dybe, stille ro, Ungarischer Tanz Nr. 5, Fur Elise, Alouette, La Muerte del Angel, Plenty Good Room, We Shall Overcome, Den milde dag, Der Vogelfanger, He's Got the Whole World in His Hand, Dido's Lament, Les feuilles mortes, There's No Business Like Show Business, Amazing Grace, You've Got a Friend, A Nightigale Sang in Berkley Square, She's Leaving Home, When the Saints Go Marching In, La vie en Rose, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, Bach Goes to Town

The iconic spiritual arrangement of "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord" by Moses Hogan has been masterfully adapted for men's voices by Peter Eklund. From the powerful opening chords to the exhilarating call and response sections, this is a work that will bring down the house! Using jazz articulation in an exuberant spiritual style, "Plenty Good Room" provides an exciting dimension to choral programming! John Parker and Greg Gilpin have combined their talents to create "Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet" an exuberant and original spiritual for a cappella voices. Full of dynamic contrast, rhythmic nuances, and textual percussiveness, Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet will be an outstanding festival, concert, or contest piece. Thrilling to sing and to hear. "Fire In The Furnace" recounts the tale of Shadrach, Meshach and Abegnego as they escape the mighty fiery furnace of King Nebuchadnezzar. A super showcase for men's groups!

Songlist: Fire In The Furnace, De Animals A-comin', Blow That Trumpet, Gabriel, Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet, Plenty Good Room, My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord

Experience this fiery work, "Every Time I Feel The Spirit" and "feel the Spirit" add vitality to any choral program. Hold on to your choir robes! This invigorating a cappella adaptation of "Sinner Man" will bring your audience to their feet! In keeping with Sister Rosetta Tharpe's stylistic blend, this arrangement of "Heaven Somewhere" has a funky doo-wop flavored middle section that reminds us just how many different rock styles go back to the gospel source. In , "Go Down, Moses," Moses Hogan's contemporary settings of spirituals, original compositions, and other works have been enthusiastically accepted by audiences around the globe and have become staples in the repertoires of high school, college, church, community and professional choirs everywhere. Perhaps the spiritual closest associated with Norman Luboff's arranging style is "Deep River." It requires the fine singing of a well trained a cappella choir, high school choir and beyond. Moderately difficult. Destined to become a standard this new setting of "Witness" for men's voices features the classic Moses Hogan style. Opening with a section of sustained close harmony, "Plenty Of Good Room," moves into a medium tempo jazz-flavored groove that's pure delight! An ideal showcase for men's chorus! From the quiet beginning to the joy-filled ending, your men will gladly proclaim, "Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory!"

Songlist: Sinner Man, Heaven Somewhere, Joshua, Rise an' Shine, Plenty Good Room, Witness

Singers will cherish these powerful solo arrangements by Mark Hayes, Jay Althouse, Philip Kern, Greg Gilpin, and other fine Alfred arrangers. Including favorite traditional spirituals like "Deep River," "Sit Down Servant," "Witness," and "Down in the Valley to Pray," this inspirational collection is essential to every solo singer's library. Fresh contemporary arrangements that sing and play well with an accompaniment CD.

Songlist: Plenty Good Room, Little Innocent Lamb, Sit Down Servant, Down In The Valley To Pray, Heaven Bound Light Of Mine, Glory Bound, Home In That Rock, Deep River, Witness, Mary's Baby Boy

Singers will cherish these powerful solo arrangements by Mark Hayes, Jay Althouse, Philip Kern, Greg Gilpin, and other fine Alfred arrangers. Including favorite traditional spirituals like "Deep River," "Sit Down Servant," "Witness," and "Down in the Valley to Pray," this inspirational collection is essential to every solo singer's library. Fresh contemporary arrangements that sing and play well with an accompaniment CD.

Songlist: Plenty Good Room, Little Innocent Lamb, Sit Down Servant, Down In The Valley To Pray, Heaven Bound Light Of Mine, Glory Bound, Home In That Rock, Deep River, Witness, Mary's Baby Boy

The American Spiritual Ensemble has grown to 42 members for this memorable recording "The Spirituals." Two powerful pictures in the liner notes, depicting a slave couple at a mean cabin, dreaming of escaping their bondage, and then on the cover, striking out across a fog-shrouded field in the early morning, tell us the story of these 15 authentic songs. "Crossin' Ovah," "Follow The Drinking Gourd," "There Is A Balm in Gilead," "It's Me Oh Lord," "Guide My Feet," "Here's One," "Give Me Jesus," "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" and "We Shall Overcome" speak of the tremendous struggle of African-Americans to gain their freedom and equality. The soulful leads and harmonies of these powerful coded songs actually helped some of the singers find their way out of bondage. Powerful, wonderful stuff from the American Spiritual Ensemble! Some piano accompaniment.

Songlist: Plenty Good Room, Crossin' Ovah, Follow The Drinking Gourd, Steal Away, There is a Balm in Gilead, Follow The Drinking Gourd, It's Me Oh Lord, Guide My Feet, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, Follow The Drinking Gourd, Here's One, Give Me Jesus, Follow The Drinking Gourd, I Want Jesus to Walk with Me, We Shall Overcome

Bemidji Choir and Chamber Singers : There's Room For All   

"There's Room For All is another stellar collection of classic Christian inspirational songs, with a handful of nice secular selections, from Dr. P. Bradley Logan's Bemidji Choir, Women's Chorus, Musikanten and Chamber Singers, from Minnesota's Bemidji State University. Favorite religious tunes are Jacob Handl's "O Magnum Mysterium," Palestrina's "Alma Redemptoris Mater," Roland Martin's "Ave Maria: O Auctrix Vitae," Joshua Nice's "Peace I Leave With You," the traditional "By and By," the Chamber Singers' Exultate Deo" and Jesse Padgett's spiritual "Plenty Good Room." Secular favorites are Kenneth Neufeld's 3 selections from "Twelfth Night," "O Mistress Mine," "Come Away Death" and "I Am Gone, Sir;" Women's Chorus's "Remember," by Donna Schultz, Musikanten's "Ward the Pirate" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the Chamber Singers' "This Marriage," by Eric Whitacre. There's not a weak cut in "There's Room For All," so enjoy this wonderful collection from the shores of Lake Bemidji with confidence!

Songlist: O Magnum Mysterium, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, Ave Maria: O Auctrix Vitae, Warum ist das Licht gegeben, Unicornis Captivatur, A Spotless Rose, Songs from Twelfth Night, No Man Is An Island, Peace I Leave With You, By and By, Plenty Good Room, Remember, Du, du liegst mir im Herzen, Ward the Pirate, Beati Mortui, Exultate Deo, They Are At Rest, This Marriage, Everything I Own

One of the seminal American musical traditions, the spiritual is dramatic, powerful, and profoundly beautiful - the bedrock for much of American music that was to follow. Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare explore here the genre's wide range of expression and its eloquence in speaking to universal aspects of the human condition.

Songlist: Motherless Child, A City Called Heaven, Soon Ah Will Be Done / I Wanna Die Easy, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Hard Trials, Hold On, Been In De Storm / Wayfaring Stranger, Oh Graveyard, Ain'-a That Good News!, Steal Away, Walk Together, Children, I Got A Home In-a Dat Rock, Lily Of The Valley, Plenty Good Room, My God Is A Rock, Freedom Song, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes : Get On Board   

The mid-40s through the 1950s has come to be regarded as the Golden Age of African-American Gospel music. Specialty Records, founded by Art Rupe in 1946 was one of the first companies to nurture this creative flowering, and it remained at the forefront of the genre. The Pilgrim Travelers, the Soul Stirrers, Sister Wynona Carr, Brother Joe May, Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes, the Original Blind Boys of Alabama, and the Swan Silvertones are a few of the giants of the Golden Age discovered and featured by Art Rupe on Specialty. "Get On Board" has 24 Gospel hits, all accompanied, most of which highlight Dorothy's Rockin' Soul, foot-tapping Revival-style leads, and her Harmonettes sing sweet and solid background harmonies. On stage Dorothy would leap and lunge, a ferociously animated performer and an astonishing lyricist who composed a dozen Gospel standards. A few favorites are "Get Away Jordan," "Rest for the Weary," "Deliver Me," "No Hiding Place" (which was featured in the movie "Ghost'"), "Old Gospel Train," "Plenty Good Room," "Waiting for Me," "I Wouldn't Mind Dying," the title tune and the final cut "That's Enough," but every cut here is an inspiration and a revelation. We look upon Dorothy Love Coates as an early Aretha, who also began her career singing Gospel, and if you love authentic Gospel, Get On Board this one!

Songlist: Peace Be Still, Glory to His Name, I'm Sealed, Get Away Jordan, Rest for the Weary, Deliver Me, Oh My Lord, Lead Me, Heavenly Father, Old Gospel Train (The Next Stop Is Mine), Get on Board, The Railroad, Plenty Good Room, Sometime, No Hiding Place, Waiting For Me, Wade in the Water, I Wouldn't Mind Dying, I'll Be With Thee, He's Calling Me, Untitled Instrumental, Thank You Lord For Using Me, These Are They, 99 1/2, That's Enough

Trevor Payne has taken his Montreal Jubilation Choir around the world and back, literally and musically, since their first concerts after their founding in 1982. Whether performing in Africa, Europe or home in Montreal, the group has built their reputation on its innovative a cappella work, their most popular recording being 1992's "A Cappella." While selecting the music, however, Payne kept hearing instruments, a bassoon here, an African kora, even a New Orleans street band. The traditional spiritual "Zion's Walls" gets the steely counterpoint of a harpsichord, and "Great Day" picks up after church and follows the rollicking New Orleans street band home. "Mary Had a Baby" features some nice soprano sax call-and-response, and a deep, sinuous double bass adds to the cool rhythm on "Elijah Rock." The soaring vocals of "Hail Mary" are complemented by English horn and bassoon. A beautiful pair of songs from Payne's travels in Africa are happily included, the rhythmic a cappella "Nkosi Sikelel, iAfrica" and the haunting "Kwa Unyenyekevu." Our friend Kirby Shaw's finger-snapping spiritual "Plenty Good Room," and the traditionals "Fix Me" and "I'm Gonna Sing" are other favorites among these 15 tunes. A beautiful, feel-good collection from the MJGC!

Songlist: Nkosi Sikelel, iAfrica, Kwa Unyenyekevu, Ain'a That Good News, Zion's Walls, Great Day, Hail Mary, Just A Little Walk With Jesus, The Storm Is Passing Over, Elijah Rock, Plenty Good Room, Fix Me, Mary Had A Baby, Geographical Fugue For Speaking Chorus, I'm Gonna Sing, Sonata No. 18, Opus 13 "Pathetique" Second Movement; Adagio Cantabile

This is a double CD featuring 39 stirring arrangements of traditional African-American spirituals by renowned pianist, conductor and arranger Moses Hogan, a leading force in preserving and promoting this incredible music. Picking our favorites is no easy task-all the cuts are beautifully and uniquely arranged, and performed with spirit and style: "Plenty Good Room," "Oh, Mary Don't You Weep, Don't You Mourn," "No Hidin' Place," "Walk Together Children," "The Lily of the Valley," "Any How," "The Battle of Jericho," "Wade In The Water," "The Chariot's Comin'," "Great Day," "Elijah Rock," "Who Built The Ark," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Jesus Lay Your Head In the Window," "Go Down Moses" and "His Light Still Shines." A brilliant, moving collection!

Songlist: Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, Plenty Good Room, Oh Mary Don't You Weep, Don't You Mourn, Do, Lord, Remember Me, No Hidin' Place, Surely He Died On Calvary, Walk Together Children, My Lord, What a Mornin', Go, Tell it on the Mountain, The Lilly Of The Valley, Any How, Fix me, Jesus, My Good Lord's Done Been Here, The Battle Of Jericho, I'm Gonna Sing Till The Spirit Moves In My Heart, Wade In The Water, I Got A Home In-A Dat Rock, I Got A Robe, I Can Tell The World, Good News, The Charoit's Commin, Great day, Abide With Me, Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel, Hear My Prayer, Elijah Rock, De Blin' Man Stood On De Road n' Cried, Glory, Glory, Glory To The New Born King, Ride On King Jesus, We Shall Walk Thru The Valley In Peace, and more

Dr. Christopher Aspaas, assistant professor of choral/vocal music at Northfield, MN's St. Olaf College directs the Viking Chorus, a group of more than 80 first-year student men who have been organized to sing the highest quality literature. Their repertoire includes motets, cantata movements and anthems, contemporary choral pieces, spirituals, folksongs, and music traditionally associated with men's singing groups. There are 17 songs here, some favorites are the Moses Hogan spiritual "Plenty Good Room," the African song "One by One," from "Rhythm of the Pridelands," "The Water is Wide/Blow Ye Winds" medley, the profound "This is My Song" by Jean Sibelius, the rhythmic gem (with non-vocal percussion) "Betelehemu," the powerful spiritual "Rainbow Round My Shoulder," Ludovico Viadana's "Exsultate Justi," Franz Biebl's "Ave Maria," Eric Sayre's "Agnus Dei," and the traditional songs "Danny Boy," "Byker Hill," "Loch Lomond" and "Shine on Me." There is some light accompaniment (such as organ, piano and percussion). "Repertoire" is a strong collection, sung with a masculine, soulful spirit that touches and moves us!

Songlist: One By One, Exsultate Justi, Barechu, The Word Was God, Ave Maria, Agnus Dei, Lost In The Night, Betelehemu, O God, Our Help In Ages Past, This Is My Song, Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder, The Water Is Wide/Blow Ye Winds, Danny Boy, Byker Hill, Loch Lomond, Plenty Good Room, Shine On Me

Reverend Glynn T. Settle was the originator of the Wings over Jordan Choir (WOJC), which on the public scene in the late 1930s, the first full-time professional black choir in America. Proficient and versatile, during the period 1938 to 1949, the choir performed before sold-out, non-segregated audiences in over 40 American states, 5 European countries, Canada and Mexico. In 1937 the choir inaugurated a successful weekly "Negro Hour" on CBS Radio in Cleveland, reaching 40 million listeners. WOJC's segment of spirituals would be followed by the Southernaires Quartet, and then the Golden Gate Quartet. A songbook was published and over 50 recordings came from this program, performances with major symphonic orchestras and an invitation to sing at the White House. Reverend Settle narrates in this rare collection, saying things like "It's not because I'm a coward and afraid to defend myself that I smilingly take the many abuses forced upon me through life. The fact is, I pity and pray for those who despitefully mistreat me. You may wonder about my attitude. Well, the answer is very simple. I am busy trying to get ready to try on my long white robe." Gospel Friend records is releasing this wonderful collection of 25 authentic spirituals, accompanied by fascinating pictures and text in the liner notes (one of our favorites is several members of the group all dressed up in front of their spanking-new tour bus, "Wings Over Jordan" proudly on the front). There are several spirituals we are hearing for the first time, such as "The Old Ark's A-Movering," "My Lord's Gonna Move This Wicked Race," the joyous "I Just Got Over," "Meet You at the Judgement," "Trampin'," "Over My Head" and others. And then there are tunes we've heard many times, such as "Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham," "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel," "Wade in the Water," "Old Ship of Zion" and "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," but it's as if we are hearing them for the first time. "Trying to Get Ready" is a treat on many levels, from beginning to end. Don't miss this one!

Songlist: Walk Together Children, Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, Don't Stay Away, I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray, Trying to Get Ready, The Old Ark's A-Movering, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, Wade In The Water, I Just Got Over, Meet You at the Judgement, Plenty Good Room, Trampin', Old Ship of Zion, I'm A-Rollin, When You Come out of the Wilderness, My Lord's Gonna Move This Wicked Race, Sweet Little Jesus Boy, Until I Found the Lord, I've Been 'Buked, I'm Going to Sit at the Welcome Table, Over My Head, Where Shall I Be When the First Trumpet Sounds, Amen, He's All and All to Me