The beloved spiritual arrangements and original compositions of William L. Dawson have been celebrated by choirs and audiences since they were first published, and have become among the most widely performed choral works for concert, contest, and festival settings. These new compilations, Dawson Spirituals, Volumes 1 & 2, each feature six favorites for Mixed Chorus (SATB) that have been carefully re-engraved to feature clean and clear notation. Not only do they provide tremendous readability and clarity, but they remain historically relevant. Every choir will want copies of these collections - William L. Dawson's legacy is everlasting, and his works will be in demand for generations to come!

Songlist: Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, I Wan' To Be Ready, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Soon Ah Will Be Done, There Is A Balm In Gilead, Behold The Star

William Levi Dawson, born in 1899, was educated at Tuskegee Institute, the Horner Institute of Fine Arts, and the American Conservatory, and wrote his own "Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony" in 1934. He began publishing and recording his arrangements of traditional African-American spirituals in 1955 and they are now considered to be some of the finest examples of the genre. Here are a selection of his finest works for unaccomapnied male voices. Recommended!

Songlist: Soon Ah Will Be Done, Ain'a That Good News, There Is A Balm In Gilead, Steal Away, Hail Mary, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit

William Levi Dawson, born in 1899, was educated at Tuskegee Institute, the Horner Institute of Fine Arts, and the American Conservatory, and wrote his own "Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony" in 1934. He began publishing and recording his arrangements of traditional African-American spirituals in 1955 and they are now considered to be some of the finest examples of the genre. Here are a selection of his finest works for unaccompanied mixed voices. Recommended!

Songlist: Oh, What A Beautiful City, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Ain'a That Good News, There Is A Balm In Gilead, Steal Away, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, Behold The Star, Hail Mary, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Christopher Moore founded the Chicago Children's Choir in 1956, and this CD is a compilation of the best of their recordings over their 40-year history. There are 27 songs here, ranging from traditional spirituals like "Behold That Star," and "Mamelani," a traditional Zulu song, to Haydn's "Magnificat," Gabriel Faure's "Sanctus" and "Mi Go Zatvorile," a Macedonian song. The material is all over the globe, but the quality and enthusiasm of the various incarnations of the CCC remain high thoughout.

Songlist: Now Let Us Sing, Sound the Trumpet, Cantate Domino, Magnificat, On Saint's Day in Chigisakh, Froschquartett, Yo las noches, Prende la vela, Marching to Pretoria, Liyashizwa, Mamelani, Mi Go Zatvorile, Niska Banja, Behold that Star, Mary Had a Baby, Mi Y'Malel, Sh'ma Koleynu, Atsay Zaytim, Sanctus Canon, Sanctus (from Requiem), Sanctus (from Mass), Sanctus (from Missa Luba), Great Day, I've Been 'Buked, Soon Ah Will Be Done

Alabama's own all male sextet Committed, winners of the second year of NBC's hit show "The Sing-Off," based on Primarily A Cappella's own Harmony Sweepstakes; are lovers of a cappella who happen to be Christians. Their self-titled debut album is a savory, 13 song mix of sacred and secular music that includes covers of Michael Jackson, Al Green, Maxwell, Earth, Wind & Fire and Lynyrd Skynyrd; as well as several nice spiritual tunes, including an original by group member Therry Thomas, the beautiful "Break Free." Jackson's "Hold My Hand" is a live cut of their Sing-Off performance, Maxwell's "Pretty Wings," EWF's "September," and Green's "Let's Stay Together" are very fine; and a "new spin" on the iconic rocker "Sweet Home Alabama" pays homage to Huntsville, the group's home base. A member of one of our favorite Contemporary Christian groups, Take 6's Cedric Dent arranged this version of the traditional "Soon Ah Will Be Done" with a guest vocal by T6's Joey Kibble. Take 6's Dave Thomas wrote the lovely "Do Anything" and former group member Mervyn Warren composed "That's When I'll Get Over You." If you watched season 2 of "The Sing-Off," you know how good Committed is, with their powerful, sweet, soulful sound. If not, treat yourself to this wonderful debut collection by this fast-rising, very special a cappella sextet

Songlist: Forever, Unstoppable, Break Free, Nothing Without You, Pretty Wings, Let's Stay Together, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Do Anything, Sweet Home Alabama, That's When I'll Get Over You, It Is Well, As, Break Free (radio mix)

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

The Indiana University Children's Choir comprises six choirs for children from kindergarten through high school. All children can find a place in one of those choirs regardless of training. Three choirs are represented here, the Treble Choir has the bright sound of girls 9 and 10 years old, the Chamber Choir, for older girls and boys with unchanged voices, and the Youth Chorale, a mixed group of high school singers with voices moving into adulthood. There are 22 songs here, we particularly enjoyed four movements by Brahms, "Liebeslied No.'s 8, 10, 13 and 18," Cobb's "Cantate Domino," Sprenkle's "For a Dewdrop," the moody "Erev Shel Shoshanim," Hatfield's "La Lluvia" and "Fair Phyllis I Saw," the folk spinning song "Sarasponda," Morley's "Sing We and Chant It," Franck's "Da Pacem Domine," James Taylor's "That Lonesome Road," and the Wm. Dawson spiritual "Soon Ah Will Be Done." Some light piano accompaniment. "Seasons" is a varied, spirited and enjoyable collection by this fine Midwestern children's choir.

Songlist: Cantate Domino, Libertango, Erev Shel Shoshanim, White, For a Dewdrop, La Lluvia, Sarasponda, Sing We and Chant It, Fair Phyllis I saw, Bist du bel mir, Da Pacem, Domine, Long, Long Ago, Just One Planet, Liebeslied No. 8, Liebeslied No. 10, Liebeslied No. 13, Liebeslied No. 18, Verano porteno, That Lonesome Road, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Invierno porteno, Thuma Mina

Trevor Payne's renowned, veteran Choir brings us this moving tribute to the Negro Spiritual. Following in the footsteps of the Fisk Jubilee Singers and other gospel music pioneers, this is a rare collection of a cappella Spiritual "hits," beginning with "Lord, I Know I've Been Changed," the lovely "There Is A Balm in Gilead," "Ezekiel Saw The Wheel," "Deep River," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Soon Ah Will Be Done," "Steal Away," "In That Morning When The Lord Says Hurry," "Ain't Got Time to Die," "Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho"...the good stuff just keeps on coming! One of the best collections of this wonderful, inspirational music we have heard!

Songlist: Lord I Know I've Been Changed, There Is A Balm In Gilead, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, Deep River, In That Great Gettin' Up Mornin', Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Soon Ah Will Be Done, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, Steal Away, In That Morning When The Lord Says Hurry, The Storm Is Passing Over, Ain't Got Time to Die, Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho

William Levi Dawson, born in 1899, was educated at Tuskegee Institute, the Horner Institute of Fine Arts, and the American Conservatory, and wrote his own "Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony" in 1934. He began publishing and recording his arrangements of traditional African-American spirituals in 1955, lovingly recorded here by the acclaimed St. Olaf Choir with Marvis Martin, soprano. Included are "Ain'-a That Good News," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Soon Ah Will Be Done," "In His Care-O," "Hail Mary," "Mary Had A Baby," "Behold The Star," "There Is A Balm In Gilead," "Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit," "Steal Away" and "Ezekiel Saw de Wheel." All a cappella, nice liner notes, great music!

Songlist: Ain' -A That Good News!, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Soon Ah Will Be Done, In His Care-O, Hail Mary, Mary Had A Baby, Behold The Star, There Is A Balm In Gilead, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, Steal Away, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel

Talisman was founded in 1989 to bring African and African-American music to the Stanford University community. 12 years later they've expanded musically to include traditional songs ranging in origin from India and Ireland to the songs of Apache and Tuscarora tribes. "Passage," their fifth CD, takes them full circle back to the music of Africa, blending urban soul with contemporary African rhythms. There are 16 songs here, from songs sung in native dialects like "Akwaba" and "E Hatta A Beta Apebba," to traditional spirituals like "Beulah," "This Little Light of Mine" and "Eyes On The Prize," this is all great, soulful stuff. A particular favorite is "Going Home," a Hawaiian celebration of eternal strength and love. Some accompaniment by African drums. Beautiful liner notes with words and pictures

Songlist: Akwaba, Human, Beulah, Sixolele Baba, Famine Song, Soon Ah Will Be Done, E Hatta A Beta Apebba, Rafiki, Go, Tell it on the Mountain, Pata Pata!, This Little Light of Mine, Kube, Eyes on the Prize, Woza Mfana, Going Home, Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing