The Women Gather

The Women Gather

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Celebrating 30 years as an unparalleled music group with this release, Sweet Honey in the Rock demonstrate again that they are an American treasure. While technically proficient a cappella singers, Sweet Honey are so much more than a study in vocal pizzazz. The women do indeed gather and tell stories for the generations, chronicling modern life and its struggles and victories. Sweet Honey mask nothing emotionally and draw the listener into each saga, whether they're lamenting violence in the title track, detailing the history of voting rights (or lack thereof) in Washington, D.C., in "Give the People Their Right to Vote," or sharing the tragic tale of a civil rights activist in "Ballad of Harry T. Moore." Founder Bernie Johnson Reagon leads her group through a diversity of styles, ranging from the '70s soul sound of "Solid Gold" to the gospel of "Come unto Me." After three decades, Sweet Honey are as relevant and fresh as ever. --Michael Lyttle

Product Description
30th anniversary album presents Sweet Honey in their award-winning style with a contemporary sound. Features predominantly new, 2003 original material, with contributions by Toshi Reagon written especially for Sweet Honey. Earthbeat/Rhino.

The Women Gather,Sweet Honey in the Rock,Earthbeat,Acappella,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Gospel/Christian Music,Pop

Average customer rating:

The Women Gather Sweet Honey in the Rock

As Always, the best

What a treat!

The Women Gather
Sweet Honey in the Rock
Manufacturer: Earthbeat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sacred Ground

Raise Your Voice

...twenty-five...

Selections 1976-1988

Still on the Journey

ASIN: B00007MB89
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Tracks:

The Women Gather
Fly
Give The People Their Right To Vote!
Georgia Red Clay II
Ballad Of The Sit-Ins
Let Us Rise In Love
22 Hours In The Day
Solid Gold II
somebody Prayed Me Over
Ballad Of Harry T. Moore
That Awful Day Will Surely Come
Nyoka Boko II
Prayer At The Crossroads
African Oasis II
Yes It Was
Come Unto Me
We Want The Vote! Chant

Amazon.com

Celebrating 30 years as an unparalleled music group with this release, Sweet Honey in the Rock demonstrate again that they are an American treasure. While technically proficient a cappella singers, Sweet Honey are so much more than a study in vocal pizzazz. The women do indeed gather and tell stories for the generations, chronicling modern life and its struggles and victories. Sweet Honey mask nothing emotionally and draw the listener into each saga, whether they're lamenting violence in the title track, detailing the history of voting rights (or lack thereof) in Washington, D.C., in "Give the People Their Right to Vote," or sharing the tragic tale of a civil rights activist in "Ballad of Harry T. Moore." Founder Bernie Johnson Reagon leads her group through a diversity of styles, ranging from the '70s soul sound of "Solid Gold" to the gospel of "Come unto Me." After three decades, Sweet Honey are as relevant and fresh as ever. --Michael Lyttle

Album Description

30th anniversary album presents Sweet Honey in their award-winning style with a contemporary sound. Features predominantly new, 2003 original material, with contributions by Toshi Reagon written especially for Sweet Honey. Earthbeat/Rhino.

Customer Reviews:

The Women Gather Sweet Honey in the Rock.......2005-08-29

I'm a new fan of Sweet Honey in the Rock, so wasn't sure what to expect from the cd, having only seen them on public tv. Their music is brilliant, unique, all a capella; not easy listening, however. Very political.

As Always, the best.......2003-02-01

Sweet Honey delivers message of love, struggle and social resonsibility through their rich, stirring a capella vocals, and celebrate 30 years together with this new CD. This one presents a wide range of styles and vocalizations of mostly contemporary songs written by the group, or new arrangements of old songs, such as Isaac Watts' "That Awful Day Will Surely Come." They address everything from addition to voter rights (or lack thereof) in the District of Columbia. A lush and thought-provoking CD as only Sweet Honey can create.

What a treat!.......2003-01-30

I've been a fan of these phenomenal women for some time now and I was thrilled to see they released a 30th anniversary album. The CD is an inspiring and uplifting experience from start to finish and I cannot get enough of it. I highly recommend it to EVERYONE, no matter your age or musical tastes. What a treat!

Average customer rating:

"Harvest Home" Serves Up a Feast
Amazing
Exquisite
Exquisite
Emotional and poignant

Harvest Home

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Christmas With the Dale Warland Singers
Blue Wheat
December Stillness
Christmas Echoes, Vol. 1
Cathedral Classics

ASIN: B000B8QFBY
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

Beautiful River (Shall We Gather At The River)
Simple Gifts
She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain
Peace
McKay
A La Claire Fontaine
Deep River
We Gather Together
Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten
Cindy
Gentle Annie
We Shall Walk Through The Valley In Peace
The Water Is Wide
By And By
The Old Church
Lay Me Low
The Road Home

Album Description

This CD is the second of the final CDs to be issued by The Dale Warland Singers, who disbanded in 2004. The program is a "harvest" of popular songs, hymns and spirituals, including "Simple Gifts," "Deep River," and "We Gather Together". The Grammy-nominated Dale Warland Singers were specialists in performing American works. Includes 16-page booklet with full texts and notes on the works! The Dale Warland Singers CDs are among the best selling American choral CDs in recent history. This CD is a "volume 2" of their best seller, Blue Wheat, issued previously on ACC. Based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Dale Warland Singers were recognized as one of the world's foremost a cappella choral ensembles. This 40-voice professional choir recently celebrated its 31st and final season of concerts, tours, radio broadcasts, and critically acclaimed recordings, following the retirement of founder and director Dale Warland.

Customer Reviews:

"Harvest Home" Serves Up a Feast.......2006-03-10

Most CD recordings of choral music do not attract the attention of the population at large, and "Harvest Home" is clearly an exception. Word came to me about this remarkable album through a fellow faculty member at the Boston Conservatory. He was rightly proud of having written two of the arrangements, but prouder still of the fact that it had become a red-hot bestseller through the word-of-mouth network of choristers all over the country. Needless to say, I was curious but a bit skeptical. Generally, things that become that popular have an aesthetic downside. I ordered my copy from Amazon and got it just before I left to go to a concert with a couple of musician friends. We were frankly thrilled with the quality of the singing, the beautifully shaped nuances, and the richness of the several of the arrangements. It is clear that its popularity among choral singers has to do with the musical material, as with its execution. The arrangements are based on mostly religious American folk songs and show off the delicate intonational skills of Dale Warland's legendary group. It's just the kind of thing that church choir members can really appreciate, but unfortunately cannot stand up to repeated listing -- it has to be the work of great composers for me to hear recordings over and over again. Nevertheless, I played it for my choral group, and they jumped all over it. That's the market audience. Bravo, Mr. Warland.

Amazing.......2005-12-26

I've been a fan of the Dale Warland Singers for a long time, and attended many of their concerts. This recording displays perfectly what the choir was capable of. I listen to it constantly. Many of these arrangements are the best I've heard of these songs. "Deep River" is better than that of Chanticleer or Cantus. "She'll be Comin Round the Mountain" is really fun. I got the chance to sing it a few years ago and will never forget it. You NEED to buy this CD. It's well worth the money.

Exquisite.......2005-12-18

Buy this album! This is the finest recording I have purchased this year. The exquisite tonality and the arrangements have kept me listening every day. The audio quality is outstanding - balanced, finely nuanced, lovely soundstage. If you enjoy choral music, purchase this album - NOW.

Exquisite.......2005-11-16

I purchased this on a whim and it is been in my 5-disc player ever since. I have always loved choral settings of folk songs and hymns (with one exception - "The Water is Wide" should never ever ever be sung by a chorus - it doesn't work, but it is the only track I skip on this disc). The selections are all old favorites in often harmonically lush arrangements. Hawley's arrangement of "Not One Sparrow" is transcendent and has become my morning prayer, "Lay Me Low" my evening meditation. The singing is as near perfect as can be, musicality is stunning, and technical merits are high. I cannot recommend this disc enough.

Emotional and poignant.......2005-11-07

On Harvest Home, the Dale Warland Singers delve into the rich legacy of mostly American sacred and folk music. With the lush vocal orchestrations and thoughtful arrangements, many of these familiar songs take on new life and emotional depth.

As a boy, I grew up in the Mennonite church tradition and one of the distinctive things about our church services was the a cappella 4-part harmony. As I got older, I thought this was a bit odd and wished we used instruments in church like most people. In looking back now, I am thankful for that tradition and what it taught me about music and harmony.

Throughout high school I was involved with choral groups, doing several programs each year. The first year after high school I spent a few months at a religious school that had a long-standing tradition of chorale music. I well remember the hours of rehearsal to get the song just right, practicing enunciation and dynamics and expression.

So when I hear a group like the Dale Warland Singers, I have a small insight into the dedication it takes to do choral music at the level of this recording. These are singers and a director at the top of their game, with attention to detail everywhere, creativity in the arrangements and technical brilliance. And what a vocal range, with "how low can they go" bass and sopranos that my normal laptop headphones have trouble reproducing without distortion.

I've long been a fan of spirituals; they are at times moving to hear, at times playful and fun (and can be even more fun to sing). This album features a couple of my favorites: "Shall We Gather At The River" and "Deep River". Upon first hearing this rendition of the latter, I was nearly moved to tears by the stark beauty and emotional depth of this arrangement. It's a prime example of the power of music to take us places emotionally and connect us with the deeper feelings and longings of the soul.

In addition to several spirituals, there is a unique variety of other religious pieces pulled from the traditions of Quakers and Baptists among others. The album also mines some rich treasures from the Shaker tradition, including the comforting "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten" and the poignant tenderness of "Lay Me Low', with the simple text of

Lay me low where the Lord can find me, where the Lord can own me, where the Lord can bless me

Not everything leans towards the serious or sacred though. A fun, light-hearted arrangement of "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain" (arr. by Emma Lou Diemer) features bouncing bass lines and lots of syncopation and sibilance to keep things interesting. And the traditional Dixie folk song "Cindy" tells the story of a heartsick man with tongue-in-cheek lyrics that playfully bounce from part to part.

The liner notes are exceptional, with lots of helpful historic and musical notes on the various selections. This is one of the final albums from The Dale Warland Singers after 31 years. The group disbanded in May 2004 so that the founder Dale Warland could focus more on teaching, consulting and guest conducting. He certainly has left his mark on the choral landscape and this recording is no exception. Highly recommended if you appreciate choral music, especially traditional folk and sacred selections.