I Wanna Be Ready
Spirituals arranged by Courtney Carey
Joseph Joubert (piano)
The Concert Chorale/Courtney Carey
 rec. 2022, Big Orange Sheep Studios, Brooklyn, USA
Navona NV6527 [40]

The disc comes in a slim cardboard casing with a single insert and no texts. One side bears the acknowledgements. The other side explains that the disc “was recorded as part of Feel the Spirit, a Courtney’s Stars of Tomorrow series dedicated to the study, preservation and performances of the Negro Spiritual”. This appears to be a non-profit organisation based in New York. Courtney Carey (b. 1980) is a noted choral conductor, a well-established baritone soloist and opera singer.

The choir sings six of the arrangements. Its website suggests there are eight singers, SATB, who must have this music in their bones. Of the twelve songs here, I only knew of Sometimes I feel like a motherless chile.

It might not be quite right to describe The Concert Chorale as a Gospel choir. It should, however, help the listeners outside the USA understand the kind of sound they make and the emotional effect they strive for (and achieve). The arrangements are pleasingly varied and sophisticated, sometimes like art-songs, one might say. Take Oh, De Blin Man stood on the Road an’ Cried sung passionately by Justin Michael Austin, again with piano. He offers an equally moving performance of Didn’t my Lord Deliver Daniel? He has a fine voice, and the piano part of this arrangement reminded me of Schubert’s Earl King! Of the choral arrangements, I was especially taken with the imaginatively presented Calvary – a good example of how the ensemble work so tightly controlled.

I must point out that some may find the arguably excessively vibrato, particularly in the top voices, irritating and even displeasing. But if you are in sympathy with a choir such as this, then it will be the sound you know and have come to expect. The diction is always clear (aided by an excellent stereo spacing). That helps because probably few listeners know most of these spirituals.

Gary Higginson

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Contents
1 I Want to Be Ready
2 Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Chile
3 My God is So High
4 I Ain’t Got Weary Yet
5 Oh, De Blin’ Man Stood on the Road an’ Cried
6 Soon I Will Be Done
7 Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?
8 Calvary
9 I Wanna Be Ready
10 In Bright Mansions Above
11 Lord, I Want Two Wings
12 You Can Tell the World

Soloists
Justin Michael Austin (baritone: 4, 5, 7, 10), Jeryl Cunningham-Fleming (soprano: 2, 6, 9), Rodari Simpson (tenor, track 1)