Authentic Gospel from Emma T. Miller

This new album from Sonoton, AUTHENTIC BLACK GOSPEL - SAS 122, was a labor of love from beginning to end.  It’s also a family affair - Emma T. Miller is the Aunt of brother and sister Carmen and Curtis Lundy, both well-known, world renowned and highly regarded jazz musicians - clearly a talented musical family. Emma Miller is one of the country’s foremost Gospel organists and pianists, and has been playing in churches largely in the Southeastern states for over six decades.  She is a master interpreter of the Gospel tradition and is also a composer, having written dozens of hymns and spirituals, six of which are heard on this unique and authentic album.

Emma Miller's niece, Carmen Lundy, always wanted to record her Aunt on Hammond B3 organ, knowing that her special sound on organ was a historic and precious treasure that had to be documented.  Visiting her Aunt in Miami, Florida earlier in 2015 provided the perfect opportunity to do just that - record her Aunt in the Miami church they all grew up in. With microphones and laptop in hand, Carmen set up the live recording with 2 tracks.  Most of the tracks took one take to record, and the result is a collection of honest, soulful, intimate and authentic Gospel tracks, true to the black gospel tradition.

Sonoton heard the songs and immediately wanted them to be a part of the Sonoton Authentic series (SAS), a true documentation of Black Gospel songs in America.  Carmen Lundy mixed the tracks as well as recorded them, and the extraordinary Sonoton team of engineers did some additional mixing and then mastered the songs to create this outstanding collection.

Rounding out the album are remastered a cappella Gospel choir tracks arranged and conducted by Curtis Lundy and sung by members of the ARC Choir of Harlem, made famous in a wonderful profile shown on PBS stations as well as featured on NPR when one of the songs with the ARC choir “Walk With Me” (track 23) was used in the Grammy winning hit by Kanye West “Jesus Walks".  Closing out the album are remastered songs from two other wonderful choirs, arranged and conducted by Jonathan Grier, Ronald Greer, and James Brown; and Ray Barnette and Larry Hall.

Authentic solo Hammond B3 Gospel Organ performed by Emma T. Miller. Traditional and original Gospel songs and spirituals. Also includes a capella Gospel Choir songs performed by the CL Choir of Harlem as well as Gospel Choirs with live band.

>Listen to AUTHENTIC BLACK GOSPEL (SAS 122) in APM Search!