New World in My View (5:31)

What you’ve got here is a prime example of the historical continuity of African American (and American of African ancestry) presence in the U.S. Sampling from evangelist, artist, humanitarian, poet Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900-1980, New Orleans, LA) King Britt (Philadelphia, PA) weaves an evocative ambiance into the late Sister Morgan’s vocals. The original material was recorded as an attempt to capture her powerful spiritual teachings as well as unique voice—Let’s Make a Record (early 1970s) .

The presented form is not only a spin on traditional gospel forms, but also an interesting offering of gospel’s persistence as an American art form. The Delta style the Britt infuses into the music make it hard to say that the recording is not contemporary to Morgan. Where comparison might be drawn towards Moby’s Play—the atmospheric earnestness, contemporaneous tone and solid attempts towards remixing with an ear to authenticity—Britt surpasses by weaving a textural respect for history into his remix. The effect achieved is not only to open up the music but to also create a living, scenic tie to the past while bringing the past into the present. Britt is not just a moody magician as others might be with the same material but also an auditory historian taking the listener for an impressive ride.