A Gospel Funk Hymnal

The genesis of our Good God! series, dedicated to divergent sounds from devout records, A Gospel Funk Hymnal explores injections of a profane funk into gospel music’s sacred beatitude. Completing the circular journey of a hallowed rhythm, these tracks carry sanctified messages as passed through the earthly delights of the bass and guitar groove. Mixing primitive harmonies, spacious breaks, jungle percussion, elderly rappers impersonating the devil, cast recordings, thumping bass, and James Brown impressionists, this is old time religion slathered in funk’s sinful gravy. Such a collection can only come together retroactively. “Gospel funk” lays its claim to genre only in the way that “deep soul” or “acid folk” do, as categories created by collectors and enthusiasts, ways of defining subsections within subsections. No label, artist, or producer focused strictly on funky gospel music; rather, a couple hundred groups kept a funkier number in their repertoire, then cut a budget gospel record. From Canadian Trevor Dandy’s Don’t Cry Little Tree long-player comes the laid-back “Is There Any Love”.... or check out how Sam Taylor might’ve opened his own soul-stirred Jesus Christ Superstar on “Heaven on Their Minds.” Your pilgrimage begins here.