The Gospel at Colonus [Original Cast] in Bloomington, MN

Playwright
Lee Breuer
and composer
Bob Telson
had an idea: Retell the story of
Oedipus
using a
gospel
choir and soloists as the storytellers. The result was
The Gospel at Colonus
, which had a very successful theatrical run and produced the extraordinarily beautiful song suite presented here.
Telson
made the inspired decision to allow much of the weight of the enterprise to be borne by the enormous talents of
Clarence Fountain & the Five Blind Boys of Alabama
and
the J.D. Steele Singers
, featuring the absolutely incredible voice of
Jevetta Steele
(who would have a bit of a hit with the title song from the film
Calling You
). Some of the songs are priceless:
"Stop Do Not Go On,"
with its heartfelt vocal urgings from
Sam Butler
, is a showstopper of its own, but it's followed by
"How Shall I See You Through My Tears,"
a devastating number with
Steele
singing in a voice possessed of positively unearthly beauty. Intriguingly, not only can
Breuer
's lyrics be read as either
traditional gospel
text or pertaining to the story of
, but they can also often be heard as love songs from the
R&B
tradition. There's not a weak song on the record.
, a one-time member of
the Philip Glass Ensemble
and an associate of numerous
jazz
musicians (
Lenny Pickett
John Hagen
are in the ensemble here, for instance), successfully sublimates these influences and manages to create a remarkably authentic
pop
-
hybrid by entrusting the interpretation of his pieces to the artists who deeply know the genre. When the entire cast converges for the penultimate
"Lift Him Up,"
the effect is nothing short of electrifying. Highly recommended not only for fans of
music but also for anyone interested in the diverse directions of contemporary music in general. ~ Brian Olewnick