The first volume of gospel recordings on French label Fremeaux & Associes, titled
Gospel, Vol. 1: 1926-1942, is a fantastic collection displaying a wide variety of artists, from the famous (
Louis Armstrong's lovely a cappella version of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen") to the obscure (
Arizona Dranes' jaunty "I'll Go Where You Want Me To"). The great deal of care that was put into the selection and sequence of this two-disc set makes it a standout among other labels issuing historical recordings in that this set is a nice listen from start to finish. The following two collections in Fremeaux & Associes' gospel series parallel this one in terms of the timeline but are slightly more focused thematically. ~ Gregory McIntosh