DESCRIPTION Midway through Martin Luther King, Jr's historic speech at the 1963 March on Washington, a voice rang out from behind him: "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" That voice belonged to Mahalia Jackson, King's close friend and one of the most revered gospel singers of the 20th century - Glorious Mahalia, a visionary tribute to Jackson's life by the internationally renowned Kronos Quartet, uses that moment as a springboard to explore the depth of Jackson's musical craft and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement, including her relationship with Clarence Jones and Studs Terkel, other luminaries of the time
Featuring compositions by Stacy Garrop and Zachary James Watkins, a new arrangement of Jackson's astonishing version of the Antonio Haskell composition "God Shall Wipe All Tears Away," and archival audio of Jackson's voice, the album illuminates Jackson's historic artistry and advocacy.

Perhaps the most dazzling evidence of Garrop's virtuosity comes at the end of the piece, when a few simple chords transform the interview sign-off into an unexpectedly bittersweet life passage. You've heard radio interviewers close out a show countless times; you've never heard that moment carry such a burden of tenderness and grace." - San Francisco Chronicle on Glorious Mahalia 'Watkins's accompanying music, and the Kronos Quartet's performance of it, gave voice to the wonder of witnessing that kind of genius, that in an explosion of vision and creativity contributed more than a few teaspoons to making the change that we hope is still to come." - New Haven Independent "Peace Be Till" by Zachary James Watkins comissioned for Kronos Quartet by Carnegie Hall and premiered January 2018
Features archival recordings of Mahalia Jackson, Studs Turkel, and other historical figures Tracks: CD
Glorious Mahalia: Hold on
Glorious Mahalia: II. Stave in the ground
Glorious Mahalia: III. Are you being treated right
Glorious Mahalia: IV. Sometime I feel like a motherless child
Glorious Mahalia: V. This world will make you think
God Shall Wipe All Tears Away
Peace Be Till: I. Doors of Justice
Black Thread
Peace Be Till: II. Protest
Peace Be Till: III. Copter
Peace Be Till: IV. Symphony of Social Justice
Peace Be Till: V. Tell 'em about the dream

SOUTHBOUND