Thirteen holiday favorites from the Kansas-based inspirational ensemble, Spirit. The sound of these ten male and female voices is nicely balanced among the registers, with group members trading off on lead vocal duties, sometimes as a duet. The Wichita Community Children's Choir helps out 'Because It's Christmas.' A coy, Betty Boop interpretation of 'Santa Baby' and a bluesy, piano bar rendition of 'What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?' are a pleasant contrast to the frequently-accompanied carols. A cappella versions of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas,' 'An Evening In December,' and 'Snowfall,' are highlights.

Director McCorvey has assembled a stellar group of 22 mixed voices, all soloists in their own right, to create his all-star touring ensemble. Favorites among these 15 live cuts, recorded on the group's 1998-2000 tours of Kentucky and Spain, include the live cut 'Walk Together Children,' the most dynamic arrangement of 'The Battle of Jericho' we have heard, 'Rock-A-My Soul,' 'Free At Last (From Big River),' 'Amen,' 'Lord, How Come Me Here,' 'I Don't Feel No Ways Tired,' 'You Can Tell The World' and 'Come Sunday.' There is some piano and drum accompaniment, but mostly rich, powerful harmonies, soaring leads and great arrangements. Some of the best spirituals we have heard in a long time, from national musical treasure ASE!

Listen to I'm Gonna Sing 'Till The Spirit Moves In My Heart in RealAudio.

Founded by Everett McCorvey in 1995, the 32-strong, mixed-voice American Spiritual Ensemble has toured Italy, Germany, Britain, Scotland, Spain and Japan, and has sung in the Metropolitan Opera, NYC Opera and Houston Grand Opera, among many other venues. All the members are soloists in their own right, and the ensemble thrills audiences with their dynamic renditions of classic spirituals, jazz and Broadway selections. 'Lily of the Valley' is a dynamic, generous collection of 19 spirituals, some favorites are 'You Must Have That True Religion' (which segues into 'Gimme That Old Time Religion'), 'Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel,' the title tune, 'I Want To Be Ready,' 'Fix Me Jesus,' 'My Lord, What A Mourning,' 'Ride Up In The Chariot,' 'Scandalize My Name,' 'Done Found My Lost Sheep,' 'Watch and Pray' and 'Come Down Angels.' Some of these songs are new to us, others are old favorites, but all of them are stunningly powerful and lovely. There is some piano and light drum percussion. Don't miss this wonderful CD by one of the finest spiritual ensembles in the world!

Listen to Daniel, Daniel, the Servant of the Lord in RealAudio.

The American Spiritual Ensemble has grown to 42 members for this memorable recording 'The Spirituals.' Two powerful pictures in the liner notes, depicting a slave couple at a mean cabin, dreaming of escaping their bondage, and then on the cover, striking out across a fog-shrouded field in the early morning, tell us the story of these 15 authentic songs. 'Crossin' Ovah,' 'Follow The Drinking Gourd,' 'There Is A Balm in Gilead,' 'It's Me Oh Lord,' 'Guide My Feet,' 'Here's One,' 'Give Me Jesus,' 'I Want Jesus to Walk With Me' and 'We Shall Overcome' speak of the tremendous struggle of African-Americans to gain their freedom and equality. The soulful leads and harmonies of these powerful coded songs actually helped some of the singers find their way out of bondage. Powerful, wonderful stuff from the American Spiritual Ensemble! Some piano accompaniment.

Listen to Plenty Good Room in RealAudio.

Coppell, Texas-based mixed Christian barbershop quartet (2 men and two women) Kindred Spirits bring us eight finely-crafted Christmas tunes: 'Fum, Fum Fum,' 'I Wonder What You're Doing for Christmas,' the sweet, soulful 'What Can I Give Him,' the inspirational 'I Have Been Revived,' 'Mary Did You Know?', 'It Is Well With My Soul,' 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' and 'Auld Lang Syne.' Kindred Spirits sings with a lot of warmth, and there are a lot of wonderful harmonies in this CDÐand good feeling for the blessed event that is the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

When two couples have gotten to know each other through church, barbershop singing, parenting children of similar ages, and being partners in business it is not a huge stretch of the imagination to find them creating a group which uses those musical elements of their common lives. These 'Kindred Spirits' share their life long love of singing with both religious and secular offerings. The arrangements take elements from hymns, a lot of swing and jazz standards and embellish them with the tight harmonies and chording learned with much barbershop experience to craft a joyous recording. Part of the delight of this original mix strikes one when you realize that, for just one example, 'My Blue Heaven' isn't a religious tune and yet, well... it could be! You'll become a small 'k' kindred spirit too!

There are 21 singers here, directed by founder Everett McCorvey's Kentucky-based American Spiritual Ensemble in the recording of this beautiful Christmas album, but the sound is so rich and full it seems like there must be more. Favorites among the 18 songs include standards like 'Away In A Manger,' 'Little Drummer Boy,' 'Mary Had A Baby,' 'Christmas Medley' and 'Ave Maria;' and less familiar tunes like 'I Believe This Is Jesus,' 'Behold The Star,' 'Great Day,' 'Rockin' Jerusalem,' the joyous 'Here's A Pretty Little Baby,' 'The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy,' 'Siyahamba,' 'Prepare Me one Body' and 'I Can Tell The World.' There is some piano accompaniment. This album is a foot-tapping celebration from beginning to end, and to us that is what 'The Spirit of the Holidays' is all about. Don't miss this one! 

Listen to Rockin' Jerusalem in RealAudio.

Based at Moscow's Schnittke Institute of Music, the 37-strong, mixed-voice Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia was founded in 1992 by director and arranger Lev Kontorovich. The first 15 songs of 'Sounds' are Russian Orthodox sacred choral music from the late 1800s up until the Russian Revolution, featuring composers such as Peter Il'yich Tchaikovsky, four movements from the 'Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41,' three versions of 'Gladsome Light' (by Alexander Kastalsky, Viktor Kalinnikov and Anatoly Koselev, 6 songs by Pavel Chesnokov including 'The Cherubic Hymn Op. 27,' Rodion Shchedrin's 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and Valery Kitka's lovely 'The Stars Are Falling in the Night.' The next 8 songs are sacred music by German composers, including two cuts by Schubert, Hugo Wolf's 'Komm, Trost der Welt,' one each by Niel van der Watt and Olivier Messiaen, Mozart's wonderful 'Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de confessore' and two fine songs by Bach, 'Ave Maria' and 'Invention No. 8.' 'Sounds' is simply magnificent, every cut is stunningly beautiful!

Created in 1992, at the end of the Soviet era, when freedom of religious expression was once again permitted, the Spiritual Revival Choir of Moscow's Schnittke Institute of Music has a repertoire that understandably deals with the spiritual exultation of religious celebration. Besides music of Russian composers, the Choir's repertoire includes music of the Renaissance and Baroque, Viennese classics, and 18th and 19th-century Romantic masterpieces. Favorites are 'The Russian Soil: Chants dedicated to Russian Saints,' Tchaikovsky's 'Prayer of Repentance for Russia' and 'Eucharist from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,' Alexander Arkhangelsky's 'I cried out to the Lord,' Pavel Chesnokov's 'Blessed is the Man' and 'The Angel Cried,' Nicolai Lebedev's 'Funeral Mass,' Valery Kikta's 'Hymn to the Holy Virgin,' and Alfred Schnittke's (founder of the Institute of Music) 'Three Sacred Chorales.' Tremendous depth, feeling and spirituality comes through the music of the Spiritual Revival Choir, directed by Lev Kontorovich. Beautiful and inspirational!