TBGB Pick of the Week: February 25, 2008

“Sweeping Through the City”
Shirley Caesar
From the Shu-Bel/Light CD After 40 Years…Still Sweeping Through the City
http://www.light-street.com/

The energetic Pastor Shirley Caesar reprises a memorable moment from her days with the Caravans on a live version of “Sweeping Through the City,” aka “I Won’t Be Back.” Caesar and her backing choir take “Sweeping Through the City” slow and bluesy at first, then wind up the tempo into a hand-clapping roust that is the very definition of gospel singing.

This performance, from Caesar’s new project, After 40 Years…Still Sweeping Through the City demonstrates without a doubt that she has all the sass, all the swagger, and every ounce of vocal power that she evinced on her first solo outing, 1967’s I’ll Go (Hob), and even further back, in ’62 when she led “I Won’t Be Back” for the Caravans.

The full-length album version of the song on the new CD contains Caesar’s superb duet with Joe Ligon from the Mighty Clouds of Joy. And during a live appearance at Chicago’s Triedstone Full Gospel Baptist Church last Friday evening to promote her album, Pastor Caesar (right) was once again joined by gospel legends; this time it was Tommies alum and soloist Leanne Faine and an equally hard-singing Lemmie Battles (below). Together, they did an extended version of “Sweeping” that climaxed with Caesar’s trademark holy dancing.

The audience was on its feet, including Lorenza Brown Porter, founding member of the Argo Singers (another legendary hard-singing female group), who encouraged the trio on from the second row.