Mary Lous Mass
This CD is a 1970 papally commissioned "Jazz Mass," with seven previously unreleased tracks by pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams (1910-81). It was inspired by her conversion to Catholicism in the 1950s. Like her other work,Mary Lou Williams Presents:  Black Christ of the Andes, her ebullient, blues-based piano lines brilliantly fuse jazz, R&B;, Latin, and liturgical music. This mostly choral-based recording features vocalists Milton Grayson,Honi Gordon, French horn virtuosoDavid Amram, and percussionistRalph McDonald. On "Praise the Lord (Come Holy Spirit)," Williams melds Psalms 148 and 150 with funky dance beats, while "Holy, Holy, Holy," swings with a bossa nova lilt.   The spectral "Lamb of God," rings with a chillingMingusonianair, and the CD closes with "Tell Him Not to Talk too Long," and "I Have a Dream," two hymns recorded in Rome, in memory ofMartin Luther King, Jr.--Eugene Holley, Jr.