Christmas with Mahalia
As someone who grew up singing gospel hymns in her Baptist church and who later brought that music to diverse audiences around the globe (she sang for John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.), Mahalia Jackson served as the Queen of Gospel Music and as an inspiration and influence to future generations. These Christmas songs benefit from her powerful phrasing and unrestrained enthusiasm which easily transform an old English madrigal ("What Child Is This?")  into something deeply felt from her own difficult upbringing. A stylist of the highest order, Jackson infused everything she sang with a majestic sweep that made her one of the most important voices of her day.--Rob O'Connor