Mark Carpentieri has done the world a heap of good by creating such a compelling and shining tribute to criminally forgotten gospel guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Featuring Maria Muldaur (and through much of her effort), this compilation is a who's who of female artists covering the sister's songs. This includes Joan Osborne, Odetta, Michelle Shocked, Victoria Williams and more. Many of the tracks feature the gospel-tinged bluesy vocals of the Holmes Brothers.

This is an excellent collection of material dynamically delivered and running the spectrum from the spiritual ("Two Little Fishes & Five Loaves of Bread") to secular ("I Want a Tall Skinny Papa"). It was that breadth of her art that caused such controversy in Tharpe's career and overcoming that adversity through her talents made her an inspiration to the talented artists on this CD -- like Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock who performs "Precious Memories."

- Rambles
written by Tom Schulte
published 27 November 2004