Bless This House

Bless This House

Like many singers of the 1950s and 60s, Mahalia Jackson was never afraid to try different musical styles to expand her horizons, although some of her efforts alienated her fanbase. She was, they felt, the best gospel singer of the age and had no need to delve into blues, jazz or R&B. If that was the case, then they would have been especially pleased with Bless This House, an album that features pianist Mildred Falls and organist Ralph Jones and their ensemble. There are still elements other than gospel to be found, including the jazz influenced Let the Church Roll On, whilst the blues influence of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey are never too far from the surface. The end result is a joyous celebration of religious music and one of the great Mahalia Jackson albums.