Singing in the Spirit ? African?American Sacred Quartets in New York City

Draws on field recordings and interviews with dozens of local New York singers to tell the story of sacred quartet singing in New York City's African-American church community, tracing its evolution and its role in worship and culture.

"Allen . . . fills a need for information on this segment of the black 'spiritual entertainment' tradition in music with a balanced presentation of the New York history, repertoire, aesthetics, performance style, and future of sacred quartet singing. Telling quotations express performers' experiences, giving his book a welcome 'inside story' perspective. Selected examples of lyrics present images of both tradition and spontaneity (improvisation is part of the tradition). This serious ethnomusicological study . . . will appeal more to students than to general readers."—Library Journal