Amazing Aretha

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace album:

At the pinnacle of her musical powers and popular success, she decided to go back to her first love, gospel music. On the nights of Jan. 13 and 14, 1972, all the pieces came together for a breathtaking recording and, eventually, concert film. The elements? The soaring, emotive singing of Franklin—even at age 29 one of the great voices of modern times. The tight Southern California Community Choir, led by the “King of Gospel,” the Rev. James Cleveland, and conducted by the gifted Alexander Hamilton. Aretha’s blue-chip band with guitarist Cornell Dupree, bassist Chuck Rainey and drummer Bernard Purdie. Crack arrangements. Soulful piano parts mostly by Cleveland, a few by Aretha. And the empathy, almost telepathy, among the singers and musicians.

As Aretha hums, slides, swoops, whoops and moans, she goes from one chill-inducing moment to another. She says hardly a word, but her faith is unmistakable. Sixteen minutes long in the “complete” recording, “Amazing Grace,” common property of white and Black churches, is the emotional and musical highlight. Stretched to the limits of slowness and out of tempo, this 18th-century hymn becomes a showcase of improvisation and spiritual euphoria.

If you, like my (much) younger self, know nothing about gospel or blues, one enjoyable introduction is the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers. It even has Aretha singing one of her biggest hits, Think. In Amazing Grace "she decided to go back to her first love, gospel music."