A trio of similarly named albums to demonstrate my international crate-digging cred: The first comes from a junk shop near Boulogne for un euro; the second, liberated from a Virginian animal protection charity shop, cost me a buck; and finally, a quid landed me the last album from a Canterbury boot fair.
Negro Spirituals at Christmas (Guilde Disque International MMS 2090)- Golden Gate Quartet

A first rate 1950s (?) budget label collection from a gospel foursome still trading–they’ve got a new album out this year. Elvis was apparently a fan and it’s easy to hear why: lead and backing vocals bubble and bounce around each other in gloriously mellow fashion reminiscent of, but swingier than, the King and his Jordanaires. This one has been getting much play lately.
Spirituals (RCA Victor LM-2126)- Howard University Choir

As befits RCA’s Red Label classical division, this is a more “high church” chorale exercise for Sunday morning enjoyment. Like, for example, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, there’s a kind of explicit, and rather defensive, desire to make respectable that which was frowned upon by polite society.
Negro Spirituals (World Record Club LMP 12)- Various Artists

I’ve mentioned this elpee before, now here’s a chance to actually view the notorious creation. I gave it another chance recently and it sounds like a Disney chorus doing gospel. It’s really not great, but I still adore the cover.