The career of the Chicago-based gospel-soul legend Pastor T.L. Barrett has been lovingly reissued by the Numero Group as Barrett’s first four studio albums (plus fantastic liner notes, photos, sermons, and singles) are all organized on I Shall Wear A Crown. Barrett has recently been sampled by the likes of Kanye West and DJ Khaled, now his original recordings are gathered in one amazing collection.
The New York-born but Chicago-based Barrett followed in the activist preacher tradition of the likes of Fred Hampton and Martin Luther King Jr. He worked directly with the Reverend Jesse Jackson providing outreach programs to Robert Taylor Homes public housing on Chicago’s South Side as well as countless other spiritual works. His special musical calling led to the formation of the forty-five-piece Youth for Christ Choir, as the young Pastor led the group through multiple soulful gospel recordings in the early ’70s.
His debut release is the jewel of this collection as Like A Ship… (Without A Sail) from 1971. Barrett employs a sturdy backing team of the choir, Stax composer Gene Barge, guitarist Phillip Upchurch, organist Gary “Snake” Riley and drummer Charles Pittman, but it is the work of bassist Richard Evans which propels this album beyond genre obscurity, predicting the upcoming decades’ soulful funk in the name of the Lord. The rhythmic work is constantly shifting throughout as the choir pushes the haunting/questioning title track and the meaty groove of the call and response, “Nobody Knows” finding Barrett and crew with the ability to turn a painful spiritual into an electric healing joyride.
The energy is slower and sweeter for the gospel of “Wonderful”, while the bass again, along with sleigh bells and choir, pump up the praise on the great “It’s Me O Lord”. The album reaches heavenly heights on two building tracks as Riley’s organ leads “Joyful Noise” energetically while “Ever Since” injects insane bass runs around handclaps to deliver a funky build-up that could go on for hours, and during Sunday services, probably does.
After that stellar debut, Barrett followed it up with more spiritual goodness on, Vol. II; Do Not Pass Me By (1973). This rare album was sold directly from the church by Barrett and has been expertly remastered for this release as the ten songs ring out vibrantly. The album overall is more of a showcase for the vocals than the debut, as the choir shine and the band supports, filling in exuberantly around the soaring singing on tracks like “Jesus Is All The World To Me”, “Here I Am” and “There Is Only One”.
However, the ever funky music doesn’t take a back seat at all as the strutting guitar/piano on “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul” and the ripping bass/drum on “No Not One” prove the band is playing for keeps. Embedding a clear influence from Stevie Wonder the title track is the first of the Reverend’s to insert brass into his gospel/soul/funk stew; it is a glorious addition resulting in a collection highlight.
Those gorgeous horn arraignments kick off Pastor Barrett’s second release of 1973, the polished and pulsing I Found The Answer. The soul-stirring, swelling combination of brass, bells and voices deliver salvation on “I Don’t Know How Long” and for each of the best efforts on this album the horns play a major role, as does bassist-arranger Larry Ball.
Tunes like the exhilaratingly bright “Shine On Me”, the drama-filled “Trouble and Strike” and “Pray Pray Pray” (which co-opts “Chain of Fools” for the lord with funky fast drumming and thanksgiving) are all dynamite offerings with fluid horn work and heartfelt singing. I Found An Answer is a robust full length that rivals Barrett’s debut record for the best in this collection as the handclaps, call and response choir and Ball’s bubbling bass close it out while getting high on the Lord for “Turn On With Jesus”.
The confusingly named Do No Pass Me By Vol 1 wasn’t released until 1976 and is the fourth and final studio album in the collection. It finds the Reverend delivering his most demonstrative singing around blaring horns on the title track; an exuberant plea propelled by the ever-present choir. The funky gospel is the most polished of this collection with soaring vocals, amazing bass, and driving drums.
The passionate “These Are The Words” and “So Many Days” are excellent, but when the band slows down for a throwback to the more traditional gospel on “Oh What A Day” and especially the drawn-out “Father Stretch My Hands” the energy drags. Barrett injects a bit of disco funk around “After The Rain ” and the simple lyric of closer “I Want To Be In Love With You” to round out the record.
To complement the re-released high-quality studio discography is a collection of passionate (and at times humorous) sermons, Christmas tracks, very in-depth liner notes and classic pictures. Barrett has had struggles in life, during his early days before he found his calling and a 1989 pyramid scheme from which he was forced to repay $1.2 million to investors. The collection doesn’t shy away from his sins; rather I Shall Wear A Crown focuses on the healing power of forgiveness and faith around a funky beat.
A living legend amongst his Chicago community, Barrett now has his studio recordings gloriously presented for anyone to listen to and join along with him and his congregation in praising the lord. Pastor T.L. Barrett will undoubtedly be preaching at his Life Center COGIC church to the faithful as long as he is able, while these classic gospel soul cuts now can find their way to a larger audience via I Shall Wear A Crown.
