Many of today’s biggest names in soul gospel music regularly nab urban adult-radio play. But it’s no recent phenomenon for the African American church’s psalmists to make sonic overtures for worldly acceptance. Many of the 27 1960s-’70s selections collected on Lord Have Mercy from Chess Records’ sacred music imprint, Checker, could pass for contemporaneous soul music of its era save for the lyrical content.
It might be that the same players who backed soul hits for the legendary Chicago parent label put some oomph into these songs dedicated to a higher purpose. One of the rawer and more minimal numbers here comes from Milwaukee’s own Masonic Wonders, on their only nationally issued 45. Saints and sinners already turned on to Numero Group’s Good God! compilation series (home to another early Masonic Wonders track) and seekers after the “gospel funk” genre will want this for the convenience of so rich a trove of this hybrid sound in one place. Lord Have Mercy is a bountiful, beat-heavy blessing.
