The American Vocalist Spirituals and folk hymns, 1850-1870 (1992)

'Joel Cohen, leader of the Boston Camerata, began delving into the hymnbooks and folk spirituals of 19th century America. American Vocalist was his first full-length treatment of this sort of material, all of which is drawn from two 19th century hymnbooks. On this recording the Camerata is joined by the Chamber Choir of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum and the Scholar Cantorum of Boston, though many of the songs are performed with supreme monodic simplicity, a single voice being accompanied by Cohen's minimalist guitar. The songs are invariably gorgeous, though some of Cohen's musical choices are questionable: it's hard not to wish that the group would deliver sturdy fuguing tunes like "Edom" and "Greenwich" with a bit more punch and vigor, and tenor John Fleagle sings the lovely "Gospel Feast" in an unattractively strained voice. Overall, though, this is an album of uncommon beauty'. (Bron: Rick Anderson, Allmusic).