
Usingvintagephotos,probinginterviews,andclipsfromhundredsofhoursofrarefilmandaudiorecordings,RejoiceandShouthonorsandcelebratesthemusicalhistoryofAfrican-AmericanChristianity.Inhismostambitiousprojecttodate,directorDonMcGlynntakesontheentire200-yearevolutionofgospelmusicinblackAmerica.Goingbacktoitsearliestrootsinthe19thcentury,whenplantationownersforcedslavestoconverttoChristianity,McGlynnconnectsthedotsthatledtotoday’ssoulandR&Bmusic—asClaudeJeter'sfalsettovoicebegatAlGreen,sotheDixieHummingbirdsledtogroupssuchasTemptations.Thefilmalsoshowshowgospelwas,andstillremains,somuchmorethanmerepopmusictotheAfrican-Americancommunity;howithelpedsustainthespiritsduringthedarkesthoursofrepressionduringslavery,theJimCrowera,andthecivilrightsmovement.Filledwithhard-to-findperformancesandrecordingsbyMahaliaJackson,SmokeyRobinson,SisterRosettaTharpe,theWards,JamesCleveland,theStapleSingers,theBlindBoysofAlabama,andmanyothers,RejoiceandShoutisamust-seenotjustforgospelaficionadosbutforanyonewhoappreciatestheinspirationalpowerofmusic.

