Gospel, the earth, and sorrow imbue these masterfully rendered, time honored songs. Charlie Haden's bass carries remarkable resonance, joining Hank Jones' powerfully understated piano in a brilliant duet pairing. As W.E.B. DuBois states in the liner notes, through these songs of sorrow "there breathes a hope, a faith in the ultimate justice of things. The minor cadences of depair change often to triumph and claim confidence."

The power of the music comes from the accurate selection of songs ("Wade in De Water", "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Go Down Moses" and others) which represent a historical, social profile of a nation of people. These songs predate the music industry while the honesty and simplicity captured in these performances radiates quality.