A jazz legend and a gospel choirmaster join forces for a historic collaboration. Legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter and iconic gospel choir director and leader Ricky Dillard announce the release of their joint album, Sweet Sweet Spirit, coming out February 6 via Motown Gospel and Blue Note Records.
Thirty years in the making, the album pays tribute to Carter’s late mother, Mrs. Willie O. Carter, an enduring influence in Carter’s life. Carter’s sisters requested that he arrange and perform their mother’s favourite hymns, which he arranged and recorded so that she could listen to them during her final days at a live-in care facility. Now, alongside Dillard and his choir, those arrangements will be brought back to life.
Joining the two maestros on this project is Dillard’s New-G Choir (formerly known as the New Generation Chorale), which Dillard has been leading since 1988, making them one of the preeminent choirs in contemporary gospel today. Coupled with Carter’s bass arrangements and Dillard’s, the project featured timeless hymns such as “Pass Me Not,” “Farther Along,” “Just A Closer Walk with Thee,” and the lead single “Sweet, Sweet Spirit.”
Sweet, Sweet Spirit is the first jazz-gospel album for both labels, combining two African-American genres that have influenced each other. “When this music is released, I predict that it will open up a lot more doors to people’s hearts, unifying them,” says Carter.
Sweet, Sweet Spirit comes out on February 6 and is available for pre-order. Take a listen to the title track, “Sweet, Sweet Spirit,” below.
