Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you didn't know your gospel music history, you'd assume that Rev Milton Brunson (resplendent in grey hair and sharp suit in the cover pic) was a gospel soloist rather than the renowned choir director of the Thompson Community Singers (the choir get no billing or photo here). Yet another example of shoddy Word packaging of their gospel oldies. Despite that, this 15-song compilation has plenty of spirited tracks from albums like 'It's Gonna Rain' (1983), 'If I Be Lifted' (1987), 'Available To You' (1988), 'Open Our Eyes' (1990), 'My Mind Is Made Up' (1992), 'Shout' (1995), 'He's Still Good' (1997) and '50 Blessed Years' (1998). It's a shame that no room could be found for the choir's killer "Rejoice" from their 'It's Gonna Rain' album but there is still plenty of exciting call and response fervour to attract lovers of the old school choir sound.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

This album is a celebration and captures the best songs over the many years of singing and performing.

The late Reverend Milton Brunson organized a mass gospel choir in 1948 at Chicago's McKinley High School. This choir was called the 'Thompson Community Singers' or 'The Tommies' after the late Rev. Eugene Thompson of St. Stephen's Church. The choir grew from an ensemble of 48 to more than 200 voices and became the United States' longest running mass gospel choir. They had success in 1963 with the single Witness / Rise Up And Walk and in 1964 Here Is One / Soldier In God's Army on the VeeJay Gospel label.

They have been latterly based in Austin in Chicago's West Side. The Tommies have had five number one albums in the gospel charts and in 1995 won a Grammy award. They have backed Shirley Caesar on several projects.

Milton Brunson also founded the Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, organised other choirs, played as a bass soloist, directed a 1,000 voices chorus, worked with Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and assisted schools in crisis. Jessy Dixon also led the choir until he founded The Chicago Community Choir, and in 1997 Milton's wife , Joanne Brunson took over the choir after Milton passed into glory. She invited a young assistant pastor Smokie Norful to sing on the 2000 album Real.