Spiritual Baptist Music of Trinidad

The hymns on this 1980 Folkways release were recorded during services in Spiritual Baptist churches in northwestern Trinidad between 1976 and 1979. Worship alternates between “cool” periods of quiet contemplation and “hot” periods that call forth manifestations of the Holy Ghost (for example, “speaking in tongues”). The record contains a variety of hymns that are performed during services, from fast-paced songs to an innovative “shout.” Liner notes describe in detail this international religious movement’s distinctive baptism and mourning rites.