Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet cover

Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Released

One of the oddest, most beautiful, and most deeply moving compositions of Gavin Bryars’ oeuvre is this piece, which is built on a field recording of a homeless man singing a few lines of the gospel song “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet.” The vocal recording is looped, and on each repetition a string ensemble plays a slightly different accompaniment. The back story to this composition is worth seeking out, but even if you know nothing about its genesis, the music is utterly entrancing.

Rick Anderson

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