Say My Friend

The Mizells’ soul-jazz sound had worked wonders for Donald Byrd, given a boost to L.T.D., and made for one of the more memorable Blaxploitation soundtracks with Hell Up In Harlem — so where else would that touch leave a lasting impression? The answer lay in one of the oldest traditions of Black popular music, and in the hands of one of the decade’s most crossover-savvy of all the gospel groups. Even the most secular-minded listener could catch the spirit off this oft-overlooked album’s interplay of big-budget studio-soul arrangements and the Allen Brothers’ stunning group harmonies, resulting in an LP that would not only stand as a gospel classic but rival the Gamble-and-Huff O’Jays on their own majestic-soul turf.