There Is a Balm in Gilead

Jeanne Lee (vocals), Archie Shepp (tenor sax), Lester Bowie (trumpet, fluhelhorn), Dave Burrell (piano), Malachi Favors (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). From the album Blasé (1969).

Black spirituals are Christian songs sung a cappella by the slaves on plantations. They reflected the harsh working conditions, where they were forced to sing to prevent them from organizing escapes and uprisings. The lyrics were based on biblical texts, they were composed collectively and it was an oral tradition. They were characterized by simplicity, improvisation and repetition of phrases. Religious services were the only place where they could gather, socialize and express their feelings. During these events, the worshipers sang, danced and sometimes went into ecstatic trances.

Although at first the spirituals were sung in unison, nowadays they are interpreted with harmonized choral arrangements. With the end of the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery in the United States, African Americans started to have access to formal education and musical training. Then these songs were written in music sheets in the universities and in this way the black spiritual was officially born. It’s based on the call of the soloist and the response of the choir, and is the origin of gospel and later of blues, ragtime, rhythm and blues and jazz.

Lester Bowie introduces the song with mute on his trumpet and then Shepp joins in playing with him a slow melody that sounds like a religious song. Lee then begins to sing accompanied by Burrell and Favors using the bow, and says that there is a balm in Gilead that heals the wounded and the sinners. The “balm in Gilead” appears in the Old Testament, but the letter of this spiritual refers to the New Testament concept of salvation through Jesus Christ. This balm is a spiritual medicine that can heal Israel and sinners in general. Next Shepp and Bowie repeat the song in unison and then Bowie again plays it alone.