Mahalia Jackson’s Apollo Recordings

For many, Jackson’s output for Apollo during her eight years with the label remain the most admired recordings of her career and prime exemplars of post-war gospel singing. This chapter, the first in-depth analysis of this body of work, begins with a discussion of trajectories of production, instrumental backing, and sources of Jackson’s sacred repertory at her Apollo sessions. Musically, the majority of Jackson’s gospel recordings for Apollo can been sorted according to three recurring “feels”—a “swing” feel, a “gospel” feel, and a “free” feel employed in her performance of hymns—and hybrids of these. Analysis of these recordings reveals illuminating details pertaining to Jackson’s voice and gospel performance practice.