''Brighten the Corner'' is a 1967 studio album by the American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

singer

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, debut album on Capitol Records. The album charted at #172 in the Billboard Hot 200 album charts. The album was reissued by Capitol Records on CD in 1991 and together, on one CD, with the album " Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas" in 2006. The album was Ella's first since leaving the Verve label, which had seen her produce her most acclaimed body of work. It marked a sharp change of direction for Fitzgerald, as ''Brighten the Corner'' saw Ella sing Christian hymns, reflecting her own spirituality, and eschewing the

Great American Songbook The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. Definition According to the Great American Songbook Foundation: The "Great American Songbook" i ...

standards on which she had previously concentrated.

Track listing

For the 1967 LP on Capitol Records; Capitol ST 2684; ; Re-issued in 1991 on CD, Capitol CDP 7 95151-2 Side One: # " Abide with Me" (

Henry Francis Lyte Henry Francis Lyte (1 June 1793 – 20 November 1847) was an Anglican divine, hymnodist, and poet. Biography Youth and education Henry Francis Lyte was the second son of Thomas and Anna Maria (née Oliver) Lyte, whose family came originally fr ...

, Arrangers; G. Price, R. Black) - 3.24 # "

Just a Closer Walk with Thee "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional gospel song and jazz standard that has been performed and recorded by many artists. Performed as either an instrumental or vocal, "A Closer Walk" is perhaps the most frequently played number in the ...

" (

Traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

, Arrangers; G. Price, R. Black) - 5.00 # "

The Old Rugged Cross "The Old Rugged Cross" is a popular hymn written in 1912 by American evangelist and song-leader George Bennard (1873–1958). History George Bennard was a native of Youngstown, Ohio, but was reared in Iowa. After his conversion in a Salvation ...

" (

George Bennard George Bennard (February 4, 1873 – October 10, 1958) was an American hymn composer and preacher. He is best known for composing the famous hymn, " The Old Rugged Cross". Early years Bennard was born in the coal-mining and iron-production ...

) - 3.50 # " Brighten the Corner Where You Are" (Ina D. Ogdon, Charles H. Gabriel ) - 2.33 # "

I Need Thee Every Hour Annie Hawks (May 28, 1836 - January 3, 1918) was an American poet and gospel hymnist who wrote a number of hymns with her pastor, Robert Lowry. She contributed to several popular Sunday school hymnbooks, and wrote the lyrics to a number of well ...

" (Annie S. Hawks, Robert Lowry) - 3.38 # " In the Garden" ( C. Austin Miles) - 3.14 # "God Be with You Till We Meet Again" (Jeremiah E. Rankin, William G. Tomer) - 1.19 Side Two: # "God Will Take Care of You" (Civilla D. Martin, W. Stillman Martin) - 3.29 # " The Church in the Wildwood" (William S. Pitts) - 3.00 # "Throw Out the Lifeline" (Edwin Ufford) - 3.12 # "

I Shall Not Be Moved "I Shall Not Be Moved", also known as "We Shall Not Be Moved", is an African-American slave spiritual, hymn, and protest song dating to the early 19th century American south. It was likely originally sung at revivalist camp-meetings as a slav ...

" (

, Arrangers; G. Price, R. Black) - 2.40 # "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" (Philip P. Bliss) - 2.46 # "

What a Friend We Have In Jesus "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by preacher Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother, who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, a ...

" ( Joseph M. Scriven,

Charles Crozat Converse Charles Crozat Converse (October 7, 1832 – October 18, 1918) was an American attorney who also worked as a composer of church songs. He is notable for setting to music the words of Joseph Scriven to become the hymn "What a Friend We Have in ...

) - 4.02 # "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me" (Augustus Toplady, Thomas Hastings) - 1.58

Personnel

- Vocals * Ralph Carmichael Choir - Vocals * John Kraus - engineer * Grace Price, Robert Black - arrangements

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brighten The Corner 1967 albums Capitol Records albums Ella Fitzgerald albums Albums produced by Dave Dexter Jr.