The gospel/folk singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe was accompanied by a jazz orchestra on her debut recording.

Wade In The Water: 5 Jazz Takes On Spirituals

The songs were a byproduct of slavery in the U.S. But after being passed along by generations of African-American musicians, they were later embraced by a variety of improvisers, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Grant Green and John Coltrane.

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