Here’s a welcome, renewed acquaintance with two old friends and a chance meet some new ones, as this double-CD reissues the original Soul Stirrers vinyl SAR albums and includes some stray unissued tracks and sides that were issued only on hard to find 45 rpms.

The Soul Stirrers were one of America’s premier gospel quartets for several decades, with roots going back nearly a century. The Soul Stirrers propelled Sam Cooke to superstardom in Black America, so when he formed his own label, SAR, in 1960 he returned the favor. A Chicago-based quartet, there’s substantial New Orleans connections here as AFO combo members Harold Battiste, Chuck Badie and John Boudreux can be heard on several sides, as well as drummer Earl Palmer.

One doesn’t need to have a spiritual side (although it helps) to appreciate the magnificence of these recordings. “Stand By Me Father,” (with Johnnie Taylor on lead) “I’m A Pilgrim,” “God Is Standing By” (what an emotive piece of music) “He Cares” and “Lead Me Jesus” are a virtual template for what would later become soul music. Speaking of Taylor, an alumnus of another important quartet, the Highway QCs, he had a short tenure with the Soul Stirrers as, like Cooke, he also pursued a successful career in secular music.

At this point, Soul Stirrer guitarist Leroy Crume took a more prominent role in the group. Crume wrote and sang on the sanctified “His Love,” “Free At Last” and “Mother Don’t Worry About Me.” Quite an important reissue and a reminder of a bygone musical era. The perfect listen for a Sunday morning.