For Jazz Fest 2006, blues guitarist and OffBeat contributor Marc Stone arranged a “Sacred Funk’ show with sacred steel masters the Campbell Brothers, a flight of New Orleans horn players, and singers Theresa Andersson, Shannon McNally and Arlee Leonard. They recorded the show, and while it periodically shows what’s so hot about the Campbells, it’s better as a recreation of what a show in the Gospel Tent is like—even if it wasn’t recorded there. Almost every song is in the driving, rave-up mode with ascending horn lines and steel guitar lines that sweep upwards. All instrumental and vocal melodies ascend toward Heaven, and I normally hate thumped bass notes, but here they combine with the snare to create this tumbling clot of percussive notes that redouble a song’s push.

I could have lived without “Put a Little Love in Your Heart”—well-done, but who cares—and we go through over 11 minutes of “The Storm” without hearing the Campbells, but we do get a beautiful Tim Green solo and extended time with Arlee Leonard in compensation. You have to wait until the album’s end to get to the show you came for. “Spontaneous Praise Jam” is a burner with the steel guitars sounding like raw electricity, then they slide eloquently through an epic “A Change is Gonna Come.”

As a document of a great night, Rallytime is a winner. As an evocation of inclusive gospel, it’s strong. As a showcase for the Campbell Brothers’ sacred steel prowess, it gets there, but it takes its time.