The Sojourners CD is the Vancouver-based group's second album for Black Hen, and comes four years after they formed to initially record back up vocals for label mate and Canadian blues icon Jim Byrnes on his House of Refuge album. Byrnes promptly dubbed them "The Sojourners," and a new a career was born for these men, all of whom have extensive years in the music business. The Sojourners are also featured singing back up vocals on Byrnes' most-recent celebrated album, My Walking Stick. Recently, the group has received rave reviews for "He Calls that Religion," the track The Sojourners recorded on the critically- acclaimed Mississippi Sheiks tribute CD, Things About Comin' My Way, released in October on Black Hen.

The Sojourners are all originally from the U.S.: Marcus Mosely was born in Ralls, Texas and grew up in San Jose, California; Ron Small is from Chicago, Illinois, but has been living in Vancouver since 1960; and Will Sanders was raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. All of the men spent their formative years singing in their respective churches and bring that solid bedrock classic gospel music to their foundation; but have expanded their musical palette to include influences from doo-wop, blues and soul to R&B and country. The result is a glorious sound that is sanctified, yet soulful; rootsy and blessed � all at the same time!

Recording once again with Black Hen Music president Steve Dawson as producer, The Sojourners have crafted an album that has their strong voices at the epicenter, but surrounded by Dawson's bluesy guitar, Mike Kalanj's warm Hammond B-3 organ tones, an in-the-pocket rhythm section of Geoff Hicks on drums and Keith Lowe on bass, with a soaring cameo from Jesse Zubot on mandolin for the track, "By and By."

These seasoned vocalists breathe new life into classic gospel songs such as Doris Akers' "Lead Me Guide Me" and The Violinaires "Another Soldier Gone;" add a chilling reading of Rev. Gary Davis' gospel/blues, "Death Don't Have No Mercy;" and even include an uplifting cover of Los Lobos' "Peace in the Neighborhood."

The Sojourners have performed regularly at folk, jazz and blues festivals all over the world, including the Calgary and Edmonton Folk Festivals, Ottawa Blues Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival (where they shared the stage with Dave Sanborn) and sold-out tours in Holland and Germany. The group is already booked to play a number of festivals in 2010 and other dates in support of the new album.