The magic of Sweet Honey in the Rock lies in the pulse and spirit of the group's performances. No recording can totally re-create the net of energy this powerful collective of women's voices casts over its audience, but Live at Carnegie Hall comes darn close. Here the group's members are free to develop songs as long as the spirit moves them--much longer, typically, than on their studio albums. Listen to the driven growls in the traditional folk chant "Run, Run, Mourner Run," the solemn contemplation of "Wade in the Water," and the circular wails and stirring percussion of "Denko" to feel Sweet Honey's spirit pounding through your bones. Live at Carnegie Hall also features several instructive yet tender introductions from founder Bernice Johnson Reagon, an amazingly theatrical presentation of Sonia Sanchez's poem "Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King," and a jazzy a cappella version of Paul Elouard's sensual poem "Peace." --Sally WeinbachRecorded in Manhattan on November 7, 1987, this double live album includes 70 minutes of music and spoken introductions. There's a representative balance of hymns, blues, protest songs, and Third World influences. The group's ability to stretch out songs is illustrated by a seven-minute version of "Wade in the Water" and an eight-minute version of "Letter to Dr. Martin Luther King" (one of three songs on the album composed for the PBS special The Dream and the Drum). --Geoffrey Himes