I enjoy listening to well known tunes sung and played in various styles which are eudcational for me. I was a bit surprised that Russian Red Army Choir sang this American spiritual "Let My People Go." I bet they would not have sung that during the Soviet era. Anyway, I thought the solo singer's impersonation of Luis Armstrong and the band made a good effot in "swinging" it. By the way, the audience did not clap hands off beat, but on one and three. Ha ha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bquVRnGaFHQ

torch I was a bit disappointing thinking I would see your version of this song when I clicked on it?..

Extremely interesting video, good find!
Yes, the audience ruins a good part of the swing by the clapping, the same often happens in Germany
The choir and band really do a nice job, considering the big cultural distance between Russia and Gospel/Spirituals.

... and the diversity beats on ...

Well, I am not in the Russian Army Choir. Kidding aside, seriously I take your post as an encouragement to my current endeavor in learning Black gospel music styles. I myself recognize the importance of black gospel music in American music just as the Queen of Gospel Mahalia Jackson once said that black gospel music influenced Jazz, blues, and many other genres of American music. I am learning a few tunes from two DVDs by Ethel Austin. I hope that in the near future I get good enough to record on the piano and the accordion. Here is Ethel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXMg6iPmSw8

Torch I look forward to it .....

Yes, I was impressed with the singers and instrumentalists. Just great musicians. All including the audience were having fun and enjoying themselves no matther how they clapped. I won't name the country, but I watched a choir and a band in Europe playing this song. They all looked and sounded so akward, which kind of reminds me of the first time a black B3 player gave me a lesson on black gospel music. He just didn't know want to do with me... A mutural friend an Italian Jazz accordionist/organist said that I should move and live among black church musicians. Total immersion. He has a point.

In speaking of Germany, I bet they clap all right for the "right" song such as Muss i Denn, which I happen to know in German and sometimes I sing and play in my gigs. That is another song that has been sung and played in many styles. If you care to watch, here are some video clips. A simple, and yet beautiful tune like Bethoven's 9th symphony Choral "Ode to Joy"

I call this a German version of New Orleans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43bleQRfXXs

O'Donnell calls this European stepping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atkX0g-j2ic

Probably a gig musician having fun. I enjoyed his own backup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0_d4CZOzVc

A whole bunch more, but I will stop here.

Muss i Denn ... two different takes:






The Elvis version is from his movie "GI Blues" which he made after serving in the US Army in Germany ...