Gavin Bryars going with the flow

British composer Gavin Bryars has created hundreds of pieces but ‘Jesus Blood...’ is still the one people come to hear, writes Don O’Mahony.

The story behind Gavin Bryars’ landmark composition ‘Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet’ is well documented. Working with a filmmaking friend on a documentary on rough sleepers in London in 1971, Bryars was left with a load of unused audio, which included one gentleman singing “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet”.