Tuesday, September 15, 2015
The Roots Of It All: Acoustic Blues, Volume 2, 1940's & 1950's
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Marion Williams - Born To Sing The Gospel
"Marion Williams (August 29, 1927 – July 2, 1994) was an American gospel singer.
Marion Williams was born in Miami, Florida, to a religiously devout mother and musically inclined father. She left school when she was nine years old to help support the family, and worked as a maid, a nurse, and in factories and laundries. She began singing in front of audiences while young. As was common in the area, Williams learned African-American blues and jazz, alongside Caribbean calypso. Poverty caused Williams to leave school at fourteen, working with her mother at a laundry, although she eventually graduated from Pacific Union College in 1987. She was singing at church and on street corners, inspired by a wide range of musicians, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Smith Jubilee Singers. She stuck with gospel in spite of pressure to switch to popular blues tunes or the opera. (she would have been terrifyingly good at either)
Williams was invited to join the Ward Singers when they heard her singing during a visit to a close friend in Philadelphia in 1946. Williams did so in 1947, staying with them for eleven years. Her first recording with the group was "How Far Am I from Canaan" (1948), followed by the breakthrough "Surely God Is Able", which launched Williams and the rest of the group into superstardom. Their concerts were mobbed by frenzied fans.
Dissatisfied with the low pay she was receiving while starring for the group, Williams left the Ward Singers in 1958, followed by most of the rest of the group, to form the Stars of Faith. The Stars of Faith was unable, however, to reproduce the success the Ward Singers had enjoyed, as Williams retreated from the spotlight to give other members of the group more opportunity to star. The group's career recovered, however, in 1961, when it appeared in Black Nativity, an Off-Broadway production, and toured across North America and Europe.
In 1965, Williams began a solo career but soon returned to Miami for her mother's funeral. While there, she felt reinspired to continue her career and began touring college campuses across the country. Her perhaps best-known hit is from this period -- Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go." wiki
"Born to Sing the Gospel returns Marion Williams to her home church, Philadelphia's B.M. Oakley Memorial Church of God in Christ; the material is engagingly varied, spanning from the bluesy original "Sometimes I Ring Up Heaven" to the traditional title track to the medley of the classics "Christ Is All" and "Jesus Is All." Though in fine form throughout, Williams hits her peak on "Death in the Morning," her delivery charged with all of the raw power of a field recording." AMG
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Eddie 'Reverend Tallhead' Baytos & The Nervis Brothers - Take Some Mambo Time (1991)
Why, you may ask, is his nickname Reverend Tallhead? Take a look at the photo below, Eddie is second from the left. Friday, September 11, 2015
Ray Agee - An Incomplete Chronological
These are the covers of the sources I used to assemble this set (there are also 2 late 45's at the end). I was fortunate enough, through my friend Cliff, to have completely mint sources for all these with the exception of 'Somebody Messed Up' (those two tracks are downloads), so everything from the three lps on top and the 45's are from my rips. I also had all three Famous Groove CD's to work with - so my process was to put everything in one hopper, then choose the best sounding track among the duplicates, deleting the rest - I worked with the Blues Discography (Fancourt-McGrath) in my lap and did a lot of listening to determine the differences between tracks recorded twice and those merely released twice. There are 87 tracks here so this is meant only for those who dig Ray Agee.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
The Roots Of It All Acoustic Blues, Vol 1, 1920's & 1930's
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Junior Wells - Everybody's Gettin' Some (1995)
Monday, September 7, 2015
Hard To Explain: More Shattered Dreams 1968-1984
“Hard To Explain” covers a variety of styles, all influenced to some degree by aspects of the American black music spectrum. Jimmy Robins, Ray Agee and Big Daddy Rucker slow things down and give us blues enriched by deep soul ballads, whereas Earl Wright, Larry Davis, Tommy Youngblood and others update the R&B dancer. On the funkier side, we open with Freddy Robinson, who remade his hit ‘The Creeper’ with the help of Isaac Hayes’ backing band the Movement, while Albert King totally transforms James Brown’s ‘Cold Sweat’. Other stars of the compilation include Smokey Wilson, Finis Tasby, Artie White and Jimmy McCracklin, who all help prove that the blues didn’t die in the 70s, but instead adapted to what was going on in the world at large. This immediacy still shines through today, making this another vital collection from a sometimes less fondly remembered era in blues history."
By Dean Rudland
Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues 1965
"Hoodoo Man Blues is one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s, and one of the first to fully document, in the superior acoustics of a recording studio, the smoky ambience of a night at a West Side nightspot. Junior Wells just set up with his usual cohorts -- guitarist Buddy Guy, bassist Jack Myers, and drummer Billy Warren -- and proceeded to blow up a storm, bringing an immediacy to "Snatch It Back and Hold It," "You Don't Love Me, Baby," "Chitlins con Carne," and the rest of the tracks that is absolutely mesmerizing. Widely regarded as one of Wells' finest achievements, it also became Delmark's best-selling release of all time. Producer Bob Koester vividly captures the type of grit that Wells brought to the stage. When Wells and his colleagues dig into "Good Morning, Schoolgirl," "Yonder Wall," or "We're Ready," they sound raw, gutsy, and uninhibited. And while Guy leaves the singing to Wells, he really shines on guitar. Guy, it should be noted, was listed as "Friendly Chap" on Delmark's original LP version of Hoodoo Man Blues; Delmark thought Guy was under contract to Chess, so they gave him a pseudonym. But by the early '70s, Guy's real name was being listed on pressings. This is essential listening for lovers of electric Chicago blues."
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Bessie Griffin & The Gospel Pearls - Live at The Bear in Chicago, LP rip
This Sunday's service comes from my own LP rip -Recorded Live at "The Bear" in Chicago
Griffin, Bessie and the Gospel Pearls
Pure Exalting Joy
Of the many fire-breathing gospel women working in Mahalia Jackson's shadow, Bessie Griffin (1922–1989) was the one most likely to send a congregation into rapture. Her voice was big and authoritative, a supple yet sturdy instrument that one student, the singer and songwriter Neko Case, esteems as "the greatest singing voice North America has ever produced."
Griffin used that gift to send pure exalting joy through time-tested warhorses of gospel, and when supported by the five Gospel Pearls, who were more vigorous than most backing chorales, the sound they produced together is awesome. You hear Griffin do anything—"Wade in the Water," "Didn't It Rain"—and you're ready to join her congregation.A native of New Orleans, Griffin managed to record for over four decades. Although she was frequently cited as a major force in gospel, and appears on many key compilations, she never attained superstar status. Compounding that slight is this: Many of her best works, including Swing Down Sweet Chariot and the conceptual Portraits in Bronze, have not been issued on CD. As a result, this live date, which is a bit heavy on the upbeat jubilee zeal, is the best way to encounter Griffin. Put it on, and prepare to be converted.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Junior Wells & Earl Hooker - Messin' With The Kid 1957-1963 (expanded)
"Junior Wells (December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998), born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist. Wells, who was best known for his performances and recordings with Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy, also performed with Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison.Junior Wells was possibly born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, and raised in West Memphis, Arkansas, though other sources report that his birth was in West Memphis, Arkansas. Initially taught by his cousin, Junior Parker, and Sonny Boy Williamson II, Wells learned how to play the harmonica by the age of seven with surprising skill. He moved to Chicago in 1948 with his mother after her divorce and began sitting in with local musicians at house parties and taverns. Wild and rebellious but needing an outlet for his talents, he began performing with The Aces (guitarist brothers Dave and Louis Myers and drummer Fred Below) and developed a more modern amplified harmonica style influenced by Little Walter. In 1952, he made his first recordings, when he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters' band and appeared on one of Muddy's sessions for Chess Records in 1952.
His first recordings as a band leader were made in the following year for States Records. In the later 1950s and early 1960s, he also recorded singles for Chief Records and its Profile Records subsidiary, including "Messin' with the Kid", "Come on in This House", and "It Hurts Me Too", which would remain in his repertoire throughout his career. His 1960 Profile single "Little by Little" (written by Chief owner and producer Mel London) reached #23 in the Billboard R&B chart, making it the first of two Wells' singles to enter the chart.
Wells' album Hoodoo Man Blues (1965) on Delmark Records featured Buddy Guy on guitar. The two worked with the Rolling Stones on several occasions in the 1970s. His album South Side Blues Jam came out in 1971) and On Tap in 1975. His 1996 release Come on in This House includes slide guitarists, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Derek Trucks, and others. Wells made an appearance in the film Blues Brothers 2000, the sequel to The Blues Brothers, which was released in 1998.
From Wells' "Hoodoo Man Blues" album cover Junior gives this story: "I went to this pawnshop downtown and the man had a harmonica prices at $2.00. I got a job on a soda truck... played hookey from school ... worked all week and on Saturday the man gave me a dollar and a half. A dollar and a half! For a whole week of work. I went to the pawnshop and the man said the price was two dollars. I told him I had to have that harp. He walked away from the counter – left the harp there. So I laid my dollar-and-a-half on the counter and picked up the harp. When my trial came up, the judge asked my why I did it. I told him I had to have that harp. The judge asked me to play it and when I did he gave the man the 50 cents and hollered "Case dismissed!" (1948)
Wells began to have serious health problems, including cancer and a heart attack, in 1997. He died in Chicago on January 15, 1998, and was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago." wiki
I've added 4 additional tracks that come from later re-issues of this same material - you will be able to tell by the covers - I left it to you as to where you want to incorporate them into the playlist.
Shattered Dreams - Funky Blues 1967-1976
" In the late 1960s and '70s, musicians who'd established themselves as blues artists often moved -- whether because of commercial pressure, a genuine desire to explore new territory, or some combination of the two -- toward a more soulful, funkified sound. Two of the biggest hits resulting from such a fusion, Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign" and Lowell Fulson's "Tramp," give you an idea of how much (though by no means all) of this compilation sounds. Spanning the late '60s to the late '70s, many (though, again, by no means all) of the cuts are drawn from the vaults of Modern Records, though notable tracks done for a few other labels, such as Stax and Vanguard, are here too. Some of these performers (Buddy Guy, Albert King, Johnny Otis) are among the very biggest names in blues; others (Lowell Fulson, Little Milton) are quite well known, and quite a few might not even be known to blues collectors.
Not much if anything is in the same league as "Born Under a Bad Sign" or "Tramp," but that would have been a tall order. Most of it's perfectly fine if blues-soul of the era is your thing, and the influence of soul and funk means that this is more varied than many a grab-bag blues anthology, though individual favorites are going to be different according to your taste. It's hard to believe, though, that the average listener won't favor Buddy Guy's 1968 cut "I'm Not the Best" over most or all of its surroundings; it's a smoking live number with obvious, though not at all awkward, nods to soul screamers like James Brown and Otis Redding. Some of the more interesting items fall a little outside the usual brassy/funky blues-soul box, like Slim Green's "Shake 'Em Up," which is a little in the proto-rap mold of uptempo '60s soul numbers by the likes of Joe Tex; Smokey Wilson's "You Shattered My Dreams," which recalls B.B. King's most sorrowful, dramatic ballads; the Johnny Otis Show's "Comin' at Ya Baby, Pt. 2" (one of five previously unreleased tracks on the CD), which is instrumental James Brown-like funk; and Arthur K. Adams' "Gimme Some of Your Lovin'," another cut where the Brown influence is apparent." AMG Richie UnterbergerNeville Brothers - Oddball Releases
A conversation here in the chat box lead to me checking out my Neville Brothers folder and I came across 3 oddball cd rips from discs I had bought in SF a long time ago and eventually were sold. The only one that I kept a cover for was this weird Italian release that doesn't even have any actual Neville Brothers tracks on it! The tracks are all from various recordings done prior to the formation of the actual band! It has solo tracks from Art, Aaron and Cyril and some Meters tracks too. The two other discs included are a promo sampler done around the time of Yellow Moon, and live recordings from the era of Brother's Keeper done at Chicago's Navy Pier. The cool thing is that (last time I checked) some of the material on those doesn't seem to be anywhere else.
I'm gonna miss these guys.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Gospel Warriors
This set was compiled by Tony Heilbut, author of the definitive books on the subject. This lp came from Elder Cliff and the careful FLAC rip is, of course, courtesy of your host Deacon KC.
"Spanning a half century of classic performances, Gospel Warriors assembles 16 tracks from some of the church circuit's most renowned female soloists, among them Marion Williams, Bessie Griffin and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. While each vocalist is clearly a singular talent, listening to their music side by side offers real insight into their common gifts for improvisation; all are in total command of melody, tone and lyric, transcending their material to enjoy an unparalleled sense of creative freedom. An ideal introduction for new gospel listeners, the collection's highlights include Tharpe's "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," Williams' "It's Getting Late in the Evening" and Clara Ward's "Precious Lord."
Jason Ankeny AMG
Chicago Gospel Pioneers
I was always a bit dismayed at the lack of response to my rip and posting of these remarkable and rare lp's. Maybe this time around they shall fare a little better...or not....Yes my friends it is once again Sunday morning and time for our weekly Gospel program. Today's service is brought to you by Elder Clifford and Deacon KC.
"Chicago, a gospel center for more than 50 years, thanks to the early migration of thousands of Southern blacks who turned to the church for religion, entertainment and emotional expression, has spawned and nurtured a number of great gospel singers.
``Chicago Gospel Pioneers`` features five such artists, all of them from the first generation raised on gospel: Robert Anderson, a soulful, dynamic performer who is credited with training former gospel singers Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls; Delois Barrett Campbell, known for her stellar phrasing, who reached wider audiences through her appearance in the film ``Say Amen, Somebody``; Little Lucy Smith, a singer and organist whose style combines gospel ballads with pop and light opera; Gladys Beamon Gregory, who moonlighted as a nightclub singer in the 1940s but is right at home with Baptist hymns; and Irma Gwynn, possessed of dignified but stirring contralto. All are in their 60s now, but this album, recorded in 1986 in a Chicago studio, is proof that passing years need not dim man`s spiritual vision or God-given talents."
Saturday, August 29, 2015
John Lee Hooker w/ Earl Hooker - If You Miss 'Im...I Got Him
"This album is marked by the interaction between John Lee Hooker and his guitar-playing cousin Earl. Earl, who succumbed to illness in 1970, was a fine bluesman in his own right, possessing a formidable slide technique. Many are unaware that the two often performed together, and the band that accompanies John Lee here also backed Earl frequently. The opening cut, then, a slow 12-bar number called "The Hookers" is not about ladies of the evening, but rather about the gentlemen in question.
Heard here less than a year before his death, Earl still sounds frisky and versatile, often utilizing a funky wah-wah style without ever descending into the psychedelic excesses that plagued so many late-'60s electric blues albums. One of the most effective cuts is "Lonesome Mood," a low-key, one-chord stomper in the classic John Lee mold, where Earl's wah-wah guitar meshes with Johnny Walker's organ and Jefferey Carp's harmonica to create a subtly shifting, sensuously undulating web of sound over which John Lee works his hoodoo. On IF YOU MISS 'IM, John Lee definitely benefits from keeping it in the family."
H-Bomb Ferguson - Big City Blues
"Long before his 1990s re-emergence as a fright wig wearing blues star, Robert "H-Bomb" Ferguson had recorded a series of Wynonie Harris-styled jump blues singles in the '40s and '50s for a variety of labels and under various names, including several as the Cobra Kid. Although he was so close to Harris' delivery and repertoire on these sides that most critics dismissed him as an outright clone, Ferguson's booming, wink-and-a-smile voice was obviously something special. Ferguson first recorded under the moniker H-Bomb in 1951 when he signed with Savoy Records, and the name stuck. This generous 31-track collection from Rev-Ola Records includes Ferguson's Savoy tracks, as well as sides he cut for the Atlas, Prestige and Esquire labels between 1951 and 1954, and features such gems as "Rock H-Bomb Rock," "On My Way," "Preachin' the Blues," "Bookie's Blues," and his best known tune, "Good Lovin'." Discouraged with the direction of his career, Ferguson took up residence in Cincinnati, OH in 1957, where he was content to be a regional treasure (all the while experimenting with increasingly bizarre wigs and headgear) until his debut album, Wiggin' Out, was released in 1993 on Chicago's Earwig Records. The album established Ferguson as a true original in his own right, and gave the colorful singer a national stage until his death in 2006. The joy and energy obvious in these early sides makes the Harris comparisons merely academic at this point, and these are wonderful examples of late period jump blues by any measure."
Monday, August 24, 2015
Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup - Everything's Alright
"
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (August 24, 1905 – March 28, 1974) was born in Forest, Mississippi. For a time he lived and worked throughout the South and Midwest as a migrant worker. He and his family returned to Mississippi in 1926. He sang gospel, then began his career as a blues singer around Clarksdale, Mississippi. As a member of the Harmonizing Four, he visited Chicago in 1939. Crudup stayed in Chicago to work as a solo musician, but barely made a living as a street singer. Record producer Lester Melrose allegedly found him while he was living in a packing crate, introduced him to Tampa Red and signed him to a recording contract with RCA Victor's Bluebird label.
He recorded with RCA in the late 1940s and with Ace Records, Checker Records and Trumpet Records in the early 1950s and toured black clubs in the South, including with Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James. He also recorded under the names Elmer James and Percy Lee Crudup. His songs "Mean Old 'Frisco Blues", "Who's Been Foolin' You" and "That's All Right" were popular in the South. Crudup stopped recording in the 1950s, because of further battles over royalties. His last Chicago session was in 1951. His 1952-54 recording sessions for Victor were held at radio station WGST in Atlanta. He returned to recording with Fire Records and Delmark Records and touring in 1965. Sometimes labeled as "The Father of Rock and Roll", he accepted this title with some bemusement. Throughout this time Crudup worked as a laborer to augment the non-existent royalties and the small wages he received as a singer. Crudup returned to Mississippi after a dispute with Melrose over royalties, then went into bootlegging, and later moved to Virginia where he had lived and worked as a musician and laborer. In the early 1970s, two local Virginia activists, Celia Santiago and Margaret Carter, assisted him in an attempt to gain royalties he felt he was due, with little success.
From the mid-1960s, Crudup returned to bootlegging and working as an agricultural laborer, chiefly in Virginia, where he lived with his family including three sons and several of his own siblings.
While he lived in relative poverty as a field laborer, he occasionally sang and supplied moonshine to a number of drinking establishments, including one called The Dew-Drop Inn, in Northampton County, for some time prior to his death from complications of heart disease and diabetes. On a 1970 trip to the United Kingdom, he recorded "Roebuck Man" with local musicians. His last professional engagements were with Bonnie Raitt.There was some confusion as to his actual date of death because of his use of several names, including those of his siblings. He died of a heart attack in the Nassawadox hospital in Northampton County, Virginia in March 1974."
The Voices Of East Harlem - Right On Be Free
The group originated in an inner city action project in East Harlem, New York City, in 1969. Charles "Chuck" Griffin, founder of the East Harlem Federation Youth Association (EHFYA), and his wife Anna Quick Griffin, set up the ensemble, initially to perform in colleges and at local benefits. Their first major performance was at a benefit for Mayor John Lindsay, after which they attracted music director Bernice Cole (5 November 1921–19 November 2006), who had been a member of the Angelic Gospel Singers, to which she later returned. They also gained a manager, Jerry Brandt, who had previously worked with Sam Cooke and who persuaded the ensemble to update their material and style.
In January 1970, they performed at the "Winter Festival for Peace" at Madison Square Garden on a bill with Harry Belafonte, Richie Havens, Judy Collins, Dave Brubeck, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Rascals, Jimi Hendrix (who abandoned his performance after two numbers), and the cast of Hair. They made regular TV appearances, and recorded an album for Elektra Records, Right On Be Free, issued in 1970. The album focused on ensemble singing in a traditional black gospel style, but with secular lyrics emphasising "the power of the people", and a "soulful feel". Several of the tracks, including the title track "Right On, Be Free", were written by Chuck Griffin. Lead vocals on Right On Be Free were by Cole, Anna Griffin, Gerri Griffin, and Cynthia Sessions. The backing musicians included Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Chuck Rainey, and Ralph MacDonald, and the album was produced by David Rubinson. The group received a standing ovation at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival in the UK, appeared at the Apollo Theater, and performed in Ghana in February 1971 at the Soul To Soul concert."
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Sallie and Cora Martin - Just A Little Talk With Jesus
By Bob Marovich
"Sallie Martin, the Mother of Gospel Music, paved the way for those who paved the way. A no-nonsense singer, group leader, choir director, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Martin helped Thomas A. Dorsey sell his catalog of songs before going into business with Kenneth Morris in 1940 to form the Martin & Morris Music Studio.
It is in 1940, when Sallie was a member of the Martin & Morris Singers, where Just A Little Talk With Jesus, Gospel Friend’s superb twelve-year survey of Sallie Martin’s early classic recordings, begins. The 25 tracks represent the first commercially available compilation of most of Sallie’s earliest recordings.
The CD follows Sallie and her adopted daughter, Cora Brewer Martin, from their sweet singing days as part of the Sallie Martin Gospel Singers and their collaboration with the famous Echoes of Eden Choir from St. Paul Baptist Church of Los Angeles, to their duets for Capitol and Specialty Records. As such, the compilation is not only a joy to listen to, it is a mini gospel history lesson.
Although Sallie’s voice was not the most melodious pipe in the organ, she could sell a song with her honest-to-God delivery. Cora, on the other hand, was a quite gifted vocalist who so impressed Art Rupe of Specialty that he wanted her to go pop, just like Sister Wynona Carr. Cora refused, and that ended her association with Specialty Records.
There are many rare selections on the CD, including a mid-40s Martin & Morris disc that features the lively piano of Melva Williams and one of the handful of sides Sallie made for Aladdin Records with her Singers of Joy. The title track comes from a disc the group waxed with J. Earle Hines and the Goodwill Singers in 1948 for the predominantly white gospel Sacred label. All of the tracks were re-mastered from the original vinyl recordings. As usual, Per Notini and Jonas Bernholm of Gospel Friend spit shine them so the sound quality is clear."
Saturday, August 22, 2015
John Lee Hooker - That's My Story
"Although Orrin Keepnews' Riverside Records was primarily a jazz label, the company dabbled in blues in the 1960s -- and one of the bluesmen who recorded for Riverside was John Lee Hooker. Recorded in 1960, this Keepnews-produced session came at a time when Hooker was signed to Vee-Jay. The last thing Keepnews wanted to do was emulate Hooker's electric-oriented, very amplified Vee-Jay output, which fared well among rock and R&B audiences. Keepnews had an acoustic country blues vision for the bluesman, and That's My Story favors a raw, stripped-down, bare-bones approach -- no electric guitar, no distortion, no singles aimed at rock & rollers. Over the years, Hooker fans have debated the merits of his Riverside albums. Some much prefer him in an electric setting; others applaud the rural vision that Keepnews had for him. But, truth be told, both approaches are equally valid. While many of his electric recordings are stunning, he is also well served by the rawness that Keepnews goes for on That's My Story. From the sobering "Gonna Use My Rod" (which finds Hooker warning that he will shoot anyone who fools around with his wife) to the gospel-themed "One of These Days," Hooker's performances are often compelling. Most of the time, he is joined by two jazz musicians, acoustic bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes, both Cannonball Adderley sidemen at the time. However, the blues giant is unaccompanied on a few selections, including the autobiographical title song and the overtly political "Democrat Man" (a passionate endorsement of the Democratic Party). While That's My Story falls short of essential, it is a solid, rewarding product of Hooker's association with Keepnews and Riverside Records."
John Lee Hooker - Sittin' Here Thinkin'
John Lee Hooker - The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker
This album was recorded in 1959 as a part of a series of Blues albums recorded for Riverside Records during a phase where Orrin Keepnews was doing his best to expand the label beyond Jazz with this series and another featuring legends of New Orleans 'trad jazz'. Hooker was under contract to Vee Jay records at the time and was 'rented' to Riverside for sessions that yielded 3 LP's.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Clara Ward - In Memory of Willa Ward-Royster
"Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers were gospel music pioneers who, alongside great voices like Mahalia Jackson and Rosetta Tharpe, were responsible for making gospel an internationally celebrated music. The ensemble initially included Clara Ward’s mother Gertrude Ward, her sister Willa Ward-Royster, and varying other singers including powerhouse Marion Williams. The second volume in a series highlighting the important contributions of the Famous Ward Singers, this compilation does not feature all of the greatest hits such as “Surely God is Able,” but includes some of their strongest recordings made during the height of the groups’ career from 1949 to 1958.
Released in memory of Willa Ward-Royster who passed in 2012, this album includes several songs by celebrated traditional gospel composers like William H. Brewster whose writing style and influence was instrumental to the group’s success. “I’m Climbing Higher and Higher,” written in Brewster’s iconic storytelling style, highlights the mid-tempo swing and group harmony and call and response that helped define the Famous Ward Singers. While this album is filled with technically skillful, yet powerful group performances such as “Come Ye Disconsolate,” it also includes some lesser-heard but just as moving solo performances by the group’s members. For instance, Marion Williams’ “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” with organ accompaniment highlights the range, vocal agility, and expressiveness that led to her being one of the most recognizable voices in traditional gospel music. Willa Ward-Royster’s smooth yet colorful voice is most prominent in an exciting rendition of “Glory, Glory Hallelujah.” And those more interested in the warm alto of Clara Ward will be enraptured by her rubato performance of “The Day is Past and Gone.”
In Memory showcases the versatility of the group as well as a sampling of sounds that transformed African American worship music during a pivotal period in the U.S. The CD comes with a booklet that outlines a brief history of the group as well as highlights each of the ensemble members that are included on the compilation."
Reviewed by Raynetta Wiggins
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Johnny Heartsman - Still Shinin'
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Judy Clay & Marie Knight - Bluesoul Belles Vol. 4
Jean Knight & Barbara Lynn - Bluesoul Belles Vol. 2
"Westside Records' second volume of the Blue Soul Belles series pairs Jean Knight and Barbara Lynn, a statuesque singer/guitarist from New Orleans, on 33 songs culled from Jet Stream and Tribe Records with Knight performing 19 numbers and Lynn 14. Both singers have that one big hit in common: Knight's "Mr. Big Stuff," not included but referenced on "(T'Aint It) The Truth"; ironically, Lynn's biggest hit, "You'll Lose a Good Thing," is included, but by Knight, not Lynn. Each also enjoyed a handful of smaller regional and local hits. Lynn, an accomplished songwriter, wrote much of what she sang, including three soulful up-tempo jams for the feet: "Club a Go-Go," "Movin' on a Groove," and "Disco Music." But it's the Southern/bayou blues numbers that make Lynn special (i.e., the aching "Until Then I'll Suffer"). And she sings plenty of those on this 33-song smorgasbord. Knight's song choices will please the most demanding Southern soul fan. She comes hard and real on "A Tear," "Please, Please, Please," and other tough selections like "Doggin' Me Around." The disc is more representative of Lynn's hits (though none of her Jamie sides are included) than Knight's; Knight's Stax recordings are not included and her take of "You Left the Water Running" is disappointing compared to others. But overall this is a fine collection of feminine Southern soul from two of its most persistent purveyors."
Sunday, August 9, 2015
The Gay Family - God Will Take Care Of You
"Ask someone to name a female gospel group from Chicago,and he or she is likely to answer, “the Caravans.” And that makes sense, as the Caravans were one of the most popular gospel groups of all time.
But before, during, and after the Caravans were the Gay Sisters of Chicago. Evelyn, Mildred, and Geraldine Gay (their brother Donald joined them later) defied the prevailing stereotype of the Pentecostal singer by dressing in the finest clothing and infusing hymns and gospels with harmonies performed with sweetness, precision, and that straight-outta-Chicago lyric attack.
Thanks to Per Notini and Gospel Friend Records, a collection of classic Gay Family recordings from the 1940s to the 1970s are commercially available on CD for the first time. God Will Take Care of You, named for the Gay Sisters’ first single and biggest hit, is a roughly chronological sampling of the family’s recordings for Savoy, Decca, Rush, Song Bird, PEA, B&F, Davis, and other labels. The CD also includes their first, and extremely rare, single, “Just A Little Talk With Jesus,” recorded in 1948 for Dolphin’s of Hollywood.
If you, like me, have heard many of these recordings before, you will be pleased to listen to them cleanly remastered and without the snap, crackle, and pop of used vinyl. What also struck me in hearing the 27 selections in sequence is just how dominant was the jazz influence on the Gay Family’s music. From Mildred and Geraldine’s piano styling (Geraldine was referred to as the “Errol Garner of Gospel”) to Donald’s chesty baritone, the drive of urban jazz is evident throughout. On “I’m a Soldier,” Evelyn plays the piano as if she took lessons from Arizona Dranes. On tracks such as “So Glad I Know” and “Heavenly Home,” it is easy to imagine that Donald and Evelyn, respectively, could easily have become successful jazz and blues singers.
Among the musicians and singers assisting the Gay Family on various selections are Jessy Dixon and the Gospel Chimes, saxophonist Ben Branch, organist Willie Webb, and violinist William Petty. Petty has been forgotten today, but in the 1940s and 1950s, he was quite popular among gospel and classical artists alike.
Robert Sacre’s liner notes, informed by a lengthy interview with Donald Gay, are fascinating and describe a circumstance in Geraldine’s life that took me by surprise when I first heard of it, but I won’t spoil it here. You’ll have to read it for yourself.
God Will Take Care of You is a marvelous tribute to the Gay Sisters. It will whet appetites to learn more about the group, and hear more of their music."
Five of Five Stars
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon - See There ! (1994)
The duo's Black Top encore was a slightly more focused effort than their debut. They still exhibit considerable versatility on a highly infectious dance number, "Door Poppin'," and the Louisiana-rooted "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," and soulful remakes of Tyrone Davis's "Are You Serious" and Gladys Knight & the Pips' earthy "I Don't Want to Do Wrong," but there's a more satisfying context overall. The album was waxed in New Orleans and Texas with two entirely different bands, lending laudable variety to the selections.
Friday, August 7, 2015
Johnny Heartsman - The Touch 1991
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Betty LaVette & Carol Fran - Bluesoul Belles Vol 1
The remaining seven tracks don't reach the same peaks, but from the Motown-inspired stomp of "What I Don't Know (Won't Hurt Me)" to the gospel-inflected "Cry Me a River," Lavette's versatility and raw power ring through loud and clear. Although Lavette receives top billing, Fran's contributions comprise fully two-thirds of the disc; best known for her latter-day blues efforts with guitarist husband Clarence Holliman, the aching beauty of her mid-'60s soul sides is revelatory. Though rooted in the blues, her crystalline vocals were nevertheless ideally suited to the uptown style and sophistication of her Port dates; the chart failure of these recordings is baffling, and in particular the remarkable "Any Day Love Walks In" merits the label of lost classic." Jason Ankeny, AMG