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BLUES & GOSPEL
The Fabulous Thunderbirds - > Reverend C.L. Franklin
| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | Benchmark 8002 | Girls Go Wild | ● CD $15.98 |
| Reissue of this fine group's first 1979 LP, originally
issued on Takoma and later re-released on Chrysalis. This new edition has
been remastered from the original master tapes and three bonus tracks have
been added. The T-Birds came roaring out of Texas at a time when tough
blues was pretty much out of style, but their conviction and solid sound
helped fuel the 80's blues revival. The band's delivery of covers Scratch
My Back/ Full-Time Lover/ She's Tuff/ Marked Deck is a real plus,
rounded out by singer/ harpist Kim Wilson's originals. (MB/FS) |
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| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | Benchmark 8003 | What's The Word? | ● CD $15.98 |
| Reissue of the groups second album originally issued on
Chrysalis in 1980 with four bonus cuts - three of them live. |
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| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | Benchmark 8004 | Butt Rockin' | ● CD $15.98 |
| This reissues their third album from 1981 which added in
piano and sax from Roomful Of Blues. Includes three bonus tracks. |
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| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | Benchmark 8005 | T-Bird Rhythm | ● CD $15.98 |
| This is a reissue of their fourth album from 1982 produced
by Nick Lowe. |
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| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | CBS Associated ZK 40304 | Tuff Enuff | ● CD $9.98 |
| Album produced by Dave Edmunds. |
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| THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS | Epic 53007 | Hot Stuff: The Greatest Hits | ● CD $11.98 |
| 11 tracks, 42 min., good. Sampler of later T-Bird's
successes, plus unreleased stuff. Tuff Enuff/ Twist Of The Knife/ Why
Get Up/ Got Love If You Want It/ Rock This Place/ Stand Back/ You Can't
Judge A Book By Its Cover/ Powerful Stuff/ Wrap It Up/ Two Time My Lovin'/
Look At That. |
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| THE FAIRFIELD FOUR | Ace CDCHM 771 | The Bells Are Tolling | ● CD $12.98 |
| 12 tracks, 34 mins, highly recommended By 1960 when these sides were recorded The Fairfield Four was a different group than the one that recorded those classic sides for Bullet, Dot & Nashboro. Apart from leader Rev. Sam McCrary the rest of the group was all different but very fine including tenor Clarence Mills who shares most of the leads with McCrary and incredible bass singer Joe Henderson (who also plays guitar) and takes a couple of superb leads. Acapella gospel singing was no longer in favor and so the group recorded with accompaniment. The music is consistently fine ranging from the hard driving The Bells Are Tolling to the gentle and exquisite Memories Of My Mother. The album was released by Old Town in 1962 but disappeared soon after and was impossible to find until it was reissued on Athens in 1973 when it became merely very difficult to find. Ace has now restored its splendor - remastered from original tapes and with reproduction of front and back covers of original album and extensive new notes from gospel expert Opal Louis Nations. A must for gospel enthusiats. (FS) THE FAIRFIELD FOUR: At The Gates Of The City/ Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around/ Every Knee Has Got To Bow/ Hide Me In Thy Bosom/ I John Saw The Number/ I'll Be So Happy/ In The Old Time Way/ Memories Of My Mother/ My Work On Earth Will Soon Be Done/ The Bells Are Tolling/ Wait On The Lord/ What Are They Doing In Heaven Today? |
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| JOHNNY FARMER | Fat Possum 80321 | Wrong Doers Respect Me | ● CD $15.98 |
| FATHEAD | Electro-Fi 3357 | Blues Weather | ● CD $14.98 |
| Five man group featuring vocalist John Mays who used to work
with James Brown. |
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| THE FIELDSTONES | High Water/HMG 6505 | Memphis Blues Today | ● CD $14.98 |
| Reissue of superb album with bonus cuts from exciting
Memphis group. They had an individual touch with tough vocals from Willie
Roy Sanders or Joe Hicks and effective twin guitar work from Sanders and
Woodie Perkins. |
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| FILMORE SIMS | Uptown Video 123 | It's Gonna Be My Time After Awhile | ● CD $12.98 |
| BACKWARDS SAM FIRK | Prospect 1103 | The True Blues & Gospel | ● CD $14.98 |
| Blues collectors sing country blues featuring Backwards Sam
Firk (Mike Stewart)/ vcls & gtr, Fang (Tom Hoskins)/ vcls & gtr
and Delta X (Stephan Michelson)/ gtr, washboard & spoons. |
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| THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS | Document DOCD 5534 | In Chronological Order, Vol. 2 : 1915-1920 | ● CD $15.98 |
| 24 tracks, 70 min., recommended In their continuing quest for dignity and authenticity, the members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the late teens continued to eschew outside influences, including those associated with ragtime and blues, when it came to the performance of treasured hymns. So the performances here, even through they display real drive and emotion, remain within the pure classical harmony tradition. On the Columbia label at this point, the group's output includes Steal Away to Jesus, Shout All Over God's Heaven, Little David Play on your Harp, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, O Mary Don't You Weep Don't You Moan, Brethren Rise, I Want to Be Ready, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, Give 'Way Jordon, and I Ain't Going to Study War No More. Sound quality remains in the varied-but-acceptable range. (DH) THE FISK UNIVERSITY JUBILEE SINGERS: Brethern Rise!/ Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray/ Ezekiel Saw De Wheel/ Give 'Way Jordan/ Good News, The Chariot's Coming/ I Ain't Going To Study War No More/ I Know I Have Another Building/ I Know The Lord Laid His Hand On Me/ I Want To Be Ready/ In The Great Gettin' Up Mawnin'/ Little David Play On Your Harp/ Most Done Traveling/ My Soul Is A Witness For My Lord/ O Mary Don't You Weep Don't You Mourn/ Oh! Reign Massa Jesus Reign/ River Of Jordan/ Roll Jordan Roll/ Shout All Over God's Heaven/ Steal Away To Jesus/ Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/ The Great Camp Meeting/ There Is A Light Shining For Me/ You Hear The Lambs A-Cryin'/ You're Going To Reap Just What You Sow |
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| THE FISK JUBILEE SINGERS | Document DOCD 5535 | In Chronological Order, Vol. 3 : 1924-1940 | ● CD $15.98 |
| 29 tracks, 73 min., recommended During the time period covered here, the performing ensemble varies between four and eight voices, but whatever its size, the group's singing style remains steadfastly within that earlier-defined, dignified and polished mold. This was a position maintained in large measure by the iron will of Mrs. James Myers, the widow of one of the group's former first tenors, and the group's musical director through 1940. Selections on this last of three volumes include Keep A-Inchin' Along, Shout All Over God's Heaven, Every Time I Feel the Spirit, Ezekiel Saw De Wheel, On My Journey Now, We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder, Oh Mary Don't You Weep, I Been 'Buked, and Deep River. With a few exceptions, sound quality here is substantially improved over volumes one and two, and Duck Baker's notes for all three volumes are concise and informative. (DH) THE FISK UNIVERSITY JUBILEE SINGERS: Blow, Gabriel, Blow/ Deep River/ Dry Bones; The Old Ark's A' Movering/ Every Time I Feel The Spirit/ Everybody Ought To Pray Sometime; Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit/ Ezekiel Saw De Wheel/ Golden Slippers/ Hear The Lambs A Cryin'/ Hope I'll Join The Band/ I Been 'Buked/ I Wanna Die Easy/ In The Morning/ Keep A Inchin' Along/ Little David/ Lord I Done Done/ My Lord's Writing All The Time/ Nobody Knows The Trouble I See/ Oh Mary Don't You Weep/ On My Journey Now/ On My Journey Now/ Shine On Me/ Shout All Over God's Heaven/ Show Me The Way/ Steal Away To Jesus/ Sweet Turtledove/ Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Theme)/ There Is A Light Shining/ We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder/ You Better Get Somebody On Your Bond |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Collectables 6104 | Have Faith | ● CD $11.98 |
| 14 tracks, 45 mins, very good Another confusing issue from
Collectables. More fine gospel with unidentified origins but appear to be
Hob recordings from the mid/late 60s when in addition to the great
Clarence Fountain the group included tenors George Scott and Louis Dicks.
Some fine singing though the sound is distant - possibly recorded live.
Like the Dixie Hummingbirds set, most of the songs have been retiitled -
God only knows why! (FS) THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA: 'Buked and Scorned/ Have Faith/ He Can Turn the Tide/ He Sanctified My Soul/ I Just Have to Know/ I Wanna Walk Closer to Jesus/ Let Me Hear My Mother Pray Again/ Lord's Been So Good/ Mother Used to Pray for Me/ My Journey's End/ Rest Awhile/ Sins Forgiven/ Someday I Will Fly Away/ Steal Away |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Elektra Nonesuch 61441 | Deep River | ● CD $15.98 |
| 13 tracks, 54 min., recommended. Formed in 1939, and
appearing of late in the highly successful musical "The Gospel At
Colonus", the Five Blind Boys are 7 now and still include long-time
members Johnny Fields, George Scott, Jimmy Carter, and the lead vocal
force, Clarence Fountain. Their latest offering - produced by Booker T.
Jones, who also plays organ - is an absolute triumph, moving from classics
such as the Golden Gate Quartet's Brother Moses and Roberta
Martin's arrangement of Just A Closer Walk With Thee to Kenneth
Gamble's soulful God Said It and Bob Dylan's I Believe In You.
Fountain's own |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Flyright 946 | 1948-1951 | ● CD $16.98 |
| 16 tracks, 45 min., essential The Blind Boys first recorded in 1948 for the Coleman label--which provided surprisingly good sound quality--with Clarence Fountain and Paul Excano sharing lead duties. This excellent disc offers both sides of the second and third Coleman 78s (I Want My Crown/ What More Can Jesus Do/ Don't Wonder About Him/ What Manner Of Man Is This) and a dozen more from the group's 2nd label, Gospel, waxed in '50-'51. Mostly a cappella, these performances outshine even their more popular Specialty recordings for sheer vocal beauty. Spirited numbers such as Sweet Honey In The Rock feature Excano and Fountain trading verses, increasing the overall intensity on every pass. Required listening for gospel devotees and proselytes alike. (JC) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | P-Vine PCD 5827 | By & By - The Early Recordings, 1948-1951 | ● CD $23.98 |
| 25 early sides by this great group recorded for the Coleman
and Gospel labels. |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Savgos 5006 | Original Blind Boys Of Alabama | ● CD $16.98 |
| Here are some of the Blind Boys of Alabama's finest Gospel
label singles sides from 1959 and 1961. This set contains some of Clarence
Fountain's (lead) most spirited performances, including the church
wrecking |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Specialty 7041 | The Sermon | ● CD $14.98 |
| 27 tracks, 71 min., recommended Jazzy, joyful, jubilant - all words that aptly describe this hard-singing quartet out of the Talladega Institute. Besides the world-renowned Clarence Fountain, the church-wrecking pipes of the Reverends Samuel K. Lewis, Paul Exkano, George W. Warren, and Percell Perkins can be heard singing, shouting, preaching, and testifying. This speaker-popping set includes alternate takes, and demos rendered here for the first time. The set opens with a novelty whose roots date back to the 20's, and ends with a psuedo-secular jump rendition of In The Garden. An amazingly broad range of styles and experiments from 1952-'56. (OLN) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA | Specialty 7203 | Oh Lord Stand By Me/ Marching Up To Zion | ● CD $14.98 |
| The Original 5 Blind Boys Of Alabama, a.k.a. The Happyland
Singers, first formed at Birmingham's Talladega School For The Blind
during World War II. Their initial recordings were made for Coleman in
1948 (see Gospel Heritage LP #315). Between 1952 and 1958 the quintet
recorded 30 titles for Specialty Records, led by the soulfully sanctified
hard-tenor voice of founding member Clarence Fountain and occasionally
"Singing" Rev. Samuel K. Lewis and guitarist/ tenor George
Scott. Veteran "journeyman" gospel singer/ preacher Rev. Percell
Perkins sometimes hitched up with the group to add yet more unbridled
fervor. These were the group's glory days, and most of their indelible
sides were cut for this label. First reissued as Specialty albums 2123 and
2138 with improved sound here. Indispensable collection. (OLN) |
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| THE FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI | MCA Special Products MCAD 22047 | The Best Of The Blind Boys | ● CD $8.98 |
| Available again. As issued in 1973, |
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| FLEETWOOD MAC | Sire 45283 | Fleetwood Mac In Chicago | ● CD $29.98 |
| 2 CD's, 24 tracks, 1 hr., 52 min., recommended Of all the unlikely pairings of young British rockers and senior Chicago bluesmen that transpired in the mid to late-60's, these are the about only sessions that have aged gracefully. Thank Fleetwood guitar ace Peter Green and Chess' jack-of-all-trades Willie Dixon for getting their two camps to meet on mutual ground, and puttin' down some serious blues in the process. Mac's Danny Kirwan gets a bit tiresome with his note-for-note Elmore James replicas (on both slide guitar AND vocals!), as does the liberal amount of studio chatter and false starts. But torrid performances like Peter Green's Watch Out/ Sugar Mama/ Drifting, the instrumentals Rockin' Boogie/ South Indiana and Red Hot Jam (with Buddy Guy, Honeyboy Edwards, Dixon, and Shakey Horton), Kirwan's Like It This Way/ I'm Worried, Otis Spann's Hungry Country Girl, and Horton's I Got The Blues will keep you coming back to this collection. Mick Fleetwood's chugging shuffle beats are always a delight, as is Otis Spann's ever-steady piano behind the assortment of vocalists. In the end, Peter Green emerges as the star of the show, with respectful support for whatever the proceedings offer, and some of the most gorgeous lead work ever heard in Chicago - no kidding! (MB) |
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| CANRAY FONTENOT | Arhoolie 381 | Louisiana Hot Sauce Creole Sauce | ● CD $12.98 |
| Great compilation of the irrepressible black fiddler from
Welsh, La., from 3 different Arhoolie LPs, plus 11 unissued performances.
His delightfully raw sides with "Bois Sec" Ardoin on accordion
from 1971-3 start it off, with 4 extra cuts, like the soulful Lorita's
Blues. 13 lovely tunes (4 new) come from his 1981 session with himself
and Michael Doucet seconding on fiddle or mandolin, while he is
accompanied in 1985 by the whole of Beausoleil for 4 rollicking numbers.
Finally we have a nice solo on Bernadette from 1987 and a fine Fi-Do
from 1991 with Danny & Edward Poullard on guitar & accordion. The
one constant is the energy and joy of Canray's playing & fiddling, as
he keeps alive the Creole music which harkens back to the last century. (JM CANRAY FONTENOT: Allons Danser/ Bee De La Manche/ Bernadette/ Bernadette/ Bonsoir, Moreau (Good Evening Moreau)/ Canray's Breakdown/ Canray's One Step/ Fi-Do (Dixieland)/ Hey, Hey Blues/ Jig Cajin/ Joe Pitre A Deux Femmes (Joe Pitre Got Two Women)/ La Coul‚e Rodair/ La Jog A Plombeau/ La Robe Barr‚e/ La Table Ronde (The Round Table)/ La Valse De Mom Et Pop/ Le Slow Drag A Nonc Adam/ Les Barres De La Prison (The Prison Bars)/ Les Blues A Canray (Canray's Blues)/ Les Plats Sont Tous Mis Sur La Table (The Table's Already Set)/ Lorita's Blues/ Malinda/ Midland Two-Step/ Old Carpenter's Waltz/ Shoo, Black/ Tes Parents Ne Veulent Plus Me Voir (Your Folks Don't Want To See Me No Mor/ Two-Step De Grand Mallet |
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| ROBBEN FORD | Avenue Jazz 72727 | Discovering The Blues | ● CD $12.98 |
| THE CHARLES FORD BAND | Arhoolie 353 | The Charles Ford Band | ● CD $12.98 |
| CD reissue of Arhoolie LP 4005 from 1972. I don't think this
was ever a big seller, but it does benefit from a re-assessment here in
the CD age (20 years later!) when young white blues bands are no longer
the exception to the rule. These guys sounded really good - in fact
they're amazing when you consider their age (16-21) and Northern
California roots! And their potential has certainly blossomed since then -
Robben Ford has gone on to fame as a top-flight guitarist, Mark Ford's
impressive harmonica is heard in his own band, Patrick Ford is still
drumming, and bassist Stan Poplin is a regular on Bob Brozman's
recordings. Fresh guitar and jazzy harmonica in the Musselwhite/
Butterfield vein enliven 8 standards, two Robben Ford originals, and a
wild extended live jam with Mark's harp taking the place of John Coltrane!
With 4 unissued cuts. (MB) THE CHARLES FORD BAND: Black Night/ Blue And Lonesome/ Gibson Creek Shuffle/ I Know What You're Putting Down (*)/ Live The Life I Love (*)/ My Time After Awhile/ Reconsider Baby/ Rest My Mind On Jesus/ Tell Him I Was Flyin' (*)/ The Promise (*)/ Wild Woman |
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| THE CHARLES FORD BAND | Blue Rock'It 101 | Reunion Live | ● CD $15.98 |
| First recording together in many years by this famed band
featuring Robben Ford/guitar & vocal, Patrick Ford/ drums, Mark
Ford/harp & vocal with Stan Poplin/bass & Steve Czarnecki/piano -
recorded live at Barney Steeles in 1982 - high energy Chicago style blues |
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| MARK FORD WITH THE ROBBEN FORD BAND | Blue Rock'It 110 | Mark Ford With The Robben Ford Band | ● CD $14.98 |
| JESSE FORTUNE | Delmark 658 | Fortune Tellin' Man | ● CD $11.98 |
| Sizzling collaboration of this veteran chicago vocalist with
Dave Specter and The Bluebirds |
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| BRAD PAUL FRANK | Louisiana Red Hot 1136 | Walking On the Moon | ● CD $15.98 |
| A collection of solid, straight ahead zydeco from singer/
accordion player Frank who is the son of famed musician Preston Frank. All
original songs. |
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| KEITH FRANK | Maison De Soul 1053 | What's His Name? | ● CD $16.98 |
| ARETHA FRANKLIN | MCA 11850 | You Grow Closer | ● CD $11.98 |
| 10 tracks, 35 minutes, highly recommended I know, I know, we oldtimers have these early Aretha JVB/Battle tracks (last reissued in 1991 on MCA 91521 Aretha Gospel) but first-timers should pick this up right away. Her early mentors - all 'spirits in the dark' - can be heard on tracks like The Day Is Past And Gone & There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood (spirits : Clara Ward, Marion Williams); He Will Wash You Whiter Than Snow (spirits : Professor Alex Bradford, Sallie Martin); Yield Not To Temptation (spirits : James Earle Hines, Delores Barrett- Campbell). The 'spirit' of Clara Ward is also evident on Precious Lord. But for me, the highlight of this set is the amazing 1957 Checker release, Never Grow Old/You Grow Closer. And she was all of 14 years old! Peter Guralnick considered that "she never made greater music that she does here, with just her naked voice and feelings exposed." I couldn't agree more. The bonus track by Rev. C. L. Franklin - Your Mother Loves Her Children - is a possible re-make of his 1950 Gotham Recording. (EL) |
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| ARETHA FRANKLIN | Rhino 75627 | Amazing Grace - The Complete Recordings | ● CD $24.98 |
| Two CD set. First time reissue on CD of all 28 cuts recorded
in 1972 by Aretha with James Cleveland & The Southern California
Community Choir. |
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| REVEREND C.L. FRANKLIN | MCA Special Products 21145 | Legendary Sermons | ● CD $7.98 |
| REVEREND C.L. FRANKLIN | MCA Special Products 21146 | Sermons & Hymns | ● CD $7.98 |
| REVEREND C.L. FRANKLIN | MCA Special Products 21147 | My Favorite Sermons | ● CD $7.98 |
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