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Acclaimed vintage gospel reissue series from UK’s Acrobat Records. These
collections come with comprehensive liner notes by Opal Louis Nations and many
rare and never-before-seen illustrations.
Each CD collection is $15.00. Free shipping. No jewel boxes. CDs and booklets
supplied in plastic sleeves.
Please send payment (check or money order) to:
Opal Louis Nations
PO Box 27468
Oakland, CA 94602-2331
For questions, e-mail gospel@pewburner.com
2-disk set with 36 songs believed to have been recorded by Mahalia in
June/July 1961 and issued only in France (no recording dates were
provided on the original albums.) Includes such songs as “Blessed
Quietness” written by Doris Akers. Mahalia is completely at ease and
fully confident on this number. A pared down recording of “Somebody
Bigger Than You and I” evokes the spirit of the Apollo recordings and is
probably one of the earliest recordings in the group. Tom Dorsey's “Hold
Me” is done at a faster pace than the 45 version and doesn't quite match
the jazz/blues feel, but it shows that, like her jazz counterpart, Ella
Fitzgerald, Mahalia never sang a song the same way twice. She handles
“Lord, Don't Move That Mountain” like the pro she is, giving a nod here
and there to Inez Andrews. Roberta Martin's “He Knows Just How Much
We Can Bear” is done in her usual dignity and respect for the gifted
songwriter. Mahalia's own standards are generously revisited here as
well as some surprises. Some truly amazing recordings.
43 Tracks on Double CD Recorded Between 1945 and 1950 by the
Legendary Blind Boys of Mississippi. Most comprehensive overview
of the group ever released. The lead vocals are performed by the
incomparable Archie Brownlee, whose vocal prowess was an
inspiration to scores of R&B and Soul singers who grew up listening
to him. These titles were recorded for America's premier gospel
labels Peacock Records, and some of the earlier tracks were
recorded for the Coleman Label owned by the Coleman Brothers.
This double CD collects all the earliest sides recorded by the
fabulous Swan Silvertones quartet. Led by amazing and talented
tenor/falsetto Claude Jeter, the Swan Silvertones are simply one of
the best bands to have ever sung gospel, or put more succinctly, to
have ever sung, period. From originals to traditional hymns, this
collection is fierce, fiery, and brilliant throughout. No one matches
Jeter's far-reaching voice. Songs like "I Done Made It Up In My
Mind" and "All Aboard" end just as it sounds like they're about to
explode in an ecstatic frenzy. That control, that ability to bring a
song to its near dissolution then back away, is in full effect on
nearly every song here, with the exception of the slow numbers
such as "I'm Tired" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." This is a
very powerful and much needed selection of this great group's 78
RPM recordings.
Two CD set containing 54 recordings from one of the greatest of
Gospel quartets. The Harmonizing Four began as an unaccompanied
group but soon enlisted guitarist Lonnie Smith father of Jazz-Funk
legend Lonnie Liston Smith. Smith’s searing guitar work is
featured on most of the tracks. Although there have been several
Harmonizing Four CDs in the past, this is the first to present such a
detailed overview of their early career containing as it does all but a
handful of all the commercial recordings they made between 1943
and 1954. Fully illustrated 16 page booklet includes a detailed
history of the group.
This self titled CD features 18 tracks. One of the most exciting
singers of the early fifties, Brother Cecil Shaw made only 18
recordings in his short career, all of which are presented here, but
they were hugely influential over the groups that became popular in
the later Fifties. Ray Charles was a big fan, and there is a brief
mention of Shaw’s congregation in the recent Ray movie as his first
wife was a member of the Union Spiritual Harmonizers. Blues and
Rhythm Magazine featured a three-page article on Shaw. all of
which is reproduced in the booklet notes. You will not have heard
vocalizing as powerful and unrestrained as this in a long time.
2 CD set. This set presents 47 of their much sought after recordings
produced between 1949 and 1953. Fantastic gospel music from the
genres golden era of the late '40s and early ‘50. There is no doubt
the Spirit of Memphis were one of the leading and certainly most
influential church-wrecking quartets. Their forte was a solid "front
line" of shared-lead singers who blended a soothing, satisfying and
sanctified approach.
This album showcases Gospel music in the 40's and early 50's and
features one of the great quartets of them all, The Bells of Joy. The
group enjoyed great standing on the Gospel circuits of America but
without the commercial success of some of their contemporaries.
Indeed it was not until 1980's and a reissue of this material in
Japan that they became acknowledged as one of the most exciting
Gospel groups of all time. The final eight tracks on the package
have only previously been issued on vinyl release in Japan.
A Gospel duo created in the early '20s by the pastor of Fairfield
Baptist Church in Nashville to occupy his sons, Harry and Rufus
Carrethers. The group was transformed into a jubilee quartet by the
'30s and they began the first of numerous personnel changes.
During the 1940s, they were among the top-ranked Gospel quartets.
They were known for their reinterpretations of standard hymns,
featuring bright, close baritone and tenor harmonies. When the
Fairfield Four sang, they utilized the full extent of their voices,
moving easily from deep, rolling bass lines to the staccato upper
peaks of the tenor range, all executed with precise, intricate
harmonies and ever-shifting leads.
One of the most influential gospel acts of all time, The Five Blind Boys
Of Alabama, have been performing and recording now for almost 60
years. Today they are at the height of their fame with world tours and
best selling CDs as well as the support of rock stars such as Peter
Gabriel. This collection gathers together 28 tracks recorded from 1948-
51, These first recordings of the legendary gospel quintet feature the
Five Blind Boys of Alabama performing a variety of classics, including
"What Manner of Man Is This," "What More Can Jesus Do," and
"Honey in the Rock," mostly a cappella or with minimal organ or guitar
accompaniment. Made at the start of a career that was to stretch well
into the 21st century, these early sides display a vitality and simple faith
that still sounds emotionally moving decades later.
This fascinating compilation fills in one of the most surprising gaps in
gospel re-issues as this seminal group of harmonizers based in New
Jersey were a hugely important group who until now had never made it
onto CD. The 29 recordings here show them to be a fascinating bridge
between the disciplined harmony sound of old school jubilee singing and
the modern "hard" style of the '50s quartets. These recordings made for
the group's own Coleman Records plus sides they recorded for Decca,
Manor and even a CBS radio transcription demonstrate the group's
winning ways with cool, doomy ballads and syncopated finger-snappers.
Dubbed from old and rare 78s.
A collection of gospel groups that recorded for Don Robey’s Houston-based
Peacock label between 1951 and 1953. The title refers to the label’s Texas
location, not necessarily the origin of the groups. The collection kicks off with The
Christland Singers, represented here by four 1951 sides made for Peacock. Lead
vocalist R.H. Harris is an amazing talent, and it is easy to relate his style to those
who followed his example–on “I Know My Jesus is the Light” he sounds like Sam
Cooke, who replaced him in The Soul Stirrers. In “In a Few More Days” Harris
sounds like Ray Charles, and Charles later made a specialty of Harris’s song
“Walk Around.” These four songs with The Christland Singers remain especially
precious testaments to Harris’ vocal artistry.
Other groups include The Southern Wonders, Gospel Tone Singers, Swanee
Spiritual Singers, Golden Harp Gospel Singers, Stars Of Hope, Gospel Travellers
and the Wilson & Watson Singers.
Second collection of rare black gospel quartets from the legendary Don
Robey/Peacock Records archives features 24 tracks from 1953 and '54, including
The Christland Singers, Southern Tones, Sunset Travelers, Mid South Singers,
Heaven Bound Four, Southern Wonders and The Christian Travellers.
Daddy Grace and his "House Of Prayer For All People" was located on the famed
corner of 125th Street and 8th Avenue in N.Y.C on the 2nd floor. For those lucky
enough to have passed this intersection, they would have been blessed with
hearing the sounds blasting from this ancient building. There were no rules, no
musical restrictions and the invitation extended was for one and all to join in and
become part of the experience. These recordings were available in limited form
during the mid-1950s. It has been generally assumed that no more than 500-1,000
LPs were ever pressed and it has been out-of-print, completely unavailable, since
the late 1950s. Information concerning the original label is nowhere to be found.
These recordings are full of rousing singing, piano, and handclaps, as well as
heaps of blazing horns. The closing "Jericho March" is over 11 minutes of
glorious collective honk. The CD booklet includes informative liner notes written
by Opal Louis Nations that detail the history of Daddy Grace and his church, along
with several photos of a Grace baptism service.