The Titanic - Bessie Jones, Hobart Smith, & The Georgia Sea...
Witness For My Lord - Silver Leaf Quartet
Dark Day - Silver Leaf Quartet
The Very Same God - Silver Leaf Quartet
Gospel Train - Silver Leaf Quartet
I Got A Home - Nat Rahmings, Hobart Smith, & Ed Young
Hey, Hey, Honey - Bright Light Quartet
Menhaden Chanteys - Bright Light Quartet
Walk On The Bay - Nat Rahmings With Hobart Smith & Ed Young
I'm Tired - Bright Light Quartet
Just Beyond The River - Bright Light Quartet
Christian Automobile - Bright Light Quartet
John The Revelator - Belleville A Cappella Choir
Walk, Billy Abbott - Willis Proctor & The Georgia Sea Island Singers
How Could I Live - Peerless Four
Noah - Peerless Four
Trouble In My Way - Peerless Four
I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord - Peerless Four
This CD is part of an ambitious reissue program of folklorist (did someone say saint?) Alan Lomax's library of recordings. Recorded during a 1960 trip by Lomax to the Eastern Shores of Virginia, these are not the velvet vo... more »ices of today's high-gloss studio productions. These are the actual voices of the gospel choirs, jubilee singers, and fisherman who continued to honor their African American musical traditions long after the rest of the world had plunged into the modern age. Colonial fife-and-banjo music is represented by the fascinating song "Joe Turner." The sparkling call-and-response of the "Menhaden Chanties" shows how fishermen once used song to lighten their load when pulling in their nets. But most impressive are the gospel groups the Silver Leaf Quartet and the Bright Light Quartet. Contrary to its title, "So Tired" by the Bright Light Quartet will have you doing cartwheels in the aisles and working happily all through the day. --Ken Hohman« less
This CD is part of an ambitious reissue program of folklorist (did someone say saint?) Alan Lomax's library of recordings. Recorded during a 1960 trip by Lomax to the Eastern Shores of Virginia, these are not the velvet voices of today's high-gloss studio productions. These are the actual voices of the gospel choirs, jubilee singers, and fisherman who continued to honor their African American musical traditions long after the rest of the world had plunged into the modern age. Colonial fife-and-banjo music is represented by the fascinating song "Joe Turner." The sparkling call-and-response of the "Menhaden Chanties" shows how fishermen once used song to lighten their load when pulling in their nets. But most impressive are the gospel groups the Silver Leaf Quartet and the Bright Light Quartet. Contrary to its title, "So Tired" by the Bright Light Quartet will have you doing cartwheels in the aisles and working happily all through the day. --Ken Hohman
"Of the excellent Southern Journey series, this is my favorite. The Bright Light Quartet, singing work songs and gospel in close harmony are extraordinary, and I believe that these and the few other pieces on three other Southern Journey albums are their only recorded songs. Many other pieces on the CD are also outstanding, but the BLQ...
The sound is amazingly good; the remastering was done masterfully. (Sorry.) It's very hard to believe that these were field recordings.
I bought several of the Southern Journey series when they were on Prestige, and I bought them again immediately when the CD's became available.
I consider this an absolute must have, and it would be a desert island treasure."
Velvet beautiful, but also light and upbeat and fun.
Sprig | 04/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this collection on the strength of the song "Christian Automobile," by the Bright Light Quartet, which was played on an NPR show recently. The commenter said something like, "I can't get enough of this four-part harmony. If anything could make me come to religion, this would be it." I agree. And I would add: Not a dud on this collection, and all flow together well. Mostly pretty upbeat stuff, even though it's called "Velvet Voices." This collection is one of many collections gathered together by Alan Lomax. I look forward to checking the others out."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1
