Sutro Park

As noted in the write-up of his collection of recordings for Alan Lomax, I have a particular affection for the Fred McDowell records where he has a foil.  It seems he gets a particular enjoyment from working with collaborators that gives those sessions a spark.

This session with the Hunter’s Chapel Singers has a variety of singers and several songs / approaches that diverged from his usual recorded repertoire, help to give it a spontaneous feel.  It’s also notable that McDowell, a musician with such a strong, instantly identifiable instrumental voice, can shift to the role of sensitive accompanist.  Further speculation: Como Mississippi is a fairly small community --- what were the roles / social standings of these singers?  Might that account for McDowell's occasionally deferential sound here?  And really, who wouldn't defer to some of these outstanding singers?

One of my all-time favorites.  Hear a couple songs and see if it might be one of yours: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIMPKkOhGzs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI9PLYfAtbo

“One of the truly legendary releases in the cannon of the man who defined modern Hill Country Blues, Amazing Grace finds Fred McDowell playing with the Hunter's Chapel Singers in Hunter’s Chapel of Como Mississippi. This 1966 release originally on Testament was one of the few records producer Jim Dickinson took with him to every recording session to make sure there was always some REAL SHIT present. The recordings also features Fred’s wife Annie Mae. McDowell and company perform what the record subtitle calls ‘Mississippi Delta spirituals’ on this stark and moving set, which includes a version of one of his signature tunes, 'You Got to Move.' On 180 gram vinyl.” – Sutro Park

"The delta guitar legend's 1949 recordings originally on Regal, re-released on Biograph in the 1970s. This is mid-period McTell, finding the bluesman at his best with a pronounced guitar playing that conveys a sense of masterful urgency. Features a classic Biograph cover. Liner Notes by Down Beat's Chris Albertson and produced by Arnold Caplin." 180 gram vinyl." – Sutro Park.  Occasional second guitar from Curley Weaver.  Some nice gospel numbers on here, too, such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfcUtT8TVps

"The soundtrack to the legendary Space Is The Place movie featuring some of Sun Ra's most adventurous and uncompromising compositions ever: vocal chants, harsh synthesizer and organ blasts along with film dialogue, heavy percussion and just all around weirdness. Featuring front cover design by Curtis Schreier (a founding member of the Ant Farm art collective). An amazing, and important piece from the extensive Sun Ra catalog and a must have for Sun Ra and avant-garde cinema collectors alike." 180 gram vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve. - Sutro Park

180-gram vinyl reissue of the seminal Testament Records survey of fife-and-drum music from Mississippi and Georgia, one of those records that I buy every time I see it because certainly there’s somebody who needs it.  Unbeatable, rousing music, some of the grooves hit on here are ridiculous.  Another cool aspect of this record is it shows the variety in the music: different tones on the fife, diversity of drumbeats, individual vocal approaches, etc. 

Bonuses: Mississippi Fred McDowell playing a wastebasket, one-man fife-and-drum band Compton Jones being coached by Otha Turner regarding when to ramp up the volume when playing his washtub, a gravel voiced reveler shouting: “Napolian’s got you scared now, boy!  Napolian’s got you beat!”

Among the great artists heard here:  Otha Turner, Napolian Strickland, Sid Hemphill, RL Boyce, Compton Jones, Ephram Carter, J.W. Jones, Lucius Smith. Most of the recordings here were made by David Evans and George Mitchell in 1970, with some others by Alan Lomax in 1942.

“In the 60s blues obsessive Bengt Olsson traveled to America in search of the fringe players who helped define the genre in the 30s and 40s. These masters, many barely recorded, quickly faded into obscurity when their medium left them poor, wolves at the door. What Olsson captured was a robust slice of haunting blues and gospel that would have otherwise been completely forgotten. Wolf's At The Door is eerie, celebratory, dark and redemptive, fragile, lonely and scandalous. It is about drunken revelers at a bootleggers house telling dirty jokes while teaching each other a four-part harmony to a gospel standard. It is the underbelly of the underbelly and all these tracks are presented here for the first time ever. (not exactly; I’ve got one of these tracks on an old Flyright comp – Adam/50 Miles) 180 gram vinyl.” – Sutro Park. Special mention for Lonnie Fuqua's "Moan": a beautiful, spectral guitar instrumental.