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Golden Gate Quartet, The - Concert In Hamburg - 21-May-09 05:11 PM
If you read this review to the end, you will find that I recommend this album. I will share first, though, a prejudice.
Go to the Lp bargain bins at any fleemarket in most of Europa, and youll find old Golden Gate Quartet compilations in high numbers. Why that - and who were they? Well, my DIY socio-cultural explanation is, that two things were going on in the 60s that made Golden Gate Quartet a household name in Europe. First, a lot of european parents in the sixties tried to gain their rocking kids respect and escape the "Old fart" conviction by at least owning 2 Lps of black music. The Golden Gate Quartet sing in the very little dislikeable "Jubilee" style - a mix of gospel and the sophisticated arranging of barbershop harmony, not unlike The Mills Brothers in their early years - so many parents reached out for Golden Gate Quiartet, known from numerous TV-shows, and hummed away to "Joshua fit the battle of Jericho" feeling hip and really close to the younger generation in their shared love of "black" music. Most of the time the Lps were shelved with Readers Digest, the flamenco charter-import Lps and the "Zorba" soundtrack.
Also - in the 60s, as a senior european, buying black music was to some a statement, an oversea contradiction to the white supression of the black people in the US. That was then.
Now those kids are living by themselves - playing Madonna to show their kids how modern they can be and to escape the "Old fart" conviction. No one needs Golden Gate Quartet anymore - and the fleemarkets all over Europe have more Golden Gate Quartet and Mahalia Jacksom albums than flees. This US gospel-singing quartet was in fact so popular in Europe, they moved to Paris in 1959 and lived and toured Europe the following decades.
Having shared my prejudices I would like to recommend this album however. Recorded one night in Hamburg in 1966, this is by far the best Golden Gate Quartet I have ever heard. And much to my surprice, this is also one of the best live recordings made in the 60s I have ever heard. Beautifully recorded, the four voices are very clear, rich, full-toned and laid out in a wide stereo-perspective. Due to the natural quietness of this music, the concert hall atmosphere is very appearant and also recorded very impressive. On my Lp, helped by a very good set of Tannoy monitors, I can almost place every coff or clap made that night within a few seats.
Not all the credit goes to the recording-crew. Off course these cats can sing. You can rank them with the Mills Brothers easily.
On my shelf - along with artists like Howlin Wolf, Otis Redding, James Brown, Etta James, Al Green and Ray Charles, theres only one gospel recording, The Golden Gate Quartets 1966 "Concert in Hamburg". This goes to show - well - what an old fart I am.
If you too want to own a single gospel Lp, I recommend this one to you. Its not on CD, so I suggest you find a copy the same way I did. In a bargain bin, at a fleemarket.

Marshall Crenshaw - Something's Gonna Happen / She Can't Dance - 15-May-09 04:13 AM
From time to time you find a "specimen" that reminds you why collecting 45s is great. "Somethings Gonna Happen" is a pop-archeologists favourite. As truly romantic, energetic and catcy as any early Beatles, british invasion or Buddy Holly hit record - and only to be found on an obscure 45. Or at least was. Recent compilations has offered a wider chance to get a listen to one on pops least likely non-hits, but for some 20 years this release was one of the good 45-collectors shields to fight back the attacks from Lp- and CD clansmen. A pop song robbed from the craddle of Top Ten Hit Records - and not like another of Crenshaws obscure catcy songs "Youre My Favourite Waste Of Time" adopted by more famous cover-artists. The song did do Crenshaw some good though. As part of a session for Alan Betrocks Shake Records in NY, though never released in the US, the recordings got Crenshaw a record deal with WB that led to the release og a handful of fine Lps. And "Somethings Gonna Happen" did get a UK release on Albion. Why this pop-mystery of obscurity? Crenshaw always was a misfit in time and genre. Though rich on song quality, in early 80s "Somethings Gonna Happen" after all was 60s revivalism when that ism was no bizn-ism.

Roy Eldridge - Roy Eldridge & His Band - 12-May-09 03:39 AM
On these recordings Roy Eldridge is found in a rare setting playing with swedish musicians in 1951. Half the set is jazz standards with Eldridge at his usual high level and the swedes discretely and competent accompanying, leaving the solo space for the master. But as a surprise, the gem here is when Eldridge and the band on the rest of the set take off from standard jazz repertoire. Here is a rare opportunity to hear the man famed as “Little Jazz” unexpected come out as a steaming rhythm and blues singer, singing and rocking the house on the three Louis Jordan covers, "Schooldays", "They Raided The House" and "Saturday Night Fish Fry". All three tracks has Eldridge having a real good time, joyfully singing and almost forgetting his horn. Roy Eldridge certainly has enjoyed the jazz audience through a long career. But these tracks makes one wonder, what a great great rhythm and blues artist we may have missed. This hard to find materiel is recommended for those three tracks alone.

Persuasions, The - Chirpin' - 12-May-09 03:36 AM
Well this is rare; an acapella album of perfect streetcorner harmonizing put out in 1977. Persuasions seems to be part of a doo-wop Jurassic Park, keeping this 50s tradition not only alive but on top of its genre. The album is acapella through-out and this makes excellent room for listening to the singing perfection. Here are stunning versions of doo-wop era hits like The Rivingtons "Papa Oom Mow Mow", The Dominoes "Sixty Minute Man" and Sam Cookes "Win Your Love For Me", but the lesser known tunes like "Moonligt And Music", "Its gonna rain again" and especially "Looking For An Echo" not only ranks up with the classics but outranks them as vehicles for the streetcorner-singing. In a genre almost characterized by One-Hit-Wonders this is a rare opportunity to actually enjoy an entire doo-wop album. An album that for long was a part of The Rolling Stones Record Guides 5-star-league and is rated 4,5 stars by Allmusic Guide. Youll find no reason to challenge that.