various artists - Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances • Volume One: Black Gospel

Clearly, the universe wanted me to have the first volume of "Jubilation", as this one crossed my hand for the bargain price of three clams. Everything I said in my previous post applies here. Perhaps I'll turn up a copy of Volume Three in the nest month, so I can complete the series?

Discogs

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various artists - Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances • Volume Two: More Black Gospel

It's complicated for me, you know? How Christianity is intertwined in American popular music. But I guess it's important to remember that Satan was a fallen angel. So why wouldn't godly sounds evolve into heathen hymns?

But here's a decent place to start if you want to dig into the roots of soul music. Sam Cooke, as part of the Soul Stirrers, leads things off on this second disc of the three disc "Jubilation! Great Gospel Performances" series. The Staple Singers, whose Stax releases are amongst my favorites, show off their spiritual side on "Uncloudy Day". I knew Mahalia Jackson and James Cleveland before I dove into this, but I heard the Heavenly Gospel Singers, the Davis Sisters, and the Swan Silvertones for the first time on this comp. It's not a regular listen, but I'm glad I opened up to this, you know?

The first volume features other black gospel singers, including Aretha Franklin, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, and Clara Ward (amongst others). The third volume is all country gospel: Johnny Cash, Webb Pierce, George Jones & Tammy Wynette, and the Louvin Brothers all appear. In all, it's a pretty great series.

Discogs

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various artists - Blues Masters, Volume 15: Slide Guitar Classics

Look, you really shouldn't need a reason to download this, populated, as it is, with some sick Chicago Blues, early rock & roll, and a couple of random blues rarities, none of which are younger than 35 years old.

But if you do need a reason, do it because it has Blind Willie Jefferson's "Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground", a song so exemplary that Jack White regards it as the finest example of slide guitar to be recorded, and one of a handful of musical pieces to make it onto the Voyager Golden Record, wedged between pieces by Kesarbai Kerkar and Beethoven. Fine company, to be sure.

Discogs

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