Various - Mississippi Blues & Gospel: Field Recrdings 1934-1942
STYLE: Gospel RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21312-12052 LABEL: Document DOCD-5320 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £11.99
Reviewed by Tony Cummings
When the Library Of Congress and Fisk University sponsored the field trips which are the source of the music here I don't suppose that anyone thought that it would take until the '90s before our friends at Document Records made them available to the public for the first time. They are a fascinating glimpse into rural music with gospel being provided by a raw and rugged congregation from Church Of God In Christ, Rev McGhee (who may or may not be the famed preacher of that name who recorded in the '20s) and The Frazier Family (a group from Memphis). All the other stuff is secular blues with some tracks standing out like the two by blues giant Bukka White and the pre-war classic "Ragged And Dirty" by William Brown. Plus there's a bunch of fascinating, though very poorly recorded sides by Blind Pete & Partner. If you're still longing for more O Brother Where Art Thou style music, this compilation is worth investigating.
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