BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
''I'LL FIND A WAY''
SEPTEMBER 30 2013
41:30
********************
01 - God Put A Rainbow In The Cloud 02:38 (Reverend Andrew Jenkins, Irene Spain)
02 - I'll Find A Way (To Carry It All) 03:40 (Theodore Peter Lucas)
03 - I Am Not Waiting Anymore 03:41 (Christopher Porterfield)
04 - I Shall Not Be Moved 02:45 (Traditional)
05 - Take Me To The Water 03:21 (Traditional)
06 - I've Been Searching 02:39 (Derrick Seymour Morgan)
07 - There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table) 05:20 (Barbara Adklin, Eugene Record)
08 - Take Your Burden To The Lord and Leave It There 03:26 (Charles Albert Tindley)
09 - Every Grain Of Sand 05:25 (Bob Dylan)
10 - My God Is Real 04:11 (Kenneth Morris)
11 - Jubilee 04:21 (Charlie Parr)
********************
Sam Amidon/Featured Artist, Vocals
JT Bates/Clapping, Drums, Drums (Snare), Drum Set, Percussion
Paul Beasley/Group Member
Jimmy Carter/Group Member
Phil Cook/Clapping, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Hammond B3, Piano, Piano (Electric)
Casey Dienel/Featured Artist, Vocals
Clarence Fountain/Group Member
Merrill Garbus/Featured Artist, Vocals
Patty Griffin/Featured Artist, Vocals
Mike Lewis/Bass (Upright), Clapping, Guitar (Bass), Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Eric "Ricky" McKinnie/Group Member
Ben Moore/Group Member
Reggie Pace/Clapping, Drums, Euphonium, Percussion, Tambourine, Trombone, Tuba, Vibraphone
Tracy Pierce/Group Member, Guitar (Bass)
Justin Vernon/Banjo, Featured Artist, Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Resonator), Loops, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
Joey Williams/Group Member, Guitar (Electric)
Shara Worden/Featured Artist, Vocals
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Thom Jurek
Justin Vernon may seem a curious choice to produce a Blind Boys of Alabama record. But adventure has been the group's M.O. during the 21st century, as they've collaborated with musicians of almost every stripe, with varying degrees of success. I'll Find a Way was recorded over four days at Vernon's Wisconsin studio, with arrangements and musical direction from Phil Cook played by a handful of players, and hosting an array of contemporary vocalists including Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Casey Dienel (White Hinterland), and Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), among others. The Blind Boys -- Jimmy Carter, Eric "Ricky" McKinnie, Joey Williams, Tracy Pierce, Ben Moore, and newcomer, high tenor Paul Beasley -- made the trek. Longtime bass singer Clarence Fountain, unable to travel due to illness, added his vocals from Birmingham. Five of the set's 11 tracks feature the group performing solo with backing musicians. The BBs expertly spin the country gospel chestnut "God Put a Rainbow in the Cloud," as if it had been part of their songbook forever. The traditional "Take Me to the Water," (based on Nina Simone' arrangement) led by Beasley's falsetto, is among the most moving things here. Its arrangement is adorned simply by a tuba, upright bass, piano, and a drum kit. Dienel and Carter deliver a chilling cover of the Chi-lites' "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is at the Conference Table)." Despite the drum loops that underscore its rhythm section, Cook's dignified piano and the organic percussion point directly at the frontline singers, whose voices contrast beautifully. They are elevated by the BB's choruses and Mike Lewis' soulful tenor saxophone solo. Garbus and the BBs offer a deft lover's rock reggae read of the spiritual "I've Been Searching." The title track, written by the late, obscure Detroit guitar/sitar master Ted Lucas, is the album's finest moment. The arrangement is modeled on the Band's setup circa Big Pink, and frames Worden's throaty yet otherworldly alto. Her phrasing uncovers subtlety in the lyric; her body and spirit are fully invested. The BB's expansive harmonies plumb the emotional depths in the codas and chorus. When Vernon layers her soprano range into the backdrop, a melody worthy of Motown reveals itself. Patty Griffin and the group jar it all loose on Charlie Parr's house-rocking "Jubilee" to close it on a rousing note. There are things that don't work here: there are stilted, wooden arrangements that mar "I'm Am Not Waiting Anymore" with Sam Amidon, and Vernon's duet with Carter on Bob Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand." Otherwise, I'll Find a Way is a fine, if uncharacteristically restrained, Blind Boys of Alabama recording.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Richard Skelly
Although the Blind Boys of Alabama have been singing gospel music for more than five decades, it's only recently that the've had the benefit of a major record company behind them. Led by founding member Clarence Fountain, the group has also featured Eric McKinney, George Scott, Caleb Butler, Johnny Fields, Jimmy Carter, Joey Williams, Donald Dillion, and Aubrey Blount. From their inception in the 1930s, when all were boys, the group's members turned their blindness into their chief selling point, and in fact, all members of the group except one are blind. They began singing when all were students at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama, but didn't begin recording until 1948. As a youth, Fountain heard the legendary Golden Gate Quartet on the radio; the early Five Blind Boys of Alabama took their musical cues from that group. The group began singing professionally as the Happy Land Jubilee Singers, and for years lived a day-to-day, dollar-to-dollar existence touring the South.
Beginning in 1948, they recorded for a variety of small record companies, and had gospel music hits in the 1950s with "Oh, Lord Stand by Me" and "I Can See Everybody's Mother But I Can't See Mine." In 1950, after the death of one of its members, the group renamed itself simply the Blind Boys of Alabama. Fountain's group recorded first for the Newark-based Coleman Records label. Between 1953 and 1957, the group recorded for Art Rupe's California-based Specialty label. In the '60s, the group's hard-driving gospel sounds were imitated by people like Bobby "Blue" Bland and Marvin Gaye. The group recorded extensively for the Vee-Jay label from 1963 to 1965. In 1969, Fountain left the group for a decade to try to make it on his own, and the group re-formed with all the original members in the late '70s.
Up
They didn't enjoy widespread success until 1988, when they starred in an Obie Award-winning Broadway show. According to Fountain, the group's high point was being on Broadway for 15 weeks with the musical Gospel at Colonus. The musical opened up new avenues for bookings for the Blind Boys of Alabama, and they began touring theaters and larger churches in the early '90s, embarking on their first European tours as well. The group was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, they played festivals, including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival, and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. Mid-'90s television appearances included BET's On Jazz, and even a cameo on Beverly Hills, 90210. The group appeared on Peter Gabriel's 2002 album Up, and were co-billed with Ben Harper on 2004's There Will Be a Light. Scott passed away in 2005, and Fountain retired from active performance soon after, leaving Jimmy Carter to lead the group. Original bass singer Johnny Fields died in 2009. A new recording in 2011, Take the High Road, found the Blind Boys of Alabama pursuing their roots in country gospel, with help from producer Jamey Johnson and featuring guests including Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., and Vince Gill. The group took an even harder left turn when they collaborated with producer Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) on a collection of spirituals and spiritually oriented pop songs that hosted a number of special guest vocalists including Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), Sam Amidon, and the ubiquitous Patty Griffin. Titled I'll Find a Way, the album was released in October of 2013. A holiday album with Taj Mahal, Talkin' Christmas, appeared in time for the holiday season in 2014.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
''I'LL FIND A WAY''
SEPTEMBER 30 2013
41:30
********************
01 - God Put A Rainbow In The Cloud 02:38 (Reverend Andrew Jenkins, Irene Spain)
02 - I'll Find A Way (To Carry It All) 03:40 (Theodore Peter Lucas)
03 - I Am Not Waiting Anymore 03:41 (Christopher Porterfield)
04 - I Shall Not Be Moved 02:45 (Traditional)
05 - Take Me To The Water 03:21 (Traditional)
06 - I've Been Searching 02:39 (Derrick Seymour Morgan)
07 - There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table) 05:20 (Barbara Adklin, Eugene Record)
08 - Take Your Burden To The Lord and Leave It There 03:26 (Charles Albert Tindley)
09 - Every Grain Of Sand 05:25 (Bob Dylan)
10 - My God Is Real 04:11 (Kenneth Morris)
11 - Jubilee 04:21 (Charlie Parr)
********************
Sam Amidon/Featured Artist, Vocals
JT Bates/Clapping, Drums, Drums (Snare), Drum Set, Percussion
Paul Beasley/Group Member
Jimmy Carter/Group Member
Phil Cook/Clapping, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Hammond B3, Piano, Piano (Electric)
Casey Dienel/Featured Artist, Vocals
Clarence Fountain/Group Member
Merrill Garbus/Featured Artist, Vocals
Patty Griffin/Featured Artist, Vocals
Mike Lewis/Bass (Upright), Clapping, Guitar (Bass), Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Eric "Ricky" McKinnie/Group Member
Ben Moore/Group Member
Reggie Pace/Clapping, Drums, Euphonium, Percussion, Tambourine, Trombone, Tuba, Vibraphone
Tracy Pierce/Group Member, Guitar (Bass)
Justin Vernon/Banjo, Featured Artist, Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Resonator), Loops, Producer, Synthesizer, Vocals
Joey Williams/Group Member, Guitar (Electric)
Shara Worden/Featured Artist, Vocals
********************
REVIEW/AMG
Thom Jurek
Justin Vernon may seem a curious choice to produce a Blind Boys of Alabama record. But adventure has been the group's M.O. during the 21st century, as they've collaborated with musicians of almost every stripe, with varying degrees of success. I'll Find a Way was recorded over four days at Vernon's Wisconsin studio, with arrangements and musical direction from Phil Cook played by a handful of players, and hosting an array of contemporary vocalists including Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Casey Dienel (White Hinterland), and Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), among others. The Blind Boys -- Jimmy Carter, Eric "Ricky" McKinnie, Joey Williams, Tracy Pierce, Ben Moore, and newcomer, high tenor Paul Beasley -- made the trek. Longtime bass singer Clarence Fountain, unable to travel due to illness, added his vocals from Birmingham. Five of the set's 11 tracks feature the group performing solo with backing musicians. The BBs expertly spin the country gospel chestnut "God Put a Rainbow in the Cloud," as if it had been part of their songbook forever. The traditional "Take Me to the Water," (based on Nina Simone' arrangement) led by Beasley's falsetto, is among the most moving things here. Its arrangement is adorned simply by a tuba, upright bass, piano, and a drum kit. Dienel and Carter deliver a chilling cover of the Chi-lites' "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is at the Conference Table)." Despite the drum loops that underscore its rhythm section, Cook's dignified piano and the organic percussion point directly at the frontline singers, whose voices contrast beautifully. They are elevated by the BB's choruses and Mike Lewis' soulful tenor saxophone solo. Garbus and the BBs offer a deft lover's rock reggae read of the spiritual "I've Been Searching." The title track, written by the late, obscure Detroit guitar/sitar master Ted Lucas, is the album's finest moment. The arrangement is modeled on the Band's setup circa Big Pink, and frames Worden's throaty yet otherworldly alto. Her phrasing uncovers subtlety in the lyric; her body and spirit are fully invested. The BB's expansive harmonies plumb the emotional depths in the codas and chorus. When Vernon layers her soprano range into the backdrop, a melody worthy of Motown reveals itself. Patty Griffin and the group jar it all loose on Charlie Parr's house-rocking "Jubilee" to close it on a rousing note. There are things that don't work here: there are stilted, wooden arrangements that mar "I'm Am Not Waiting Anymore" with Sam Amidon, and Vernon's duet with Carter on Bob Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand." Otherwise, I'll Find a Way is a fine, if uncharacteristically restrained, Blind Boys of Alabama recording.
********************
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Richard Skelly
Although the Blind Boys of Alabama have been singing gospel music for more than five decades, it's only recently that the've had the benefit of a major record company behind them. Led by founding member Clarence Fountain, the group has also featured Eric McKinney, George Scott, Caleb Butler, Johnny Fields, Jimmy Carter, Joey Williams, Donald Dillion, and Aubrey Blount. From their inception in the 1930s, when all were boys, the group's members turned their blindness into their chief selling point, and in fact, all members of the group except one are blind. They began singing when all were students at the Talladega Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Alabama, but didn't begin recording until 1948. As a youth, Fountain heard the legendary Golden Gate Quartet on the radio; the early Five Blind Boys of Alabama took their musical cues from that group. The group began singing professionally as the Happy Land Jubilee Singers, and for years lived a day-to-day, dollar-to-dollar existence touring the South.
Beginning in 1948, they recorded for a variety of small record companies, and had gospel music hits in the 1950s with "Oh, Lord Stand by Me" and "I Can See Everybody's Mother But I Can't See Mine." In 1950, after the death of one of its members, the group renamed itself simply the Blind Boys of Alabama. Fountain's group recorded first for the Newark-based Coleman Records label. Between 1953 and 1957, the group recorded for Art Rupe's California-based Specialty label. In the '60s, the group's hard-driving gospel sounds were imitated by people like Bobby "Blue" Bland and Marvin Gaye. The group recorded extensively for the Vee-Jay label from 1963 to 1965. In 1969, Fountain left the group for a decade to try to make it on his own, and the group re-formed with all the original members in the late '70s.
Up
They didn't enjoy widespread success until 1988, when they starred in an Obie Award-winning Broadway show. According to Fountain, the group's high point was being on Broadway for 15 weeks with the musical Gospel at Colonus. The musical opened up new avenues for bookings for the Blind Boys of Alabama, and they began touring theaters and larger churches in the early '90s, embarking on their first European tours as well. The group was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, they played festivals, including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival, and the King Biscuit Blues Festival. Mid-'90s television appearances included BET's On Jazz, and even a cameo on Beverly Hills, 90210. The group appeared on Peter Gabriel's 2002 album Up, and were co-billed with Ben Harper on 2004's There Will Be a Light. Scott passed away in 2005, and Fountain retired from active performance soon after, leaving Jimmy Carter to lead the group. Original bass singer Johnny Fields died in 2009. A new recording in 2011, Take the High Road, found the Blind Boys of Alabama pursuing their roots in country gospel, with help from producer Jamey Johnson and featuring guests including Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., and Vince Gill. The group took an even harder left turn when they collaborated with producer Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) on a collection of spirituals and spiritually oriented pop songs that hosted a number of special guest vocalists including Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), Sam Amidon, and the ubiquitous Patty Griffin. Titled I'll Find a Way, the album was released in October of 2013. A holiday album with Taj Mahal, Talkin' Christmas, appeared in time for the holiday season in 2014.
********************
WEBSITE
********************
TO THE TOP
********************
