The Word - The Word [2001]

The Word is an instrumental rock/Sacred steel/gospel blues jam band. The supergroup included well-known musicians: Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar), John Medeski (keyboards), and all three members of North Mississippi Allstars - Luther Dickinson (electric guitar), Cody Dickinson (drums, washboard), and Chris Chew (bass guitar).

The Word developed from a mutual affection for gospel music and the Sacred Steel tradition shared by Medeski and members of the North Mississippi Allstars. Chris Chew and Luther Dickinson were particularly fond of a song called "Without God" on the Sacred Steel Live! album, the only track credited to a then-unknown Robert Randolph. They contacted Randolph and recruited him to form their own Sacred Steel band, likely the first initiated by musicians outside the House of God church organization.

Their debut self-titled album, produced by Medeski and released on Ropeadope Records . The album contains a mixture of traditional gospel songs (played with instrumental arrangements) and original instrumentals written by the group.A great album!

                                                                              
                                                                               Enjoy!

V/A - Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal

  A killer killer compilation – the sort we've been dying to own for years! It's a well known fact that there's plenty of funky nuggets hidden amidst 70s gospel recordings – massive grooves and break-heavy tracks that rank right up there with the best indie funk from the same time. Yet tracking down these tunes has always been plenty tough – given that most gospel records sold in different circles, had different distribution, and often are less easy to decipher for the crate digger than more conventional funk and soul. Enter the folks at Numero – who have really gone all out this time around, and dug through piles and piles of rare gospel records to come up with a whopping batch of great tracks! This set is definitely ground zero for getting into funky gospel – and it's filled with far more obscure work than the Soul Gospel set on Soul Jazz – all indie numbers from small labels that only got minor distribution at the time. As usual with Numero, the notes and package match the soulful depth and righteousness of the music – and the set is one of the most perfectly wrapped-up genre compilations we've ever seen! 

                                                     Enjoy!

Andrew Wartts and the Gospel Storyteller - There Is A God Somewhere [1982]

Wartts holds hard to a then-outmoded JB's/Curtom sound, with funky drums, soft, wailing organ, golden harmonies and Oliver Sain guitarist Earl Wright laying down a minor-key chicken-scratch soul groove. Wartts burrows into the far corners of the Bible (The 37th Psalm, 25th verse; Luke, Chapter 16; John 14; the third chapter in the book of Acts), his sweet harmonies making these dusty, forbidding words sound like the mesmerizing entreaties of Curtis Mayfield. A silvery, euphoric sound, that is also effortlessly funky, it comes close to convincing you that the way of the Lord is a joyous one, not merely the mean choice between being a sinner or a winner. 

                                                     Enjoy!                                 

Voices Of East Harlem - Right On Be Free (remastered & expanded) [1970]

Digitally remastered and expanded reissue of the 1970 debut from the 20-member ensemble. Producers Leroy Hutson and Curtis Mayfield (both of the Impressions) worked with the group, whose ages ranged from 12 to 21. The Voices Of East Harlem were a community choir that grew from an inner city action project in 1969. Their music mixed devotional Gospel fervor with commercial R&B and Soul, and included lead vocalists Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress. Coming to the attention of Elektra boss Jac Holzman via their producer Jerry Brandt, they were signed in 1970 for their debut Right On Be Free, which showcased a diverse song selection from Buffalo Springfield’s "For What It's Worth, to Richie Haven's "Run Shaker Life", all performed in their distinctive high-energy style. plus two live tracks recorded at the “Soul To Soul” concert in Ghana in 1971.

                         

                           Live from Soul to Soul festival in Ghana.1971:
              

                            


                                                   Enjoy!

The Gospel Truth: The Gospel Soul and Funk of Stax Records

By the 1970s gospel music was at a crossroads. Rhythm and blues had moved into soul, and the old-timey feel of much of gospel was alienating younger audiences. It fought back by adapting the sounds of contemporary funk and soul to their songs of devotion, and in recent years these records have become some of the hottest items amongst collectors. However until now the Stax Organisation and its Gospel Truth label had been largely ignored.

Started by label boss Al Bell and run by veteran black music radio promotions man Dave Clark, it aimed to capitalise on the success Bell had had with the Staples Singers, the gospel group becoming a pop sensation on the main Stax label. The idea was that the Gospel Truth label would take existing and new gospel acts and give them the Stax makeover. The very best soul musicians in the world would take time out from cutting hits to create the music for a series of gospel soul and funk masterpieces.

This compilation tells the story of Stax's move into the gospel field by choosing the best of the output. From the Staple Singers' glorious template via the inspired and unique voice of Rance Allen, the mainstay of the Gospel Truth label itself. We have cuts from the sought-after and super-rare Sons Of Truth LP, and Joshie Joe Armstead's You Got The Vibes, a UK northern soul monster almost from the day it was released.

The 20 tracks reflect the sound of popular black American music of the day - from the out and out funk of Clarence Smith, through the group soul harmonies of 21st Century to the proto-disco sound of the Howard Lemon Singers. If the connection with God sometimes seems tenuous, it was all part of the plan to bring you to Him by stealth.

Enjoy!