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  • LIFE

    A joyous sound

    Life, John Clewley, Published on 07/11/2023

    » In 2001, the legendary US Gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama released an album on Peter Gabriel's Real World Records label. It was a hugely popular album which garnered the band a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album. It included their version of Tom Wait's song Way Down In The Hole, which was the theme song for the TV miniseries The Wire. Their version is better than Waits' in my view.

  • LIFE

    Root of the matter

    Life, John Clewley, Published on 20/07/2023

    » Earlier this year, Craft Recordings released the 2CD compilation Birth Right: A Black Roots Music Compendium with the aim of introducing the astonishing variety and depth of black roots music in the US in just 40 songs. Historian Dr Ted Olson and producer Scott Billington have done a great job of presenting a wide range of styles and genres -- from trad jazz to gospel to Louisiana la-la to Gullah music to country blues to brass bands. It's a fascinating musical ride for the listener.

  • LIFE

    House of the rising Son

    Life, John Clewley, Published on 27/09/2022

    » Son House is regarded as one of the greats of early blues, along with early recording stars like Charley Patton and Robert Johnson. He made 78rpm records in the 1930s but a spell in penitentiary halted his career and by the 1940s he had abandoned recording. It wasn't until 1964 that Nick Perls, Dick Waterman and Phil Spiro "rediscovered" him working at a gas station. He was completely unaware of the interest in folk blues at the time (Skip James and Bukka White were already playing crossover folk clubs).

  • LIFE

    A smoother blue from North Mississippi Allstars

    Life, John Clewley, Published on 13/04/2021

    » In 2014, I wrote a review about the unique sound of blues rockers North Mississippi Allstars (NMA), whose music is rooted in the "fife and drum" culture of North Mississippi. Unlike in the Mississippi delta, which has a distinctive brand of guitar-driven blues, North Mississippi African-American hill country musicians use fifes (a small shrill flute used in 19th-century military bands), fiddles, banjos, tambourines, snare drums and a huge bass drum to create their local sound.

  • LIFE

    The Saints'second coming

    B Magazine, Chanun Poomsawai, Published on 19/06/2016

    » The reunion of one of the most beloved girl groups from the '90s proves a delightful triumph.

  • LIFE

    Sam Smith wins four Grammys

    Published on 09/02/2015

    » LOS ANGELES — Sam Smith dominated the Grammys, taking home three of the top four awards, including song and record of the year for "Stay With Me,'' and best new artist, while Beck won album of the year.

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