Great God Almighty - classic black gospel!!!

[Neil Foxlee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecXHLe7q ... ed&search=

for the Davis Sisters, with Ruth Davis - possibly the most powerful woman singer ever - on lead.

Check out other posts by ArchieB9876 and Mandy39 for more amazing stuff.

[Neil Foxlee]

Another highlight is Sister Rosetta Tharpe - girl, could that woman rock!!!
F'rinstance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnIJR3PWTT8&NR=1

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa ... ed&search=
(better picture quality, but poor sound at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jmt8ZtzF0s )

I can't remember which clip they used in the film "Amelie".

[Gordon Neill]

Brilliant stuff! Thanks for that, Neil. I think it was the first clip that appeared in Amelie. Can you recommend a good CD collection of Rosetta? (Keep it to yourself, but I ain't got one).

[Neil Foxlee]

Depends on how much Rosetta you want. The value for money option has to be the well-regarded Original Soul Sister box set on Proper (4CDs for 10.99 or so). For a single mid-priced CD, there's Up Above My Head (Indigo) or The Gospel of the Blues (Universal US) - I couldn't say which of these is better, because most of my Rosetta is on LP. In fact, after seeing these clips reminded me that it was on my wants list, I've ordered the Proper box myself...

PS having now listened to the Proper box, I can now say that the last one and a half discs are marvellous - that's where the Sam Price boogie trio and the Marie Knight duets kick in - but that I won't be listening much to the earlier stuff. For most buyers, less may well be more - ie the single-CD Indigo (Up Above My Head) or Universal (The Gospel of the Blues) sets, with probably a preference for the Universal (v. highly rated by All Music Guide, http://wc02.allmusic.com/). Both seem to contain a good selection of her best-known stuff - I particularly like the call and response on the duets with Marie Knight, such as Up Above My Head.

For gospel radio show archives, check http://wfmu.org/playlists/CR - to quote the dj Kevin Nutt, "Scratchy vanity 45s, pilfered field recordings, muddy off-the-radio sounds, homemade congregational tapes and vintage commercial gospel throw-downs; a little preachin', a little salvation, a little audio tomfoolery."