Bernice McClellan, Gertrude Morgan, Annette Hanshaw

I had this post written the other day and it was much better but I misplaced it. It makes a better 2a.m. sunday morning post anyways.

This first track is from the long out-of-print LP, Negro Church Music, recorded and edited by Alan Lomax. Sister McClellan lays down a real healthy sounding vocal backed by dozens in the congregation with a fantastic band (especially the piano player).

Bernice McClellan & Congregation

Negro Church Music (1959)
What Do You Think About Jesus?

This track by Gertrude Morgan is pure praise'n'worship; something like sermon, something like song, all power. By the time Let's Make A Record was released in 1970 (a decade after the recording was made) Sister Morgan had become well known around New Orleans as "...the eccentric figure best known for roaming the streets of the French Quarter in the 1950s and 60s and shouting invented spirituals through a megaphone..." After 1970 the record fell out of release and it wasn't until last summer that it was finally re-released (Preservation Hall Recordings).
Sister Gertrude Morgan

Let's Make A Record (1960)
Power

This last track is so very very out of place in this post, but I could not resist the temptation to post another Annette Hanshaw track.
Annette Hanshaw

Collected Recordings (1927)
My Idea of Heaven

DJ Kool Herc

Yesterday I was going somewhere in the auto and my already shaky cassette to iPod connection decided it would be a great time to stop working. Being more than just morally opposed to FM radio I went scanning the AM dial for at least some preaching or far-right rant; this attempt was fruitless. Finally, settling on NPR and was more than just pleasantly surprised to find that irritating woman who does that irritating show interviewing DJ Kool Herc. The moral of the story is never ever ever listen to FM radio. For those who don't know, Kool Herc is widely considered the father of (at least) the hip-hop dj and by some slightly overzealous critics the "Father of Hip-Hop." Many of you maybe wondering how did someone so influential go so unknown for so long? 1. DJ Kool Herc has never, and according to Herc himself, will never make a studio album and 2. the few bootlegs from him DJing parties are few are far between. So for your ass shaking delight:


DJ Kool Herc
Live (197?)
Let Me Clear My Throat
As far as I can tell, this is not Kool Herc with the famed Hercilodians, but I am pretty certain that is Coke La Roc of the Hercilodians on the lyric.