|  BLIND
ARVELLA GRAY – THE SINGING DRIFTER
Reissue © 2005 Conjuroo Recordings
The Singing Drifter was originally
released on vinyl in 1972 and fewer than 1,000 copies
were sold. Unavailable for over 30 years, this album
has been re-released and also includes three bonus
tracks. Blind Arvella Gray was Texas born and came
to Chicago by way of Peoria in the 1940’s.
He performed as a solo acoustic bluesman playing
for a living on street corners, South Side’s
Englewood shopping district, Chicago’s Maxwell
Street Flea Market and the local Jazz Record Mart.
He clanged, strummed and played traditional and
gospel songs, folk blues, as well as his own creations
with a slide on an old National Dobro made of either
copper or brass.
Little was known or written
of him. Here is an opportunity to hear Blind Arvella
Gray raw and unedited, recorded at Sound Unlimited
Studios in Harvey, Illinois, a studio, home and
office for country icon Marvin Rainwater.
1.
THERE”S MORE PRETTY GIRLS THAN ONE –(Alton
Delmore/Arthur Smith) a fast tempo with an irregular
beat, it’s an old cowboy song that his vocals
strain on
2. JOHN HENRY- (Traditional) most well known song
sung by this world renown street performer, gets
your toes tapping at seven minutes long
3. ARVELLA’S WORK SONG-(Arvella Gray)-my favorite
track, all accapella with only hand clapping to
keep a beat, references East St. Louis burning down
in the song
4. TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD-(Traditional)–
upbeat tempo with sliding’ on the dobro
5. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN-(Traditional)
old song done up acoustic style by Arvella, his
vocals nice and hearty here
6. STANDING BY THE BEDSIDE OF A NEIGHBOR-(Traditional)
full of soul
7. THOSE OLD FASHIONED ALLEY BLUES-(Arvella Gray)
jamming original with thumping bass line
8. GANDER DANCING SONG-(Arvella Gray)- another accapella
gem
9. STAND BY ME-(Traditional)- guitar slapping and
acoustic sliding
10. WHAT WILL YOUR RECORD BE-(Arvella Gray) more
powerful vocals here in a shouting style
11. IF I COULD HEAR MY MOTHER PRAY AGAIN-(Traditional)
simple strumming pattern with some slide work and
straight ahead vocals
12. MOTHERLESS CHILDREN HAVE A HARD TIME-(Traditional)
unruly and imperfect and lyrics are very repetitive
13. TAKE MY HAND PRECIOUS LORD-(Traditional) vocals
and slide blend together well
14. CRYIN’ HOLY UNTO THE LORD-(Traditional)
my favorite traditional song on the disc with a
little more slide work in between lyrics
This
is an enjoyable cd for a fan of raw, soulful, unaltered
acoustic blues and gospel music straight from the
streets of Chicago by, The Singing Drifter. I give
this disc 3.4 out of 5 on my STLBluesometer rating.
Order your own copy via Amazon at www.conjuroo.com
Joseph
"UJ" Miller
email :: uj@stlblues.net
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