Vienna Carroll and the Folk Harlem Field Recordings

Vienna Carroll and the Folk
Harlem Field Recordings
Self-Produced

Listening to this stunning recording by New York City-based singer Vienna Carroll, I found her singing reminded of the wonderful Gaye Adegbalola,. However, Ms. Carroll's focus is more on traditional material than original blues songs. A multi-talented person, she wrote an acclaimed play "Singin Wid A Sword in Ma Han" (which is the closing song on this album), and this is her third album. Supporting her vocals are Stanley Banks on bass, Newman Taylor Baker on washboard and percussion, Keith Johnston on guitar, and a host of guests including Nioka Workman on cello, Melanie Dyer on viola, and Henrique Prince on violin. 

The variety of her repertoire encompasses a wide range of folkloric connections from classic acoustic blues, spirituals, sea shanties, hollers and shouts, and work songs. The authority she brings is evident from "Strawberries and Cream," where she shouts like a street vendor selling berries and praising glory. Another selection is the lively spiritual with call and response of "You Better Mind," with Henrique Prince adding saw-toned violin. Another jubilant spiritual performance is "Let's Go Down to the River."

There is an excellent cover of Robert Johnson's "Come On in My Kitchen" with Johnston's supportive guitar backing and solo. Another strong blues performance is "I Just Want To Make Love To You." Guitarist Johnston's jazzy intro quotes "My Favorite Things," before segueing into accompanying Vienna's vocal for the Willie Dixon song. "No More Freedom" is a powerful a cappella performance about going to prison followed by "Prison Blues." This latter sing has firm backing for her menacing vocal. With Banks' bass and Baker's percussion, Vienna delivers an excellent rendition of Son House's "Grinnin' in My Face," although she can't match House's intensity (after all who can).

One of the most moving tracks is a lullaby and work song, "All the Pretty Little Horses." Vienna introduces it, noting that it came from a time when a slave mother would have to breast-feed a plantation owner's baby at the expense of her child. The string accompaniment adds to the somber mood of a stunning performance that stands out in a totally superb album.

I received a download of this album from a publicist. Here is a performance by Vienna Carroll and The Folk of "This Train."

The Ebony Hillbillies 5 Miles From Town

The Ebony Hillbillies
5 Miles From Town
EH Music

One of several African-American string bands to emerge over the past few years, The Ebony Hillbillies have gone from Manhattan street corners to the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and TV appearances on the BBC and ABC's Good Morning America. This colorful ensemble is comprised of Henrique Prince - violin and vocals; Norris Washington Bennett - banjo, mountain dulcimer, guitar and vocals, Gloria Thomas Gassaway - Bones (percussion) & vocals; William (Salty Bill) Salter - acoustic bass; Allanah Salter - shaker (percussion) & vocals; Newman Taylor Baker - washboard percussion; and A.R. (Ali Rahman) -(Cowboy) percussion. The best-known member of this group is William Salter who is a co-writer of such legendary pop hits as "Where is the Love" and "Just the Two of Us."

The music on this CD varies from the lively opening fiddle tune "Hog Eyed Man," a lively skittle band cover of "Wang Dang Doodle," an old-timey styled "Darling Corey," and a heartfelt, intimate reworking of "I Can't Make You Love Me." "Carroll County Blues" is an instrumental blues with some outstanding violin from Prince with the percussion enlivening the performance. "Another Man Done Gone/ Hands Up Don't Shoot" updates a traditional blues in light of contemporary police shootings of black men. There is "Fork in the Road," which comes off a string band adaptation of a doo-wop styled ballad, and the old-time gospel of "Where He Leads Me (I Will Follow)."

The album closes with the spirited title track that evokes a square dance performance. It concludes a lively, engaging mix of pop, blues, folk, old-timey country, and jazz that has entertained the streets of Manhattan and concert halls around the world.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 382). I was not regularly posting at the time this review was written and published. I just found out that Norris Bennett has just passed away. Here The Ebony Hillbillies perform "Liza Jane."