Paul Robeson: The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939

I could not afford this seven-disc box, but my dear friends Jim and Cindy Clark of Kansas, realizing that I am the only Robeson fan they are ever likely to meet, gifted me with this. I am extremely grateful. I "discovered" Paul in 1959, when I was 14, via a Vanguard folk sampler I checked out of the Trenton, NJ Public Library. The song was "Get on Board, Little Children" and lasted all of 77 seconds, but it changed my life. (On the same set, I "discovered" Cisco Houston, and that track also changed my life. What a great trip to the library that turned out to be.) 


The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939 buy from Amazon:

The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939 MP3 Album [$44.41]

Indigo Girls ~ Beauty Queen Sister Album

It's been a long time since I heard the Indigo Girls like this. I remember the first time I experienced "Blood and FIre" and "Strange Fire", and fell in love with IG, and experienced the folk genre. I've stuck with them through thick and thin since then, even with the broken promises of "Shaming of the Sun" and "Come on Now Social", both of which had good moments but have never been my favorites. I've loved them in "All that We Let In" (magnificent, underrated) and "Become You".

Indigo Girls ~ Beauty Queen Sister Album buy from Amazon:

Beauty Queen Sister [+Digital Booklet] [$5.00]
Beauty Queen Sister Audio CD [$11.68]
Beauty Queen Sister Vinyl [$23.75]

Norah Jones ~ Come Away With Me Album

It is not just the timbre of Norah Jones's voice that is mature beyond her 22 years. Her assured phrasing and precise time are more often found in older singers as well. She is instantly recognizable, blending shades of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone without sounding like anyone but herself. Any way you slice it, she is a singer to be reckoned with. Her readings of the Hank Williams classic "Cold Cold Heart" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" alone are worth the price of the CD. Jones's own material, while not bad, pales a bit next to such masterpieces. Jones has all the tools; what will come with experience and some careful listening to artists like J.J. Cale and Shirley Horn is the knack of remaining low-key without sounding sleepy--sometimes less is not, in fact, more.


Norah Jones ~ Come Away With Me Album buy from Amazon:


Come Away With Me MP3 Album [$5.00]
Come Away With Me Audio CD [$7.88]
Come Away With Me [Hybrid SACD - DSD] [$13.86]
Come Away with Me [Vinyl] [$16.97]

The Civil Wars ~ Barton Hollow Album

2011 debut full length from the Folk/Country duo. The Civil Wars consists of John Paul White, hailing from Florence, AL and Joy Williams, originally from Santa Cruz, CA, but now residing in East Nashville. The duo's chance meeting a year and a half ago fueled an immediate songwriting chemistry and creative synergy. Their second show ever, performed at a sold out Eddie's Attic, was recorded and released as a free digital album. Of the duo, Reg's Coffee House host, Scott Register, praises: 'In my 13 years on the radio, few of the artists I've championed had as immediate a reaction as The Civil Wars. When I first spun `Poison & Wine' listeners couldn't get enough of it and wanted to own it immediately. This band has the `it' factor that you look for. Don't miss out.'


The Civil Wars ~ Barton Hollow Album buy from Amazon:
Barton Hollow MP3 Album [$4.99]
Barton Hollow Audio CD [$9.89]
Barton Hollow Vinyl [$19.29]