Bob Marovich’s Gospel Picks – March 2014

Review of new gospel CDs: BLACK GOSPEL RARITIES VOL. 4, and long players from DONNIE MCCLURKIN, MACHEESTE, ANNETTE MURRILL-CROOMS, JOLIE ROCKE BROWN, ROY & REVELATION and ETHAN KENT
by David McGee
 

 
 

Spring in Verse

Spring cannot arrive too soon, and we anticipate its arrival in verse from SHAKESPEARE, EMILY DICKINSON, WILLIAM WORDSWORTH and other, and in song from MARK O'CONNOR, VIVALDI et al.
by David McGee
 

 

 

From Any Angle, It’s Still the Blues

BLUESMAN and former boxer GRADY CHAMPION is launching his new label with strong albums from his first signings: EDDIE COTTON with HERE I COME and JJ THAMES with TELL YOU WHAT I KNOW
by David McGee
 

 
 

Rhonda’s Revenge

Though she says it was inspired by George Jones, Rhonda Vincent's ONLY ME, a double-CD release containing one side of country and one of bluegrass, has n other message to send. Call it Rhonda's Revenge.
by David McGee
 

 

 

An On-Time Messenger for the Lord

It takes no special insight to point out the kinship of blues and gospel but 81-year-old LEO 'BUD' WELCH's debut album, Sabougla Voices, presses that truth home with a ferocity and unwavering conviction remarkable even for thes...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Dame Kiri Turns 70, Bids Farewell to Opera (But That’s Not All, Folks)

Celebrating her 70th birthday today, DAME KIRI TE KANAWA is appearing at Covent Garden in a Donizetti farce--her last opera role, she says. But it's not the last we'll hear of her. Deep Roots pays tribute to a great.
by David McGee
 

 

 

No Down Payment (1957)

In 1957 director MARTIN RITT shattered the facade of bucolic suburban life in post-war America in his lost classic, NO DOWN PAYMENT. TONY RANDALL, JOANNE WOODWARD and PAT HINGLE lead an excellent cast. Plus two obscure Popeye-r...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Video Moment of the Week

Traditional bluegrass quartet NU-BLU is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, with a new album (Ten) and three new videos of songs from that album. The first of those videos is right here, 'Trains I Didn't Take.'
by David McGee
 

 

 

Contemporary Music

During a four-month concert tour of America in 1928, composer MAURICE RAVEL delivered a then-controversial lecture urging American classical musicians to incorporate African-American music into their compositions. Ahead of his ...
by David McGee