The Underground Railroad [Explicit Lyrics]

Track Listings

1. Hot Shit #12

2. Liberty

3. Shellshocked

4. Bring It Back - Masterminds,

5. Joints 2000

6. Onetwothree

7. Spinners

8. 2025

9. Front to Back

10. No Test - Masterminds, Mr. Lif

11. Professionals

12. Seven - El-P, J-Live, J-Treds, Masterminds, , Shabaam Sahdeeq

13. Day One

14. Memories

15. Free - Masterminds,

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Hip Hop. The New York rhyme team comprised of Oracle, Kimani and Epod bring us this, their debut LP. The record contains a lethal combination of head-nodding rhythms and well though out lyrics.

The Underground Railroad,Masterminds,Ground Control,Pop,Rap & Hip-Hop,Underground Rap

The Underground Railroad [Explicit Lyrics]

Steal Away - Songs of the Underground Railroad

Average customer rating:

Just Brilliant!
Listen While I Tell You a Story!
Great for kids
The Most Beautiful Music
Songs of power, protest and defiant hope

Steal Away - Songs of the Underground Railroad
Kim & Reggie Harris
Manufacturer: Appleseed Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

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General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Follow the Drinking Gourd
The Underground Railroad for Kids: From Slavery to Freedom with 21 Activities (For Kids series)
Voices Of The Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966
Sing For Freedom: The Story Of The Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs
Wade In The Water, Vol.1:African American Spirituals:The Concert Tradition

ASIN: B000005BPI
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Tracks:

Oh Freedom
No More Auction Block
Let Us Break Bread Together
Wade In The Water
Go Down Moses
Harriet Tubman/Steal Away
Now Let Me Fly
Sinner Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass
Trampin'
Follow The Drinking Gourd
Deep River/Swing Low
Great Day
Heaven Is Less Than Fair
Free At Last
Ain't I A Woman
Steal Away (Reprise)

Album Description

Before the Civil War, when a slave's every action was monitored by his "owners," songs became a powerful and vital form of private communication and expression on Southern plantations. Emotions and information that a slave could never plainly voice could be sung in coded spirituals and folk songs. When daring slaves sought a path to freedom in the North on the so-called Underground Railroad, actually a series of travel routes and safehouses, these songs became tools to transmit information and advice about escape plans, to assert defiance, inspire runaways, and express fear and elation at the harrowing journey ahead.

On "Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad," veteran folk duo Kim and Reggie Harris capture the power, spirit and messages of these encrypted songs in a rich and moving collection of largely traditional material. This album, the core of an ongoing series of workshops and presentations for students, teachers and families by the Harrises, has become an important educational tool and is stocked in many libraries and museums around the country.

The CD's booklet includes informative, detailed liner notes and the lyrics to its 16 selections, shedding light on their hidden or inherent meanings: "Wade in the Water" reminded runaways to follow rivers and streams for direction, cover, and food; "Follow the Drinking Gourd" taught slaves to use the Big Dipper to find the North Star as a celestial signpost to freedom; "Let Us Break Bread Together" signaled secret planning meetings. Other traditional songs here such as "Oh Freedom," "Now Let Me Fly," "Free at Last," and "No More Auction Block for Me" require no decoding. These standards are joined by three contemporary songs - "Harriet Tubman," a tribute to the escaped slave who became one of the most famous Underground Railroad "conductors"; "Ain't I a Woman," a musical arrangement of a famous speech by Sojourner Truth, a 19th century crusader dedicated to slavery's abolition and women's rights; and the Harrises' own "Heaven is Less than Fair," based on narrative accounts of escaped slaves about their flight to freedom and the loved ones they left behind.

The Harrises present these songs with simple grace, using yearning harmonies and acoustic guitar accompaniment to convey the melancholy of slavery, the glimmerings of hope for a better life, and the joy of achieving a hard-won freedom.

Customer Reviews:

Just Brilliant!.......2007-03-23

I have had the pleasure to know Kim & Reggie Harris in the 1990s. They are gifted musicians and story tellers and they are gifted at making you feel like a passenger on the underground railroad, the Train that remains Bound for Glory!

I just love the collection of songs; you learn about the code terms for freedom as you come along for the ride. Just hop on board! This Train is Bound for Glory and it's making stops for freedom all along the way. Next stop - No More Auction Block for Me - an excellent statement against an atrocious period in history when people were sold at auction blocks on the open market. Now it's time to Follow the Drinking Gourd on the next stop. Kim has a beautiful voice and when you hear her sing "Free at Last," don't be surprised if you are very moved.

Abolitionists - those opposed to slavery; Quakers opposed slavery and helped many people escape to the Promised Land outside the slave states.

Conductor - people who helped lead the Underground Railroad and keep that train moving!

Drinking Gourd - North Star, used by many to travel northward out of the slave states.

Heaven - Code word for Canada, the desired northern stop. Canada recognized all free citizens, regardless of race. The Train that was Bound for Glory made many successful runs to Canada.

Safe Houses, stops - homes that were used to shelter runaway slaves. These safe houses were stops the train made en route to freedom.

Slave Catchers - self explanatory.

These gifted story tellers are not only wonderful musicians, but they are also historians who bring to life a vital part of history that should never be forgotten.

Listen While I Tell You a Story!.......2007-01-15

As background music while I tell the story of the hidden symbols and meanings in my Underground Railroad Quilt, this is the best collection I have found. I was pleased with the sound quality and clarity of the words. My only complaint was the unevenness of the volume. Perhaps I can adjust the timing of my story so the lower volume sections of the music correspond with the more somber parts of the talk!

Great for kids.......2003-09-04

My pre-schooler liked this tape after she read about Harriet Tubman

The Most Beautiful Music.......2000-03-30

This is quite simply the most beautiful music I've ever heard in my life - not just one song, but the entire CD.

Kim and Reggie Harris's voices are extraordinary, their harmonies are perfect, and their guitar work supports each song ideally. In addition, the selections are so moving that more than one of them brought me to tears.

I don't think the samples nearly do it justice.

Songs of power, protest and defiant hope.......1998-05-26

Kim & Reggie have done it again with their latest release. This extraordinary collection features a diverse collection of the "code" songs of the Underground Railroad, the brave group of African-Americans who escaped the oppression of slavery in the U.S. South and then joined Harriet Tubman, the group's "foundress," in her quest to bring others to freedom. The songs in this collection truly touch every human emotion as they convey a history that is too often forgotten in our society which is more racially divided than ever. I am struck by the confident hope expressed by songs such as "Harriet Tubman/Steal Away," "Great Day," and "Wade in the Water." The story & accompanying song "Heaven Is Less Than Fair" brings home the brutality of slavery that separated families and loved ones from each other. All the songs carry a messaage for today, especially songs like "Ain't I A Woman?" as we discover that these words of Sojourner Truth could still in some ways be spoken today. This CD is a great listen, a great gift, and a great teaching tool. Highly recommended to all.

Get on Board! Underground Railroad & Civil Rights Freedom Songs, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Get on Board! Underground Railroad & Civil Rights Freedom Songs, Vol. 2
Kim & Reggie Harris
Manufacturer: Appleseed Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Steal Away - Songs of the Underground Railroad
Let My People Go! A Jewish and African American Celebration of Freedom
Guide My Feet
Rock of Ages
Sing For Freedom: The Story Of The Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs

ASIN: B000KHYOBO
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Tracks:

Done Wit' Driver's Dribbin'
Get On Board
Oh Mary, Don't You Weep / with Bernice Johnson Reagon
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning / with Danny Glover and Rev. Robert
Run Mary Run
Children Go Where I Send Thee / with Magpie
Old Tar River / with Matt & Marshall Jones
Ballad of the Underground Railroad
Trampin'/I Got Shoes
Rise Up Shepherd and Follow/Go Tell It on the Mountain / with Guy Davis
One Little Step Towards Freedom
Down by the Riverside
Row de Boat / with Baby Jay
Freedom is a Constant Struggle

Album Description

In pre-Civil War years, Black gospel spirituals often served dual purposes - to assert hope for a better life and to convey coded directions and advice to runaway slaves heading north on the Underground Railroad, a network of sympathizers providing food, shelter and aid. Many of these same songs became anthems of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, their messages of faith and determination stoking freedom marches and rallies. Since 1982, the married folksinging duo of Kim and Reggie Harris has been exploring the rich lore of Underground Railroad stories and songs and their subsequent reuse in more modern contexts. The Harrises' 1997 Appleseed CD, "Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad," was proclaimed "a stunning recording" by Sing Out! magazine and has been embraced as a teaching tool by Underground Railroad and Black history museums, freedom centers, and school systems. On the new "Get On Board!", Kim (vocals) and Reggie (vocals, guitar) present some of the lesser-known Underground Railroad songs they've uncovered, revive several standards from their past recordings and mix in newer compositions "Ballad of the Underground Railroad," co-written by Black history scholar Charles L. Blockson, Cathy Fink's spirited "One Little Step Towards Freedom," and Roberta Slavitt's aching "Freedom is a Constant Struggle." The Harrises' guests on "Get On Board!", spanning ages and genres, include Bernice Johnson Reagon, renowned musician, teacher, activist and founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock; actor Danny Glover; contemporary folk-blues performer Guy Davis; Matt and Marshall Jones of the SNCC Freedom Singers group of the '60s; 14-year-old rapper Jonathan "Baby Jay" Gutierrez; acclaimed folk duos Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer and Magpie, and many others.

Prominent among the CD's glories is the use of voices - Kim's radiant mezzo-soprano and Reggie's high baritone appear in innumerable harmonic combinations, swooping around each other, slipping in and out of unison, joyfully welcoming the additional vocal textures of their guests. The vibrant arrangements and the fascinating background of the songs, described in the CD's liner notes, make "Get On Board!" an accessible and uplifting documentary of music's role in our country's history.

I Believe in Angels Singing: Songs from the Underground Railroad Era
Average customer rating:
I Believe in Angels Singing: Songs from the Underground Railroad Era
Michael and Carrie Kline
Manufacturer: Unity Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
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Wade In The Water, Vol.1:African American Spirituals:The Concert Tradition

ASIN: B0007RVHSA
Release Date: 2004-03-03

Tracks:

Soon I Will Be Done
Making Old Songs
Wading Deep Waters
Go Down Moses
The Old Landmark
Listen to the Earth
Follow the Drinking Gourd
Let Jesus Lead You
Going Up North
Ruben
Chilly Waters
Go Down Moses
Freedom Train
Steal Away to Jesus
Long Journey Home
The Devil He Wore Hypocrite Shoes
Nobody Knows the Trouble I Seen
Oh May Don't You Weep
Steal Away
Wade in the Water
Auction Block Blues
Climbing Jacob's Ladder
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
I Shall Not Be Moved
Oh Freedom

Album Description

I Believe in Angels Singing is an anthology of twenty-five songs remembered from the era of the Underground Railroad, recorded at homes and churches in eastern Ohio and West Virginia during the spring and summer of 1996.

The title, I Believe in Angels Singing, is taken from the words of Neilda Pitts recollecting older people singing as they picked cotton in a large field near her childhood home. Sister Pitt's performance of "Soon I Will Be Done with the Troubles of this World" opens the tape. Other performers include her mother, Bertha Tolliver, along with Ethel Caffie-Austin, John Jackson, Ken Jacobsen, Phil Wiggins, Emma Perry Freeman, Verta Cooper and the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood.

Ethel Caffie-Austin, with her huge and rich voice and free flying piano style, has toured Europe and is know as West Virginia's Queen of Gospel Music. She teaches at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV during the summer. The late John Jackson also toured widely and was renowned for his profound Piedmont Blue style. Here he plays banjo, guitar and sings a song learned from each of his parents.

Phil Wiggins of the internationally known Cephus and Wiggins Piedmont blues performing duo gives us his own original, exquisitely rendered, impassioned mouth harp appeals in pursuit of freedom.

Tracks:

Joys And Solos
The Underground Railroad To My Heart Suite
An Bayan Ko (For My Country)
Kang Ding Love Song
Strange Fruit Revisited
Lan Hua Hua (Blue Flower)
Bambaya
Caravan
Auld Lang Syne
The Monkey Theme
The Pig Theme - Fred Ho And The Afro-Asian Music Ensemble F

Customer Reviews:

Ho delivers future classic.......2003-05-27

For those of you just discovering Fred Ho, you are in for a sonic journey which embarks upon both rural China as well as the smoky jazz-filled clubs of New York City. Fred's musical education spans several genres in time and space as he bravely intertwines this knowledge into his music. Ho, at times, distinguishes the culture and era (you will hear both Chinese opera and Count Basie at his best in this album) from which it draws upon... yet, Fred is clearly not bound to simply paying tribute to music-past, he is able to mix and match, cut and paste a beautiful aural canvas which has drawn me back to this album (as well as his other albums) over and over. Some moments in Railroad are lullaby soft, but can easily slip into chaos. The metaphoric overtones of this album are fascinating (the title alone suggests that), but throw all of this aside on your first listen. Just dim the lights, sip some kava and clear your head. This masterpiece will both enlighten your head and entertain your ears.
*For those of you who have heard Fred's work, you know where I'm coming from. For those of you that have yet to hear Fred Ho, treat yourself today to this modern musical marvel whom will be referred to in future days as a legend.

Underground Railroad.......2002-03-24

Music is a great Blues sound. I was looking for lyrics for my classroom.

Average customer rating:

awesome musicians
Shows Great Potential
2000 prog-rock album sounds like 1980
THE NEW STANDARD OF PROG
The new high standard of prog

Through and Through
Underground Railroad
Manufacturer: Laser's Edge
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004UEGX
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

May-Fly
Comprachinos of the Mind
In the Factory
Doorman
Mars
Through and Through

Customer Reviews:

awesome musicians.......2005-06-15

A fool that I know gave this cd to a jazzer. This aint jazz- it's prog and it's wonderful. "Through and through" is a monumental composition. Yes these guys harken back to the glory years of prog but they also have a fresh approach. Those who fail to listen and discard miss out on a wealth of great music. Yes I'm talking about "pebozo" a.k.a. pedroza, daniel- see his foolish misguided reviews if you dare.

Shows Great Potential.......2004-10-11

I had the experience of seeing these songs played live at NEAR Fest in 2001.

Let me say first, these guys are more than capable players/composers who have a refreshing disregard for commercial concerns, staying true to their muse. They also have amazing ears for texture, mood and orchestration.

The Strong Points: Their instrumental ability, especially Kurt Rongey's lush symphonic keyboards and Bill Pohl's Holdsworth-inflected guitar work (with one big difference, he doesn't feel the need to spew out constant streams of 64th notes at Warp 8). They play very tight and really listen to each other. I love the unpredictable and mysterious chord progressions and melodies. How to describe them? Think choice bits of early Genesis, Happy The Man, Gentle Giant, a bit of Allan Holdsworth and Canterbury prog thrown in. A very dense, heady brew

The Weak Points: The lyrics seem pointlessly esoteric just to be esoteric. Kurt Rongey is one fine keyboardist/composer but vocalizing is NOT his forte'. Quite honestly, if the band went completely instrumental altogether it would work in their favor. Another pet peeve is the rather needless proliferation of gratuitous synth bleepings and what not, sometimes the music just needs to breathe and have open space.

If the band just took those last couple criticisms to heart and worked with them they would be one very potent instrumental band with lots of surprises and delights for any listener.

2000 prog-rock album sounds like 1980.......2003-03-20

This is a good-sounding and listenable prog-rock album, but it lacks in originality. While several reviewers have compared the sound to early Genesis, Genesis was always a very melodic band. Other than the opening cut, "May-Fly", the melodic ideas are lacking, and as a result the songs aren't memorable. Keyboardist Kurt Rongey tends to overplay to cover for this. One of the most effective moments is a four-minute stretch in "Comprachinos of the Mind" where the band simplifies and just plays some simple guitar noodling over moody synth chords. My favorite part of the album is guitarist Bill Pohl, who sounds like a cross between Holdsworth and Steve Hackett. The guitar chords add a jazzy touch to the prog sound; the result reminds me of bands circa 1980 like Brand X, Allan Holdsworth's I.O.U., and National Health (the DS Al Coda album). Rongey is also a very capable musician. Unfortunately, the songs veer into many of the standard prog-rock clichés: 1) When in doubt, play very fast for five seconds; 2) If you can't think of a melody, play an angular unison line; 3) Assume any keyboard line will sound good sung as a vocal melody. Except for the guitar, the album sounds very similar to Rongey's solo album "That Was Propaganda". This is a good but not great album--for prog-rock from 2000, I'd go with Echolyn's "Cowboy Poems Free", PFM's "Serendipity" or Glass Hammer's "Chronometree" ahead of this.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

THE NEW STANDARD OF PROG.......2002-11-07

Gentle Giant , early Genesis, King crimson, and melody as strong as Under the Sun is how I would best describe The Underground Railway. This is a class act at the(or beyond) progressive standards of those I just mentioned, and is a must have for those into just about any form of progressive music, prog rock through to prog metal. Buy it and discover the new standard of prog!

The new high standard of prog.......2002-08-22

Average customer rating:

Tha Dog is Out
Spanish Kid
Manufacturer: Underground Railroad
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000EZ91GA
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Tracks:

Tha Dog Is Out
Street Dogs
Born Fighter
2 Emcee Stylez
Walk tha Talk
Jealous Ones
Ain't Quittin'
Why Do I Fail
God Is Good
Street Preacha
Still Brown
Struggle
Predators
Anthem
Bring Ya Noise

Underground Railroad, Vol. 1: Street Life (Hulled & Chopped)

Average customer rating:

Must Buy
Zro is definitely keepin it street

Underground Railroad, Vol. 1: Street Life (Hulled & Chopped)
Z-Ro
Manufacturer: Hustletown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Southern Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00018D4YA
Release Date: 2004-01-07

Tracks:

Maabin
Southside
Rip DJ Screw
Tell Me What You See
Hustlin in the Game
Look at Me
Crazy
Dirty Work
Life Is a Bitch
Make It

Customer Reviews:

Must Buy.......2005-11-20

I have eleven Z-ro Cds and this is the second best to only Look At What You Did To Me. Life is a Bitch is his best song period just a perfect song. Mabbin and Southside sound like rider music. The other songs are all serious where Z-ro is at his best he RIP Screw sounds like the most heartfelt of all the Screw tributes I have heard. Make it, Tell Me what You See, and Crazy are great sad songs this CD if you never heard it's great real rap is this 50 cent pop rap world.

Zro is definitely keepin it street.......2004-01-19

Z-ro keeps all his stuff real concered with what really goes on in the street, he mixes old school rhythm with his own poetic kind of writing style, talking about problems and difficulties we can all relate too. Worth your money, cop it

Average customer rating:

Only The Strong Shall Survive
The Underground Railroad
Manufacturer: Legendary Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0002ZIFBO
Release Date: 2004-12-12

Tracks:

Intro
Journey 2 the Sun (feat. Neelu)
The Music (feat. Kamou)
Lock
Didja
We Alright
Hot Water (feat. Moka Only)
Tasters Choice (feat. Murs / Luckyiam.PSC)
Twister
Skywriters (feat. Himself)
Yes
The Hidden
Sink (feat. Eligh)
Better than me
The Burning Choir

Product Description

Tracks:1. When You're Around 2. Everybody Dies 3. Sign Your Name 4. Love's Calling 5. Time of the Season 6. Diamonds 7. We Got the Time 8. I Don't Care 9. Harriet 10. Did You? 11. You & Me 12. Tired 13. Being Replaced

Average customer rating:

Good, but still inferior
A Solid Release
Dope Album ( a must for underground hip hop heads )
Dope Album ( a must for underground music lovers )

The Underground Railroad
Masterminds
Manufacturer: Ground Control
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Self-Preservation
Stone Soup

ASIN: B00004TV4O
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

Hot Shit #12
Liberty
Shellshocked
Bring It Back - Masterminds,
Joints 2000
Onetwothree
Spinners
2025
Front to Back
No Test - Masterminds, Mr. Lif
Professionals
Seven - El-P, J-Live, J-Treds, Masterminds, , Shabaam Sahdeeq
Day One
Memories
Free - Masterminds,

Album Details

Hip Hop. The New York rhyme team comprised of Oracle, Kimani and Epod bring us this, their debut LP. The record contains a lethal combination of head-nodding rhythms and well though out lyrics.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but still inferior.......2001-07-24

When I first heard this CD I thought it was very tight, the beats took me away. But as I grew further into the tracks there was room for critisism. They copied the Alkoholics with the track 2025...and the rest of the tracks aren't the most original. They aren't very superior to their commercial competition...if you like commercial you'll like this album. If you are a TRUE underground fan, you may be somewhat disappointed. It doesn't...[stink] though, it's not bad. There is room for improvement, and I think their potential is great- their future albums should be better. ONE GREAT TRACK is "Memories"...that track is what makes this CD 3 stars, instead of 1 or 2. That track is straight from the heart, original and just dope. The beats on the whole CD are tight, and the way they spit is tight...they have some good featured artists...it's just the lack of originality that makes it inferior.

A Solid Release.......2000-08-09

Some of the tracks on this CD aren't the most original hip-hop tracks I've heard, but it's still tight. I don't know much about these cats, but this release is solid. It's one of these CD's that you can put on without having to worry about wack tracks. Just tight beats and good battle rhymes.

Dope Album ( a must for underground hip hop heads ).......2000-06-27

This is a dope album, the beats and flows are sick. Support the underground and buy this album, you wont regret it.

Dope Album ( a must for underground music lovers ).......2000-06-27

This group is dope. There beats and flows are so sick. I can listen to it over and over again, never gets old. support the underground and buy this album, its dope.

Underground Railroad (Live at Holy Cross Monastery)

Average customer rating:

Soulful free jazz of the highest quality
But How Will It Play In Poughkeepsie??

Underground Railroad (Live at Holy Cross Monastery)
Joe McPhee
Manufacturer: Atavistic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Trinity

ASIN: B00005OR97
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Underground Railraod
Harriet
Message From Denmark

Tracks:

Justice (Evidence)
Windy City Head Stompin' Blues
Birmingham Sunday
Spain Adios

Customer Reviews:

Soulful free jazz of the highest quality.......2006-03-18

If one thinks of so-called avant-garde jazz as an intellectual exercise lacking real "soul", this CD might be grounds to reconsider your opinion. The whole band sounds like they are on fire, and Joe Mcphee plays free-jazz tenor in the gospel tradition. I can find nothing in Allmusic about the drummer - Ernest Bostic - but here he sounds like Rashied Ali hitting the drums harder than ANY heavy metal drummer. Their version of Monk's Evidence sounds especially inspired, and I'm still digesting all the passion unleashed in these two discs.

But How Will It Play In Poughkeepsie??.......2003-05-18

Time was, back in the heady days of the early 70s, that almost every small city had its avant-garde jazz scene. Though not by any means a big draw anywhere, music of the avant-garde did seem to reflect both the unrest and the optimism of the times. Now that a real free scene, even in the free jazz "renaissance" of the 90s, is only something that can be said to exist in only a few cities in the country, one can only look back and marvel at the incredible set of musicians that Joe McPhee was able to assemble in, of all places, Poughkeepsie NY.

This recording is a document of that rare time. It actually consists of two things, the reissue after almost 30 years, of McPhee's rare album Underground Railroad. This album was recorded at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, New York. It consists of one long and furious title track, a shorter ballad that features drummer Ernest Bostic on vibes, and a final bluesy number. This music is marvelous. The quartet features wonderful and barely known musicians. In addition to Bostic, there is terrific bass work from Tyrone Crabbe and a wonderful horn foil in Reggie Marks. McPhee is terrific here, crafting a mix of funky blues, modally based improve and Ayler fireworks. McPhee spends much of his time on his first instrument, the trumpet, but also for the first time records on what would become his main ax, the tenor sax. This disc would be worth getting for these three cuts alone.

But the second part of the disc is a considerable surprise in it's own right. It consists of a previously unreleased recorded concert at Holy Cross featuring McPhee's large group. The material is once again incendiary. A furious version of Evidence opens the concert, which continues with a funky blues based composition, a lament for the four girls killed in the Birmingham church blast, and some out and out free blowing. The quality of the live recording does leave something to be desired. Often the balance is skewed toward the drums, the poor horns can sound like they are in another room, and forget about ever hearing Crabbe's bass...but somehow, the power of the music still comes through. This is great free jazz, full of passion, anger and deep soulfulness.

Thanks again to John Corbett and the good people at Atavistic for this wonderful series. Unheard music is resurrecting so many good recordings, and free jazz fans everywhere should snap them up, before they once again become unheard!

Rap Music:

Rap Music

rap music

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