Allison’s Sacred Harp Singers: Heaven’s My Home, 1927-1928 / County CD-3531

Description

County CD 3531 / This album is not for everybody, but it will be special for those who have long awaited a sizable, well-presented sampling of the fascinating, archaic style known as Sacred Harp Singing, native to a very small area of North Georgia and Alabama. Allison’s Sacred Harp Singers were the most prolific of the relatively few such groups that recorded in the late 1920s, and thanks to a few dedicated collectors like Alabaman Robert Nobley we have a chance to hear 21 of these amazing rare original recordings. The songs, taken from the old shape note hymnals of the 19th century, are first lined out note by note, followed by the singing of the words. Some cuts are unaccompanied, some have piano, but most feature a pump-organ accompaniment, sometimes in a modal structure. N.Y. Times reviewer termed this music “spookily beautiful.” With a 24-page booklet of liner notes by John Bealle and Joyce Cauthen.

1   THE HEAVENLY PORT  (2:46) singing with organ
2   BOUND FOR CANAAN  (2:38) singing with organ
3   THE OLD SHIP OF ZION  (2:26) unaccompanied singing
4   EXHILARATION  (3:05) singing with organ
5   ANTIOCH  (2:45) singing with piano
6   SWEET RIVERS  (3:12) singing with organ
7   HALLELUJAH  (3:01) singing with organ
8   THE GOLDEN HARP  (2:57) singing with organ
9   TRAVELING PILGRIM  (2:36) unaccompanied singing
10  JEWETT  (3:03) singing with organ
11  PISGAH  (3:07) singing with piano
12  SWEET PROSPECT  (2:28) singing
13  WEEPING PILGRIM  (3:05) sample unaccompanied singing
14  SWEET CANAAN  (3:04) singing with organ
15  PENICH  (2:52) singing with piano
16  THE MORNING TRUMPET  (2:38) singing with organ
17  ESTER  (2:25) singing with organ
18  I’M A LONG TIME TRAVELING AWAY FROM HOME  (2:56) singing with organ
19  I BELONG TO THIS BAND  (2:52) singing with organ
20  SWEET MORNING  (2:38) singing with organ
21  HEAVEN’S MY HOME  (2:50) singing with organ