Odetta – Odetta Sings Ballads And Blues (1956)

diciembre 7, 2008 at 11:15 pm (Odetta)

Otro aporte de David. Thanks

Here’s a review written by my friend Sasha in Croatia:

» Just heard that great Odetta passed away (not long after Miriam Makeba) and was saddened & re-visited her classic album that influenced 1960s folk wave.Considering that today we think about «folkies» as meancholic (or rebelious at their best) troubadours,it comes as great surprise to hear passionate and firesome Odetta who inspired all of them – nothing like «pretty» Joan Baez or talk-singing Bob Dylan (who idolised her both),this woman was powerful-voiced force of nature more similar to Mahalia Jackson or Bessie Smith and true,she did both gospel and blues as well as her folk material – she often called herself musical historian.

When you think of music recorded during 1950s with big orchestration,violins and angelic backing choruses,this ultra-spare album of traditional folk ballads appears completely fresh and original.There are songs about religion,hope,slavery (chilling «Another man done gone»),love and even funny West-Indian «Shame and Scandal» – there was no emotion this woman was not capable of in her music and through everything she comes across more like empress than folkie troubadours we are accustomed to.

Dark beauty of her strong voice can perhaps be compared to Joan Armatrading althought latter never had such passion – when Odetta goes marching,she is unstoppable.To my knowledge she was always very active in civil right movement and often performed with biggest stars she actually influenced.

There are many Odetta’s albums around – I particulary love her tribute to 1920s blues singers called Odetta and the Blues but even later,more recent work like Blues Everywhere I Go is very good.

For beginner,this is the best place to be introduced to this majestic singer. «

LINK

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