Christmas Spirituals
Encyclopedia
Christmas Spirituals is the name of two albums recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 folk singer
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 Odetta
Odetta
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...

. The first was released in 1960 on Vanguard Records and is available to this day. The second, a new recording of mostly the same songs, produced by Rachel Faro at White Crowe Audio in Burlington, Vermont, was originally released in 1987 on Alcazar Records and was reissued digitally in 2007 on Ashe Records. Both albums feature Bill Lee
Bill Lee (musician)
William James Edwards "Bill" Lee III is an American musician. He has played the bass for many artists including Cat Stevens, Harry Belafonte, Chad Mitchell Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, Aretha Franklin, Odetta, Simon and Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan...

, Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....

's father on bass. The second Christmas Spirituals' album cover, by artist Coleen Patterson, depicts a Black Madonna by the River Jordan with the Three Kings in attendance. She says these songs are traditional spirituals that emerged from the sufferings of slavery as a catharsis for the terrible wrongs that were committed.

Track listing

All songs Traditional unless otherwise noted.
  1. "Rise up, Shepherd, and Follow" – 1:45
  2. "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" – 2:25
  3. "Mary Had a Baby" – 1:52
  4. "Somebody Talking 'Bout Jesus" – 2:05
  5. "Virgin Mary Had One Son" – 3:08
  6. "Go Tell It on the Mountain
    Go Tell It on the Mountain (song)
    "Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual song, compiled by John Wesley Work, Jr., dating back to at least 1865, that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers...

    " – 2:01
  7. "Shout for Joy" – 2:31
  8. "Poor Little Jesus" – 1:56
  9. "O Jerusalem" – 2:51
  10. "Ain't That A-Rockin'" – 3:20
  11. "If Anybody Asks You" (Odetta Gordon) – 2:00
  12. "Beautiful Star" (Gordon) – 2:54
  13. "Children Go Where I Send Thee" – 2:45

Personnel

  • Odetta
    Odetta
    Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...

     – vocals, guitar
    Guitar
    The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

  • Bill Lee
    Bill Lee (musician)
    William James Edwards "Bill" Lee III is an American musician. He has played the bass for many artists including Cat Stevens, Harry Belafonte, Chad Mitchell Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, Aretha Franklin, Odetta, Simon and Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan...

     – bass
    Double bass
    The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...

  • Lincoln Goines – bass
  • Jeff Salisbury – percussion, drums
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