Hanging Tree Guitars
Music Maker Relief Foundation, 2020
8/10
Listen to Hanging Tree Guitars
A companion album to a Freeman Vines’ book of the same name that’s about guitars and artwork, the music portion of the project has 12 artists turning in 1 track each, where the underlying theme is racism delivered by overlooked and under appreciated black musicians.
Rufus McKenzie starts the listen with the warm harmonica of “Slavery Time Blues”, where his raw yet soothing vocals soar with a southern blues flavor, and “Turning Point”, by James Davis, follows with a swampy instrumental of gritty blues.
Further along, Adolphus Bell’s “Black Man’s Dream” recruits eloquent storytelling amid bare percussion, while “John Henry”, by John Lee Zeigler, is the album standout with an emotive and bare landscape as spirited singing resonates with an almost meditative quality. “Get Ready”, another noteworthy track, then offers the soulful vocals of The Glorifying Vines Sisters that are both stirring and playful.
Close to the end, Elder Anderson Johnson’s “Glory, Glory” is a bright, gospel moment with an instant sing-along appeal, and “Amazing Grace” exits the listen with Guitar Slim Stephens giving his spontaneous and unpredictable delivery.
Two of the tracks here are previously unreleased, Johnny Ray Daniels’ “Somewhere To Lay My Head” and Faith And Harmony’s “Victory”, and The Glorifying Vines Sisters’ “Get Ready” is seeing digital life for the first time. A collection of obscure and important moments of Black Music’s history, the soul, folk and blues tunes here are genuine and executed with the utmost care and impact in their pristine condition.
Travels well with: Dedicated Men Of Zion- Can’t Turn Me Around; The Last Shall Be First- The JCR Records Story, Volume One