Earworthy - five new Black albums recommended - Music

American Visions, June-July, 1997 by Bill Hasson

Goodbye Mr. Evans Kirk Lightsey Trio (Evidence ECD 22165-2) -- One of Detroit's most admired pianists. His hands walk softly, deftly across the keys as he sways from side to side, expressing compositions in a frank, harmonious style. He has not been heard from much since he went to Europe, but his selection of compositions by Jimmy Heath, Wayne Shorter and even Chopin tells you that he has not lost his roots in the classics. He is accompanied by Tobor Elekes on bass and Famoudou Don Moye on drums.

Greatest Hits Bebe and Cece Winans (EMI Records E2 37048 -- Precious. The Holy Spirit endows each of us with a special talent to share with our fellow beings, and sometimes that gift can move people to embrace the concept of love for one another through song. Bebe and Cece have masterfully embarked on a mission to bring people closer together with celestial and popular song, and they are getting the job done right. Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, and they want you to share that passion with them.

Jali Kunda: Griots of West Africa & Beyond Foday Musa Suso (Ellipsis Arts CD 3510) -- Our history must be kept alive, and the ancient stories have to be told so that our children will know that they have a past -- a glorious history with heroes, heroines and great deeds. The griots must remember the events of the past and recall them for future generations. Intact. Unblemished. Detailed and accurate. It is a special calling, and no one has kept this tradition alive better than the artists on this CD. Great are the wonders of knowing self.

Sasha Sings Dinah -- a Tribute to the Queen ... Dinah Washington Sasha Daltonn (Blend Records) -- Belts hold things together and keep things up. So do vocalists of Sasha's caliber. She has chosen to pay homage to a songstress who personified royalty and no-nonsense delivery. Dinah would blow you away and then pull you back, make you feel like a real man. Sasha has achieved the same qualities. Satisfied audiences from Chicago to New York are living proof The results are the same in every venue. Blown away. Bashed. Brought back and convinced.

Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs, 1960-1966 (Smithsonian Folkways CD SF 40084) -- They were songs of freedom and for freedom. Many sacrifices were made by nameless and faceless people in order for all Americans to enjoy the fruits of liberty, and song was one of the methods used to invoke people to action. You sang for the truth to be revealed to you, even when the outcome seemed impossible. This collection is a welcome addition of songs detailing events that came to shape the continuing struggle for the next century.

Bill Hasson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.