FREEDOM: The Golden Gate Quartet & Josh White at The Library of Congress (1940)

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
In 1930 four male students at Norfolk, Virginia's all-black Booker T. Washington High School casually harmonized on a few Negro Spirituals in Eddie Griffin's barbershop and liked what they heard and the way they felt while singing. On an impulse they decided to continue singing as a group, the Golden Gate Quartet, thus becoming participants in the "jubilee quartet" tradition, a black southern sacred singing movement that would eventually inspire a musical revolution called Rock and Roll. In 1935 the Gates were singing five days a week on a radio station in Columbia, South Carolina, and by 1936 had a regular program on the 50,000 watt station WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1940 they began a national CBS live broadcast from New York and it was at this time that they were invited to participate in this memorable concert at the Library of Congress.

Joshua Daniel White (1915-1969) was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and became famous as a blues and folk singer. At the age of eight his mother hired him out as the companion and guide to a group of blind performers; he learned the new gospel songs and gospel singing style from blind gospel and blues singer Joel "Joe" Taggart and the blues from such prominent blues men as "Blind" Lemon Jefferson and "Blind Blake" (Arthur Phelps). During World War II White appeared on radio programs sponsored by the Office of War Information. White was a principal member of the folk group, the Almanac Singers, founded by Pete Seeger, and remained active in folk and blues until a 1966 automobile accident forced him to retire.

Album Description
A recording of an historic concert, released for the first time! This 1940 concert was part of a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States. Performing are the legendary Golden Gate Quartet with Josh White, singing Spirituals, Blues and Work Songs. The concert features commentary by Alan Lomax, the poet Sterling Brown, and Alain Locke, the godfather of the Harlem Renaissance. Immediately after this concert, Eleanor Roosevelt engaged White and the Golden Gate to perform at FDR’s inauguration. BRIDGE 9114

Tracks:

Freedom (The Golden Gate Quartet)
The Negro Spiritual (Alain Locke)
Noah (The Golden Gate Quartet)
I'm So Glad Trouble Don't Last Always (The Golden Gate Quartet)
We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder (The Golden Gate Quartet)
Oh Mary, Don't You Weep (The Golden Gate Quartet)
Traveling Shoes (The Golden Gate Quartet)
How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone? (Josh White)
What Are the Blues? (Sterling Brown)
Poor Lazarus (Josh White, The Golden Gate Quartet)
John Henry (Josh White, The Golden Gate Quartet)
The Social Song (Sterling Brown)
Silicosis Blues (Josh White)
Trouble (Josh White, The Golden Gate Quartet)
Introduction with Juba Recitation (Alan Lomax, Willie Johnson)
Old Dan Tucker (The Golden Gate Quartet, Josh White)
Introduction to Mr. Rabbit (Alan Lomax)
Mr. Rabbit, Your Ear's Mighty Long (The Golden Gate Quartet, Josh White)
The Negro Work Song (Alan Lomax)
The Railroad Workers Camp (Alan Lomax, The Golden Gate Quartet)
Negro Song Afterword (Alan Lomax)
Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham (Josh White, The Golden Gate Quartet)
Run, Sinner, Run (Josh White, The Golden Gate Quartet)

Album Description

A recording of an historic concert, released for the first time! This 1940 concert was part of a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States. Performing are the legendary Golden Gate Quartet with Josh White, singing Spirituals, Blues and Work Songs. The concert features commentary by Alan Lomax, the poet Sterling Brown, and Alain Locke, the godfather of the Harlem Renaissance. Immediately after this concert, Eleanor Roosevelt engaged White and the Golden Gate to perform at FDR's inauguration. BRIDGE 9114

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

25th Anniversary: Live in Amsterdam [Live]

CyberChoralColors

Everything's Gonna Be Alright

Unfolding

Texas/Dead Men Tell No Tales

By Faith

Helmut Lotti Goes Classic Final Edition

Delights

Folkways Years, 1955-1992: Songs of Love and Politics

Carvin' the Bird

Dynospectrum

Crystal Ball [Import]

Don't Falter [CD-single]

Between You and Me

Sound Travels