Ace Records’ ongoing Black America Sings series gets a second helping of classic tunes by Bob Dylan on a new compilation available this week. Highway of Diamonds: Black America Sings Bob Dylan, available January 30 in Ace’s native U.K. (and a week later in America), offers 20 compositions from the Nobel Prize-winning songwriter recast for soul, blues and gospel acts including The Staple Singers, Nina Simone, Harry Belafonte, Billy Preston, Natalie Cole, Solomon Burke, Merry Clayton, Sarah Vaughan, Aaron Neville and more. The collection, available on CD or two LPs, includes informative song/track…
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Bob Dylan, “The Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through the Open Window”
Bob Dylan met Columbia Records’ John Hammond on September 14, 1961 at the apartment of folksinger Richard Farina and his then-wife Carolyn Hester. Dylan had been invited to Carolyn’s rehearsal session as a harmonica player. Hammond later told the story of being so impressed with the young man from Hibbing, Minnesota that he decided to sign him on the spot. A subsequent audition took place, and when Dylan – then dazzling audiences at Gerde’s Folk City on a bill shared with The Greenbriar Boys – showed up for Hester’s Columbia session on…
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
I Was Young When I Left Home: Bob Dylan’s New Bootleg Series Entry Covers His Earliest Beginnings
Bob Dylan met Columbia Records’ John Hammond on September 14, 1961 at the apartment of folksinger Richard Farina and his then-wife Carolyn Hester. Dylan had been invited to Carolyn’s rehearsal session as a harmonica player. Hammond later told the story of being so impressed with the young man from Hibbing, Minnesota that he decided to sign him on the spot. A subsequent audition took place, and when Dylan – then dazzling audiences at Gerde’s Folk City on a bill shared with The Greenbriar Boys – showed up for Hester’s Columbia session on…
In Memoriam: Harry Belafonte (1927-2023)
Can a song truly make change? In an increasingly complex, divided and uncertain world, it’s a fair question that has no easy answers. As a child, though, I can tell you I believe the answer was yes. After all, there was Harry Belafonte‘s “Turn the World Around.” It’s funny to think that a song from one of Belafonte’s final studio albums – far removed from the unprecedented success of 1956’s Calypso, the first LP claimed to sell a million copies – and one that didn’t even get a considerable domestic release. It…
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
Fare Thee Well: Sony Music, Analogue Productions Reissue Two Harry Belafonte Classics
On March 1, 2022, Harry Belafonte turned 95 years old. Though the actor, singer, and humanitarian largely retired from performing in the early years of the twenty-first century, he’s remained active with the causes near and dear to his heart. On November 5, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will honor this American legend with its Early Influence Award, a recognition previously bestowed on such musical heroes as Louis Armstrong, Nat “King” Cole, Woody Guthrie, Mahalia Jackson, and Hank Williams. To mark the occasion, Sony Music has teamed with Acoustic Sounds’…
Release Round-Up: Week of February 24
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! George Harrison, The Vinyl Collection (Apple/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) George Harrison – The Vinyl Collection includes newly-remastered editions of 13 albums, from Wonderwall Music (1968) to the posthumously released Brainwashed (2002). Each album has been remastered at Capitol Studios from the original tapes and pressed onto 180-gram vinyl. The albums are all packaged in replica sleeves, and the entire set comes in one sturdy slipcase.While all of the LPs will be available individually, the box set will also contain exclusive 12-inch…
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
Turn The World Around: Legacy Celebrates Harry Belafonte’s 90th with New Collection
On March 1, Harry Belafonte will turn 90 years old. To mark the occasion, the acclaimed actor, singer, songwriter, activist, humanitarian and American icon has looked back on his storied career to curate a new collection for Legacy Recordings. When Colors Come Together: The Legacy of Harry Belafonte is a single-disc, 19-track compendium drawing on the venerable entertainer’s RCA recordings released between 1956 and 1972, and features one new recording performed by a children’s choir. It will be released on February 24. Though born in New York, Belafonte spent many of his…
Harry Belafonte Still Singing His “Song” On New Masterworks Release
Harry Belafonte has worn many hats in his 84 years: recording artist, film star, civil rights crusader, tireless humanitarian. Though he gracefully and modestly bowed out of performing some years back with little fanfare, Belafonte has returned to the spotlight this month to narrate a documentary on his life and author an autobiography. Though the book is entitled My Song, the film and its musical companion both bear the name Sing Your Song. Sony Masterworks’ collection is a sixteen-track soundtrack to the film rather than a strict “greatest hits” collection, and is…
