The Bahamas: Islands of Song

by BAHAMAS: ISLAND OF SONG / VARIO

Overview

A collection of songs from the various islands of the Bahamas. The music is almost always vocal, with accompaniment only by a few musicians, either self-accompanying on guitar/banjo or with a small trio (accordion, drum, saw). The songs are based either in religion, in children's game-songs, or on simple happenings within the town. The recording quality is quite nice throughout, though the music can at times drag on at a far too low tempo for anyone's good (case in point: "Roll a Pin"). Despite an occasional drop, the music is however generally pretty good. There are three- and four-part harmonies thrown everywhere in this collection, usually to good effect. On top of this, the saw player in Thomas Cartwright's group (Huelon Newbold) shows off some level of virtuosity in his rhythmic accompaniment on the tool. The album overall presents a nice look at a music culture generally not thought of along with the other Caribbean genres that have overshadowed it, and not often grouped in with the Southern U.S. traditions which it shares so many features with. Pick up the album for such a look into the vocal traditions in their simplicity, but don't go in expecting grandiose instrumentation. ~ Adam Greenberg

Product Details

Release Date:	07/15/1997
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074040522
Rank:	127707

Tracks

1. You Ain't Hurryin' Me  -  Dicey Doh Singers  - Eric Minns
2. Girl, If I Write You  - Nat Saunders
3. Watermelon Is Spoilin' on the Vine  -  Cartwright  -  Traditional
4. Rain Children  -  Sons of Andros
5. When I Get Inside  -  Cat Island Mites
6. I'm Going Home on the Morning Train  - Israel Forbes
7. Big Belly Man Polka  -  Ex Moxey's Rake 'N Scrape  - Ed "Rake N Scrape" Moxey  -  Scrape
8. All in the Woods  - Avis Armbrister  - Almeda Campbell
9. Let the Church Roll On  -  Dicey Doh Singers
10. Lynn  - Nat Saunders
11. Went to the Bight  -  Cat Island Mites
12. Nobody's Darling But Mine  -  Cartwright
13. Christian's Automobile  - Harrington "Zippy" Frazier  -  Sons of Andros
14. Let Me Call You Sweetheart  - Israel Forbes
15. Sloop John B.  -  Dicey Doh Singers
16. Jimmy Bend a Tree While It's Young  -  Cartwright  - Tyrone Williams
17. Round and Round the Bar Room  - Huelon Newbold  - Nat Saunders  - Orlando Turnquest
18. Roll of Pin  - Avis Armbrister  - Almeda Campbell
19. Dry Bones  -  Sons of Andros
20. Bid You Goodnight  - Patricia Bazard  -  Cat Island Mites  -  Dicey Doh Singers
21. The Timestable  - Ed "Rake N Scrape" Moxey
22. God Sent Jonah  - Israel Forbes
23. Liar  -  Dicey Doh Singers

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Dicey Doh Singers   Primary Artist
Ed Moxley's Rake 'N Scrape   Primary Artist
Nat Saunders   Primary Artist,Banjo,Vocals
Cat Island Mites   Primary Artist
Almeda Campbell   Primary Artist,Vocals
Avis Armbrister   Primary Artist,Vocals
Orlando Turnquest   Primary Artist
Thomas Cartwright & The Boys   Primary Artist
Ed "Rake 'N Scrape" Moxey   Primary Artist
Huelon Newbold   Primary Artist
Ex Moxey's Rake 'N Scrape   Primary Artist
Sons of Andros   Primary Artist
Patricia Bazard   Primary Artist,Vocals,Soloist
Israel Forbes   Primary Artist
Thomas Cartwright   Accordion
Harrington "Zippy" Frazier   Vocals

Technical Credits

Amy Horowitz   Production Supervisor,Producer
Garland Dean   Group Member
Emily Botein   Assistant Producer,Production Assistant
Tex Turnquest   Group Member
Thomas Cartwright   Group
Tyrone Williams   Composer
Eric Minns   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Engineer,Producer,Liner Notes
Avis Armbrister   Performer
David Glasser   Mastering
Dave Glasser   Mastering
Amos Ferguson   Cover Art,Art Direction
Dwayne Curtis   Group Member
Kermit Strachan   Group Member
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Editorial Assistant
Patricia Bazard   Group,Group Member
Richard Frazier   Group Member
Harrington "Zippy" Frazier   Group Member,Composer,Group
Anthony Seeger   Production Supervisor,Producer
Thomas Vennum, Jr.   Editorial Assistant
Nat Saunders   Performer,Composer
Traditional   Composer
Michael Maloney   Production Coordination
Almeda Campbell   Performer