Gonna Let It Shine: A Concert For The Holidays

Product Description

On this Grammy nominated CD with special guest The Holmes Brothers, the incomparable folk and blues great, the late Odetta, the national treasure who marched with Dr. King, performed for Presidents Kennedy and Clinton, and inspired a young Bob Dylan, gives a superlative live performance on her CD Gonna Let It Shine: A Concert for the Holidays, a collection of spirituals.Recorded live in the music hall at New York City's Fordham University, the influential public radio station WFUV sponsored the evening's concert and the station's music director Rita Houston, hosted the show. The Holmes Brothers and pianist Seth Farber support Odetta on the 16 tracks, most of which are from the African American Christmas song tradition, with additional selections from the spirituals and prison song repertoire.

Amazon.com

She's a folk legend and an American treasure. Odetta's phenomenal, five-decade-long career has inspired virtually every protest and spiritual singer out there, including a young Bob Dylan. This live recording catches the 74-year-old singer performing a combination of traditional yet obscure Christmas spirituals along with established fare, such as Leadbelly's “Midnight Special”– all in her inspirational voice and with her solemn yet joyous approach. Accompanied only by piano–and, on three tracks, the gospel harmonies of the Holmes Brothers–Odetta weaves a rich and colorful sonic tapestry, explaining the meaning behind some of the songs, helping the audience more intimately connect with the material. The blend of holiday-themed material such as “Mary Had a Baby,” “Poor Little Jesus,” and “Ride Up Shepherd” with uplifting gospel classics like “This Little Light of Mine” and “Down by the Riverside” makes for a magnificent hour-long set that is poignant and emotionally stirring, no matter your religious affiliation. Odetta's multioctave range swoops and soars through this material, and her occasional a cappella pieces are tours de force that show the power of the human voice. An album meant not just for Christmas,
Gonna Let It Shine is a rousing and moving performance, inspirational any month of the year.
–Hal Horowitz

Review

Jingle belle time is a swell time

Rating: 4 BELLS

Jazz/blues/gospel maven Odetta weaves great songs like This Little Light of Mine, Down by the Riverside,Somebody Talking ‘Bout Jesusand even The Midnight Special into a powerful Christmas narrative. –David Hinkley Daily News New York

The celebrated folk singer applies those gorgeous pipes to a gospel-soul telling of the Christmas story with as much spirit as you could ask for. Listeners will find it hard not to get caught up in the joy of the moment. –Los Angles Times