NO OTHER LOVE : MiDWEST GOSPEL (1965-1978) via Tompkins Square Records

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LiSTEN! to Journey by Joanne & Sonny! 

This collection of rare black gospel from the Midwest—featuring church congregations, basement recordings sessions, family bands and children’s choirs—is drawn together by two threads. The first—hope—which holds fast and unchanging, even in the most trying of circumstances. The second—circumstance—the way these recordings fell into the hands of producer, Ramona Stout, in Chicago at the dawn of the Obama era, when she had just about lost hope in her American Dream.

Over the course of five years (2006-2011) of vinyl hustling in Chicago’s South and West Sides, these 45s came into Ramona’s hands, mixed up in milk-crates stacked with Northern Soul, water-damaged jazz and Hall & Oates LPs. After much travel and time, Ramona has articulated the spirit that drove this music forward. In this collection, she writes of this music and its relationship to the struggling communities where the records were found.

Sourced from exceedingly rare 45s—many of which were vanity pressings of less than 100 copies—all but one of the tracks found on this collection appear for the first time since their original release. Remastered by Grammy-winning producer Christopher King, these recordings have been resurrected for a new generation of listeners. With art direction by Grammy-winning graphic designer Susan Archie, this collection is a tangible, immersive experience in the struggles—the victories, the failures and the lingering hope—that defined Chicago in the post-Civil Rights era.

No Other Love is a singular, impressionistic journey into music that expresses faith, despair and exuberance. It is also a profound exploration of the very meaning of hope.

All tracks used by permission.

Tracks :

1. It’s Going to Pay
Bro. Randy Wilson
2. I Want You to Help Me
The Travelers of Zion
3. No Other Love
Messiahs of Glory
4. Christmas in Heaven
Rev. H.H. Harrington
5. Try Jesus
Gospel Carolets
6. The Number
Wondering Gails
7. Journey
Joanne & Sonny
8. You Can’t Make It
The Georgia Brooks Singers
9. God is Using Me
The Harmony Five
10. Christ Rose
Rev. John Thomas and the New Christian Fellowship Church Choirs
11. Black Pride
Rev. H.H. Harrington
12. I’m Gonna Stand Still and Do My Master’s Will
Sunday Night Service, New Home Baptist Church
Rev. Mack McCollum w/ Combined Choirs
13. Rocky Road
Joanne & Sonny
14. Why
Sister Mary Lucas and The Harambee Singers of Sacred Heart School

No Other Love : Midwest Gospel (1965-1978)
Available November 8, 2019
CD : TSQ 5661 / LP : TSQ5678
Distributed by INgrooves in NA, Cargo UK for Europe

TompkinsSquare.com

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I love this label. They do mostly CDs but have done one very cool 7" and will be doing a 10" and a 12' record soon. If you love old-timey stuff of every stripe like vaudeville and Yiddish and gospel and etc etc etc etc. If you love labels like Dust To Digital and the massive amounts of documentation they give you then you need to check these folks out. They've got some great stuff on sale for 15% off right now. 

THiS MAY BE MY LAST TiME SiNGiNG - Raw African-American Gospel on 45 - 1957-1982

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Willie Cotton - Stop Now ~ mp3

Elder Robert McMurray - Walk With Me ~ mp3

Prophet G Lusk - The Devil's Trying To Steal My Joy ~ mp3

With this straight up golden era,  hard,  raw,  local gospel collection ( all tracks collected from 45s ) Tompkins Square cements their footing as one of the coolest labels in the country ( yeah, there are still some record labels around that matter. ) 

 Just when you think it's all been mined, that America has given up the last Holy Ghost of gospel groups and testifying Deacons, along comes THiS MAY BE MY LAST TiME SiNGiNG - Raw African-American Gospel on 45 - 1957-1982.  It's a thrilling three-disc  collection that will knock out and rock out the hardcore fan, just as deeply as it will the virgin Gospel newcomer. 

It's exciting to me as a total music geek that we still have some record labels that you can trust to put out a quality product.  Tompkins Square Records is as well known  known for their gorgeous packaging design as they are for their release of Frank Fairfield albums,  a Polk Miller collection ( which I need! ), some acclaimed Charlie Louvin albums, and the amazing collection People Take Warning: Murder Ballads and Songs of Disaster 1913-1938, plus a bunch of other cool, eclectic stuff. 

This beautiful set includes an incredibly broad variety of  gospel styles within 72 tracks, a 23 page booklet that includes information about how the set was compiled, photos, and track by track annotation. What else could you want?

Do you find yourself sometimes needing
the healing power of serious gospel ? 

Go HERE and get some! 
Say Amen somebody.