John A. Lomax Jr. Folk-Live - The Gardner Recordings (LP, 180g Vinyl)

(SFL) 18 tracks

This document, released only on high quality heavyweight vinyl, was only recently discovered and recorded from tapes. Compiled by John Lomax III, son of archivist and performer John Lomax Jr. (June 1907-December 1974), these 18 tracks consist of recordings made for a Houston radio program in 1965. The songs were written as early as 1909 and span 4 generations.

Folk - Live - The Gardner Recordings (to be released January 13 - Houston Folk Music Archive). Despite their age, the 1965 recordings are pristine. "Long Summer Day", originally performed by Clear Rock in 1933, was covered by English skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan.

Thanks to the Lomax family, many traditional black work songs, prison songs, slave songs and Appalachian folk songs that would otherwise have been lost were recorded on tape.

Although the songs are not as old as the originals, they have a rich, aged sound that is well preserved. The Beach Boys had the best-known version of "Sloop John B," but after dozens of cover versions, Lomax offers a rendition that is more than likely what was originally intended, and the sound is exceptional.