So, I purchased this at Goodwill. I don't know how often everybody else shops at Goodwill, but the people that work there are always entertaining. On this occasion, this was the only record I was purchasing. The lady at the register grabbed it and began to look it over and thought to myself, 'Great, here we go again.' I recalled the time I bought two Johnny Cash LPS and the cashier with knuckle tattoos looked at them, looked back at me and said, "I already have these." Like it was some sort of competition I was suddenly involved in. Or the countless times I've discussed with Goodwill employees how most of this "stuff" is on CD. Or the many times I've been told, "My parents used to have records." All that is flashing through my mind when I she says, "This is good. It's a collector's item." To which I replied, "What?" "I bet it's rare," said the cashier, "you could probably sell it." "Oh," I replied, "it's local children singing for church, I'm not sure there's a huge market for it, but yeah, it's probably rare." I'm literally handing her the $1 and a few cents I owe her just to get out of the store and she hasn't even rung it up. "So, have you heard it?" I asked to try and move things along. "No, it just looks good, I wish I had a record player." Then she rang it up and I continued on.
She was right, though. There are amazing moments in this album. It's soul inflicted gospel and like the cover reads, it's virtually all children. The instrumentation is handled by the some of the older kids in the church, a 16 year old bassist, a twelve year old drummer, there are adults on saxophone and trumpet, and one of the directors leads at her organ. But, other than that, you're looking at an all children chorus and a brilliant music directors.
The back cover reads, "This unique choir, with a membership of 200-plus children, ages 3-12, are featured on this album on this album singing contemporary gospel music music that has been written and arranged by their leaders, Mrs. Jean Henderson and Mrs. Carolyn Cofield, who have dedicated their lives to encouraging young people to develop their highest potential in all aspects of life." These ladies were winning. The songs and arrangements are rooted in great 60's soul. They really got these kids to perform and I got to think, surprised anyone that would have seen them. I mean, this is a church group, I don't think there was much time to focus children on this music, not with school, home life, etc. Still they got amazing performances out of these kids. Not to mention, Linda Cofield's organ is straight funky. Admittedly, there are some cough ups throughout, but these are children performing after all. Overall, this is incredible and will easily be one of the greatest things I hear for the rest of the year (it's still January and I'm sure of this).
The Kansas East Sunshine Band Children's Choir still performs to this day. Appears Jean Henderson is the only one still directing. They're still amazing, though.
Much more recent performance
No comments:
Post a Comment