Greatest Rarities Archive '56-'57

Paul Robeson - Greatest Rarities Archive '56-'57 is now avalable on iTunes. To find out more about these rare tracks and their history check out our blog post here


Tracklist includes:

1.   The Four Rivers
2.   Hassidic Chant
3.   The Minstrel Boy
4.   Jerusalem
5.   The House I Live In
6.   Song of the Warsaw Ghetto
7.   There’s a Man Going ‘Round Taking Names
8.   Sleep Baby
9.   Witness
10. Night
11. Passing By
12. Welcoming speech by President of South Wales Miners (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
13. Reply to welcoming speech by Paul Robeson (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
14. Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
15. All Through the Night (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
16. This Little Night of Mine (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
17. All Men Are Brothers (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
18. Schubert’s Lullaby (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
19. Y Delyn Aur (The Golden Harp) (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)
20. (a) Land of my Fathers (excerpt) (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957) (b) We’ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside (from ’Transatlantic Exchange’, 1957)

Paul Robeson - Two Rare And Historic 10-inch LPs

This Digital Gramophone release comprises twenty tracks taken from two rare and historically important Paul Robeson 10-inch LPs made in 1956 and 1957 respectively.
Robeson's passport was confiscated by the American Authorities in 1949, and not restored until 1958.
The first 10-inch LP, issued by 'Horizon Records' in 1956, comprises eleven tracks where is accompanied by pianist Alan Booth. The numbers include  'The Four Rivers', 'Hassidic Chant', 'Song of the Warsaw Ghetto' and 'Sleep Baby' by Gretchaninov.

Robeson's association with Wales went back to 1939, when he starred in the film 'The Proud Valley'. The second 10-inch LP is a transcription from The Miners' Eisteddfod at Porthcawl on 5th October 1957. Paul Robeson, in New York, sings 'down the line' in a Transatlantic Exchange between himself and the Welsh miners, and the five songs he sings come over loud and clear (again he is accompanied by Alan Booth). The recording opens with a welcoming message from the President of the South Wales Miners, Will Paynter and ends with two songs delivered by the famous Treorchy Male Choir.

Both will be available soon on all major download stores.

Frank Sinatra - "Live At The Blackpool Opera House"

FRANK SINATRA
"LIVE AT BLACKPOOL"
Recorded at the Opera House, Blackpool, 26th July, 1953

with Bill Miller (Piano) and Orchestra conducted by Billy Ternent

This historic performance took place on 26th July, 1953 - Coronation Year - and that is now sixty years ago. It was Frank Sinatra's second Blackpool appearance, the first was also at the Opera House, and in 1950. It was at a time when his career was at a low ebb, having been abandoned by Mitch Miller of Columbia Records, though he was about to become a great success on the Capitol label, with whom he made his legendary series of albums with Nelson Riddle.

The recording has survived, but was never intended for commercial issue, and was not made with a full microphone set-up. The balance therefore leaves a lot to be desired, and is principally Frank Sinatra's vocal microphone, with band, piano and audience all very much in the background. Technically there are difficulties, some overloading on loud vocal passages and some unavoidable background noise, despite the use of modern digital re-mastering techniques.

The Digital Gramophone Company has carefully restored the recording to as near as possible to modern standards but the balance between clarity of sound and quiet background is inevitably a compromise.

However, the end result does enable the listener to enjoy this live show, complete with all of Sinatra's asides and singing some of his best-known numbers to an appreciative audience.