“Ye, Souls who are bound unto Canaan…”
September 23, 2008
“…come join in and help me to sing.” What a great opening line for a song! I’ve heard it said before that one of the most remarkable things about being present when Sacred Harp is being sung is that you have this powerful music being created by strong passionate singers giving life and breath to rich, time-tested lyrics, but when each song is over there is an awkward silence. No applause. Not even congratulations given among the singers as a response in the absence of praise from an audience. That’s how last night’s pre-release party for Help Me To Sing started.
Packed into the back of Criminal Records in edgy Little Five Points, surrounded by new and used vinyl and a well curated collection of comics and graphic novels, the singers formed a hollow square as best they could. I couldn’t tell who said it as I was passing off the camera to veteran film maker Michael Ivester, but I heard someone call out a number and the hum began. After three songs, each one building with enthusiasm and adding to the tension in the room, those who came to listen and meet the artists who contributed to Help Me To Sing couldn’t help themselves and broke into applause. The singers, who were already smiling because they love it that much, were unaffected and seemed to deflect the praise back to The Sacred Harp - those who wrote it and the One who inspired it.
Tim Eriksen took the stage from there and appropriately paid homage to the understanding that the songs are best unchanged and sung by a seasoned group of singers. Nonetheless, Eriksen and the others performed live what they accomplished well on Help Me To Sing, the companion cd to the soundtrack of Awake My Soul with each artist’s performance followed by the original being sung from the book by the crowd turned performers. Tip of the hat to Matt Hinton for the time and effort involved in bringing his concept to reality on the album and in person. Help Me To Sing is uniquely a transcendent collection that is eclectic in sound and style yet grounded with a firm respect for the singular tradition of The Sacred Harp. If the in-store performance at Criminal Records is any indication, many more souls who are bound unto Canaan are responding to the call to come join in.
Links to previous ONE Atlanta posts about Sacred Harp and Awake My Soul:
Awake My Soul Pre-Release Party, posted 9.13.08
#376
July 18, 2008
No, it’s not the number of blog posts. Not a house number and not my ticket number at El Torero. Got it yet? Here’s a hint - B.F. White, 18th century. Don’t worry, three years ago I would not have known the answer.
My friend Matt Hinton reintroduced me to Sacred Harp music while he was filming the first ever documentary of America’s oldest original music - Awake My Soul. My mother sang Sacred Harp or “Shape Note” music as a child and teenager and I grew up in a small church in South Georgia so I had heard the Fa Sol La Mi but had never actually been to a singing.
Matt is working on the final touches of a companion cd to the film which contains reinterpretations of traditional Sacred Harp or songs inspired by this style of composing and singing. I was asked to come in and sing a harmony to Mac Powell’s version of #376 - Help Me To Sing. We recorded monday might at Matt Goldman’s studio (Glow In The Dark Studios). I had alot of fun learning the song and think Mac made a great choice with this song. Here’s a challenge to Danny to figure out why it was fitting that I was asked to sing on this particular hymn. Hint: search the words.