The Tradition Masters

Huzzah to Rykodisc and RMG for bringing out these two double-CD collections of remastered early recordings. Odetta’s booming contralto and high-drama delivery might not be to everyone’s taste, but the emotion in her singing is deeply affecting on tracks like ‘If I Had A Ribbon Bow’, ‘Lass of the Low Country’, and the mournful lullaby ‘All The Pretty Little Horses’, with spare, unpretentious backing from solo finger-picked guitar. The Lightnin’ Hopkins CDs are equally stark, serving as a fine reminder of what the blues are all about; even ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’ has a growling, cynical angle to it here. A third Tradition Masters compilation featuring Leadbelly is due out shortly. I can’t wait.