Angola Prison Spirtuals (2003)

1. I'm On My Way  - Andy Mosely- vocal; Robert Pete Williams- guitar
2. Church On Fire With The Word Of God - Robert Pete Williams- vocal & guitar
3. What Shall I Do - Robert 'Guitar' Welch- vocal & guitar
4. Brother Norah - Angola Quartet: Willy Rafus- lead vocal, with Edward James,
 Ollie Brown & Burnel Jones
5. Little School Song - Tom Dutson- vocal; Robert Pete Williams- guitar
6. Dyin' Soul  - Robert Pete Williams- vocal & guitar
7. Let My People Go - Roosevelt Charles- vocal
8. So Much Is Happenin' In The News - Robert Pete Williams- vocal & guitar
9. Dig My Grave With A Silver Spade - om Dutson- vocal; Robert Pete Williams- guitar
10. Brother Mosely Crossed The Water - Andy Mosely- vocal & washboard; 'Hogman' Maxey- guitar
11. I'm Stranded On The Banks Of Ole Jordan - Angola Quartet # 2: Willy Joe- lead,
 with Roosevelt Charles, Edward James & Willie McGee
12. I'm Goin' Back With Him When He Comes - Robert Pete Williams- vocal & guitar
13. The Old Ship Of Zion - Rev. Benjamin E. Osborne with congregation
14. When I Lay My Burden Down - Robert Pete Williams- vocal & guitar
15. See How They Done My Lord - Angola Quartet (six) from Camp A
16. Be With Me Jesus - Angola Quartet (six) from Camp A
17. Rise And Fly - Angola Vocal Group- unidentified lead singers
18. I Know I Got Religion - Andy Mosely- vocal & washboard; 'Hogman' Maxey- guitar
19. Jesus - Andy Mosely- vocal & washboard; 'Hogman' Maxey- guitar
20. I Take Jesus (Do Lord, Remember Me) - Angola Choir (Murray Ted Macon- director)
21. Each Day (Life's Evening Sun) - Angola Choir (Murray Ted Macon- director)
22. Steal Away To Jesus - Angola Choir (Murray Ted Macon- director)

In the late '50s, folklorist Dr. Harry Oster made tapes of African-American inmates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, LA. Bluesman Robert Pete Williams was the most famous of the performers he encountered, and Williams does appear on a few of the songs on this collection. However, it's a fairly varied assortment of spirituals, as much folk and blues as it is gospel, usually sung to acoustic guitar accompaniment, and sometimes sung a cappella. Although Williams might have been the only one to ever reach a secular audience (after getting released), the abilities of many of these performers are on par with plenty of acoustic bluesmen who recorded before and during the mid-20th century folk revival. Tom Dutson sings with great lower-register richness on "Little School Song," for instance, with Williams as accompanist, while Andy Mosely swings admirably on "Brother Mosely Crossed the Water," although the timekeeping of his own washboard accompaniment is erratic. This is good folk-blues-gospel music on any terms, but within its context, the contrast between the stark dignity of the performers and the unpleasant circumstances which likely put them into Angola is striking. Originally comprised of 13 tracks when it first came out on LP, the 2003 Arhoolie CD reissue adds nine previously unreleased performances, also recorded at Angola during the same period. --- Richie Unterberger, Rovi

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