Elder Charles Beck, Rev J B Crocker, Rev M E Holmes - Elder Charles Beck c1946-1956 In Chronological Order

Published Thursday 13th December 2007
Elder Charles Beck, Rev J B Crocker, Rev M E Holmes - Elder Charles Beck c1946-1956 In Chronological Order
Elder Charles Beck, Rev J B Crocker, Rev M E Holmes - Elder Charles Beck c1946-1956 In Chronological Order

STYLE: Gospel
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 21388-11950
LABEL: Document DOCD5524
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1
RRP: £9.99

Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Elder Beck is a major figure in the evolution of gospel music but one who has been largely ignored by the historians. He was truly a larger than life figure who sang, played pounding boogie piano, not to mention trumpet, vibraphone and bongos! This compilation documents his post-war recordings and what a delight it is. Sometimes he recasts a well known gospel standard like "Didn't It Rain" as a pounding, up tempo gospel boogie, sometimes he's reworking themes once heard on 78s from the great pre-war preacher Rev J M Gates ("Don't Ride That Hell-Bound Train"), sometimes he's charging into a Thomas A Dorsey classic, "I'm Gonna Live The Life I Sing About In My Song" and sometimes he's doing a ballad like "Jesus I Love You" which with its heavenly choirs and Inkspots-style spoken passages manages to sound strangely like early Elvis Presley. My favourite cut comes from a Chess 78 from 1950, "Winehead Willie, Put That Bottle Down", which is as good as it sounds and features singing, preaching and some laconic responses from a drunken "Willie". Only the final recording the dear elder made, the two part "Rock And Roll Sermon", rankles a little. It begins with the words, "Rock 'n' roll has just about brought about the disintegration of our civilisation." Maybe such a harsh view was tongue-in-cheek. Certainly, the electric guitarist behind him firing off some torrid licks wouldn't be out of place on any rock record! If the 22 tracks by Elder Beck weren't sufficient, this compilation also features four recordings made by the obscure Rev J R Crocker billed as The Singing Preacher and recorded live at a Baptist church in Chicago in 1950 and two sides by Rev M E Holmes, who was apparently a well known radio personality in Maryland. But it's those fascinating Elder Beck sides which you'll keep returning to.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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