Reviewed by Steve Norman

Rare recordings from the early 1920s by the Southern Negro Quartette, the Florida Normal and Industrial Institute Quartette, and the Kentucky Trio, all of whom originally recorded for Columbia or its Okeh subsidiary. Sounding like seasoned performers themselves, part of the repertoire of the Southerns is drawn from the vaudeville performances of the "classic" female blues singers, including cross gender numbers like "He Took It Away From Me", and "My Man Rocks Me". Three of the four numbers by the Florida ensemble are spiritual evergreens such as "Dis Train" and "The Welcome Table". And the Kentucky Trio feature an effective female lead and a six-song programme that is all gospel with highlights being "Mother's Religion/ God Gonna Set This World On Fire" and "Do You Want to Go There". An enjoyable glimpse at yesteryear though the sound, all dubbed from 78s, is pretty primitive.

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