LaVern Baker was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. She tackles, with all her verve, traditional hymns such as "Precious Memories" and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and then lets loose on Bessie Smith classics such as "Gimme a Pigfoot", "Empty Bed Blues" and more. Twenty-four tracks in all.
Tracks:
1.Precious Memories
2.Carrying The Cross For My Boss
3.Just A Closer Walk With Thee
4.Touch Me, Lord Jesus
5.Didn't It Rain
6.Previous Lord
7.Somebody Touched Me
8.In The Upper Room
9.Journey To The Sky
10.Everytime I Feel The Spirit
11.Too Close
12.Without A God
13.Gimme A Pig Foot
14.Baby Doll
15.On Revival Day
16.Money Blues
17.I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle
18.Back Water Blues
19.Empty Bed Blues
20.There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight
21.Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
22.After You've Gone
23.Young Woman's Blues
24.Preaching The Blues
Product Description:
2 LPs on 1 CD: PRECIOUS MEMORIES (1959)/LAVERN SINGS BESSIE SMITH (1958).
Includes liner notes by Gary Kramer & Charles Edward Smith.
Personnel: Danny Barker (guitar); Paul Quinichette (tenor saxophone); Jerome Richardson, Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone); Buck Clayton (trumpet); Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Vic Dickenson (trombone); Nat Pierce (piano).
Liner Note Authors: Gary Kramer; Charles Edward Smith.
Lavern Baker praises the Lord on one hand ("Journey to the Sky" and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee") and tributes Bessie Smith on the other ("Empty Bed Blues" and "Gimme a Pigfoot [And a Bottle of Beer]") on the same CD. Baker's splendid vocals and superlative productions and arrangements make this contrasting gospel and blues union work. ~ Andrew Hamilton
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
Music Lover: Dwayne Lightsey Jr from
Manchester, MD US -- October, 29, 2004
LaVern Baker is a very good artist, who's voice style almost reminds me of Dorothy Love Coates.
I listen to the Gospel side of the CD more than the jazz, but overall, it's all very good. On the Gospel songs, she is backed by one of my favorite male vocalist, Alex Bradford, and his group.
Based on 
