Sister Gertrude Morgan
Let's Make A Record
*** out of *****
The fantastic Tipitina’s Record Club’s newest release is a reissue of Sister Gertrude Morgan's only full length release, 1971’s Let’s Make A Record. This singular gospel rarity arrives on white vinyl, the same color Morgan wore once she became a bride of Jesus, preaching her sermon throughout New Orleans.
Morgan was born again in spirit as she left her home and marriage in 1938, arriving in New Orleans to spread the word after she received one of her multiple revelations from Jesus. An artist whose work hangs in the Smithsonian, Morgan is pure voice and percussion as her spirituals flow through her and escape with pointed passion.
The opening title track is a play on the music business and religious connotation of ‘record’. Morgan creates an upbeat percussive slapping with her tambourine, using the gospel based call and response style by herself, she shouts out to religious figures, banging along, feeling overjoyed. Her voice and tambourine slapping continues right through “Way In The Middle of The Air”.
The A side highlight is “I Got The New World In My View” as the kicked up percussion moves with Morgan. The church is flowing throughout her interpretation of god’s spirit while she shouts 'Amen' and keeps motivating the listener. Towards the end of the first side Morgan stops the groove during “Take The Lord Along With You” and loses steam during “The Gift of God Is Eternal Life” but both slow downs are opportunities for Morgan to preach and feel natural; Morgan was not a professional musician, just a true believer.
Recorded by sound engineer Ivan Sharrock, the vinyl places the listener directly in Sister Gertrude's home church as she pumps the tambourine and sings with gusto. Side B begins and ends with Morgan’s most impactful effort “Power”. The tune is an adventure in pacing as Sister Gertrude revs things up to a frantic preaching about God’s power and then drops her tambourine out making for an up and down holy rolling ride.
In between the bookends of “Power”, side B feels more typical folk-gospel in pacing and singing as Morgan’s versions of “I Was Heard From The Wound In His Side”, “Take My Hand, Lead Me On” and “New Jerusalem” are solid but not as inspired of her more personal/unique offerings. One of those is “I Am The Living Bread” which pushes forward with breathy vocals, percussive slaps and aggressive foot stomps.
Like her artwork that is represented on the cover, Sister Gertrude Morgan’s spirituals are one of a kind as she feels the presence of her Lord and expresses it through her singing and tambourine playing throughout this musical statement, Let’s Make A Record.
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