Earl Thomas – Live in London
Earl Thomas Music
12 Tracks – 47 minutes
Earl Thomas was born in Pikeville, Tennessee and grew up in a house filled with music, His father was a bluesman, and his mother was a gospel singer. He never intended to have a musical career, but in college he and a friend, Philip Wootton, recorded a self-produced album titled I Sing the Blues for a college practical exam. It was not intended to be sold, but a friend suggested they send it to radio stations. After being passed around, it ultimately ended up in the hands of Herb Cohen, the President of Bizarre – Straight Records. Within a month, Earl had a two-album deal with the label, and the album now renamed Blue…Not Blues was released worldwide in 1991.
Earl has since traveled all over the world to perform. His songs have been recorded by Etta James, Solomon Burke, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. He has shared the stage with B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker, Aretha Franklin, and Ike Turner. His songs have been featured in films and on tv shows ER and more recently on Netflix’s Hacks. This album is his 21st release. In 2019, he announced his retirement, but in 2022 he somewhat grudgingly returned to performing. This is his third album release since that return. Earl has received two Grammy nominations and four San Diego Music Awards. He maintains a residency at San Francisco’s Biscuit and Blues.
The album as noted is Live in London and was recorded at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. After performing at Norway’s Notodden Blues Festival, one of the largest annual European blues festivals, Earl received a star on the Notodden Blues Walk of Fame. He says his music blends his mother’s gospel roots with his father’s love of blues and his own love of 70’s soul music. He leads The Gospel Ambassadors featuring Sister Leola. He calls “gospel music the foundation of the blues”.
This album has twelve traditional gospel songs performed in an explosion of sound not unlike a Southern Saturday night gospel tent revival fused with Earl’s blues and soul. Oddly, the back cover of the CD I received only listed ten songs.
The first song not listed on the album cover is “Strange Things Happening Every Day”, which opens the album I received. It was first recorded by Sister Rosetta Tharpe in 1944. By title alone, the song seems appropriate for our current times but is in fact an infectious call to do right to get to heaven with Sister Leola leading and noting “If you want to view the climb you must learn to quit your lyin'”. Earl joins the group for “Woman at The Well”, which is based on the Bible story of the lost and dejected woman who met Jesus at the well. “Elijah Rock” comes with the warning that “Satan ain’t nothin’ but a snake in the grass. He’s a conjurer, he’s a liar. Hallelujah Lord”.
Sister Leola joins with Earl on a rousing version of “It’s Gonna Rain” which tells the story of Noah and the great flood and tells “You better get ready and bear this in mind…It won’t be water but fire the next time”. Lyrics for the song were written by Charles Johnson in 1992. After a brief interlude, they launch into “How I Got Over”, which was originally written by Clara Ward in 1951 and popularized by Mahalia Jackson who delivered it in front of 250,000 people at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Jackson received a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Gospel performance in 1976. Earl classically delivers the testament of faith and resilience in the face of oppression.
“I’m Pressing On (Amazing Grace)” blends the initial song about trying to reach the “heavenly home” with the more well-known Amazing Grace and features a run of sacred steel mid-song. “Twelve Gates to the City” references the Old Testament where God promises a new land with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel protected by angels at each gate and the gates made of pearl. Earl describes the beauty inside the gates and declares “the streets are paved with gold”. “Glory Glory” will definitely make you want to get your feet and shout out as he tells “I feel so much better since I laid my burdens down”. An instrumental section at the end provides the guitarist and piano player an opportunity to shine.
“When We All Get to Heaven” is the second track not listed on the album cover. The hymn was written by Eliza Hewitt in 1898 with music composed by Emily Wilson. After getting everyone to their feet with the previous song, Earl keeps them there with a “day of rejoicing” offering an uplifting message of joy upon reaching heaven. He introduces the singers accompanying him near the end of the song. “No Hiding Place Down Here” is an Afro-American spiritual first included in a collection in 1907, first printed in 1915, and made popular in 1955 in a recording by Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes. Earl proclaims “when the sinners gonna be runnin’ at the knowledge of their fate. They’re gonna run to the rocks and the mountains but their prayers will be too late.” The guitars and piano and rock out driving the exuberance of Earl’s presentation.
“Old Landmark” urges everyone to return to the old times where preachers preach to “stay in the service to the Lord”. The band ignites with the fervor that Earl has generated with the song bringing the concert to a powerful end.
