Roman Barten-Sherman – Death’s Little Black Train
Riverlark Music – 2023
13 tracks; 53 minutes
Obsessively interested in traditional blues music since she was six, Roman Barten-Sherman is now in her early twenties and this appears to be a debut album release. Entirely solo acoustic, Roman demonstrates considerable skill on guitar, slide resonator and banjo while paying tribute to those who came before her, from the well-known to the obscure. The sleeve notes give fulsome details about each of the thirteen songs, where she learnt them and her own interpretation; the album is clearly a labor of love.
Raised in Arizona, Roman has quite a deep vocal style and, from a casual listen it would not be obvious that it is a female singing; this could be what it would be like to hear the original recordings from the 1920’s without the crackle and hiss of old 78s! Roman’s guitar work is excellent throughout, but take as one example the second track, a moody traditional instrumental entitled “Lonesome Live Oak” which she learned from folk archivist Big Jim Griffith, with whom she has worked on the Arizona State Folklore collection. The title track comes from a tradition of songs that evoke the notion of taking the train to one’s final destination, her version combining several songs from the tradition and taking its place alongside versions including those by Jesse Mae Hemphill and Rev JM Gates.
Of the more familiar tunes here “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning” will surely be familiar to most readers, a tune covered by many, including Hot Tuna. Roman’s version takes elements from Charlie Poole and Big Joe Williams as well as the basic structure of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s original. A second McDowell tune, “Mama Don’t Allow” is played in Hill Country style. The quiet blues of Geeshie Wiley’s “Eagles On A Half” dates to 1931, the final verse reversing traditional views of male-female relations, a fact that appealed to Roman in recording the song. The traditional “Down On Me” is a tune played by Rev Gary Davis, Roman starting her version with an extended intro taken from a 1928 Bolivian folk tune, demonstrating that these types of traditional music has many links. She also tackles some gospel tunes, notably “I’m Going To That City”, from the repertoire of Sister Ola Mae Terrell.
For those who enjoy traditional acoustic blues, especially material from the very beginning of blues recordings, this album will offer much pleasure.
