The Lumiocourse

The Staple Singers are perhaps best remembered for their period recording for Stax Records in Memphis between 1968 and 1975, where they enjoyed a string of pop, soul and international hits. Here though Jasmine focus on the groups early recordings when they were strictly a religious group steeped in American Gospel traditions. Although the line-up was unusual for the time, male and female groups were not common in Gospel music then, they undoubtedly appealed to the huge number of migrants who had moved to Chicago from the rural south. 'Pops', as he was known, had a guitar style highly reminiscent of the Mississippi blues singers of the 1920s and 30s and the vocal arrangements that he gave the girls were also similar to those of the earliest jubilee style gospel groups of the pre-war years like the Golden Gate Quartet and The Charioteers. Here then are their famous early recordings as released by Vee Jay Records who continued to reissue their repertoire on LP for many years.

The 50th anniversary edition of the Band’s eponymous second album offers a host of extras, some of which are making their debut on this set. Chief among the unheard material here is a new stereo mix by Bob Clearmountain, available both on CD and vinyl, the latter presented as a two-LP 45rpm pressing; there is also a new 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray. The second CD contains the Band’s complete Woodstock set, originally released as part of the Rhino box Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive, along with the seven bonus tracks from the expanded 2000 CD reissue The Band.

The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society 50th anniversary editions are out on 26 October 2018. 2CD deluxe ‘art of the album’ features the stereo and mono remasters and bonus tracks (49 tracks in total). The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society somewhat overlooked upon its release in November 1968, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society is now seen as one of the best British albums ever recorded.