Band:
Marilyn Keller (voc)
Kjeld Brandt (cl / alto cl) #,
Bengt Hansson (tb),
Hans Pedersen (p),
Erling Lindhardt (bjo / dobro%),
Stefan Kärfve (b)
Claus Lindhardt (dr).


Recorded at Dagstorp Kyrka, Sweden June 20, 2007 by Jørgen Vad · Jørgen Vad uses Audio-Technica microphones · Mixed by Jørgen Vad, Kjeld Brandt, Erling Lindhardt and Stefan Kärfve · Mastering: Jørgen Vad · Executive producer: Henning Schädler · Liner notes: Bert Thompson · Coverphoto: Robert Coles · Discphoto: Göran Magnusson · Layout and dtp: Kjeld Brandt · Music Mecca CD 5051-2


My God Is Real

When people ask me the question: "When did you first start singing?" I tell them I probably was singing when I exited my mother's womb. Music, especially Gospel music has been one of the founding elements of my life.
My family experience includes music from morning until the time I close my eyes at night. My education included music from the earliest daycare away from home with trusted friends and even our Pastor, A.W. Willis and his wife, 1st Lady Sarah. School with all of its ups and downs was always looked forward to because of my first music teacher, Ms. Linda McCallister who made every chance to sing wonderful. The Senior choir at Corinth Baptist Church in Alamogordo, NM was one of the most dynamic, anointed and Spirit-filled in the country. It was my youthful dream to one day sing in that choir along with my mother, Helen, Mrs. Edna Coles, Mr. Charlie Smith, and Mrs. Clemetine Washington. The talent base in our church was reminiscent of the great Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke and the Soul-Stirrers and the Mississippi Mass Choir. God's will and direction for me have placed me in Portland, OR where I have the opportunity to sing the Message of the Lord's Gospel at Augustana Lutheran Church, concerts with the Oregon Symphony and at festivals and churches all over the world.
This recording with the band New Orleans Delight, has been one of the most blessed experiences of my life. Discussions about what is the best way to record Gospel music usually include a unanimous vote that 'live is best'. There is a visitation of the Spirit that occurs when music is being offered honestly and reverently that cannot be matched. The musician, listener and God are united in heart, mind and soul in a way that exalts everyone in Joy, Peace and Love. Let this offering be a sweet sound in God's ear.

The Delight of Jazz

In the beginning I was presented with a small battery driven gramophone by my parents. My first record, bought in 1962 was an EP featuring Papa Bue's Viking Jazzband. I was twelve years old and who can imagine the joy and excitement I felt. A new life started on that cold winter day. Since then the voice of jazz has been many kind of voices. I discovered Ellington, Beiderbecke, Oliver, Parker, Coltrane and many other great names. But after 50 years of listening (and playing in a small way) I still don´t really know what jazz is. In the church you always have Christ himself, but as we know there are also many voices of Christ. During the years I have with pride and joy used jazz in the church. Louis Armstrong once said that he heard jazz for the first time in the old sanctified churches in New Orleans, the Bethlehem of jazz. When the religion really gets to you, in your heart and soul, it always grabs you with deep emotions of joy, grief, hope and love. It is the same with jazz music, if you are blessed with mercy you can hear the voice of God and you can almost see the gates of glory. I don´t think that God has any kind of favorite music, it´s up to us to praise him in our many and different ways. If you do that, body and soul I am sure He´ll accept that as songs of love

One of my favorite bands in the New Orleans style is New Orleans Delight. They have played here in Dagstorp and V:a Karaby four summers and more to come we do hope. On several occasions the band has featured the great singer Marilyn Keller and together they create a warm atmosphere of love, hope and faith. You might even say that every performance is like a sermon. When it comes to the end we all sit there full of joy, hope and excitement and that must be the essence of it all.
And who knows, maybe we all will see the gates of glory open before our eyes.

Liner Notes

Now in its eleventh year, New Orleans Delight continues to be one of Europe's premier New Orleans-style jazz bands. During that time there have been remarkably few personnel changes, the most recent being the return this year, after a couple of years' hiatus, of Bengt Hansson on trombone. For those just becoming acquainted with the band, it is basically a six-piece group that plays New Orleans-style jazz, led by clarinetist Kjeld Brandt, who is accompanied in the front line by trombonist Bengt Hansson. There is no permanent trumpet/cornet lead, but the band quite frequently has a guest filling that role. Most of the band's CD's do feature such a guest instrumentalist, but this one does not, the only guest being the vocalist, Marilyn Keller. The rhythm section is the standard New Orleans one of piano (Hans Pedersen), bass (Stefan Kärfve), banjo (Erling Lindhardt), and drums (Claus Lindhardt). Two of the members are from Sweden-Bengt Hansson and Stefan Kärfve-the rest from Denmark. Since 2000 the commute has been made a bit easier, perhaps, by the construction of the Øresund Bridge, which provides a road and rail link between Denmark and Sweden. Over the years the band has recorded a dozen CD's in addition to this one, and they have also had tracks issued on several compilation CD's.

This is their second CD featuring the popular Marilyn Keller from Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. There she appears frequently with the Black Swan Jazz Band, and she also leads her own quintet, True Friends, on vocals. She also is to be found each Sunday singing at the Augustan Lutheran Church in Portland. However, as was pointed out in the first CD that featured her with New Orleans Delight (Music Mecca CD 5012-2), she does not limit herself to singing only “church” music but also can be found singing R & B, standards, and modern jazz when required. It would not, therefore, be inaccurate to call her an “all-rounder.” On this album she sings on all tracks but one, “Rock of Ages,” and, as one might expect, all of the tracks are hymns, gospels, or spirituals.

Ms. Keller enjoys great popularity in the countries she has appeared in. She first toured with New Orleans Delight in 2005, repeated in 2006, and this year, 2007, she did three tours with them in Denmark, Sweden, and England. She is already scheduled to tour with them again next year, 2008, and, Kjeld Brandt said, “we have people asking for her in 2009,” all of which attests to the esteem in which she is held.
During the second tour this year, 2007, one of the venues was the Church in Dagstorp, a small town (approximately 12.5 thousand population) one hour's drive north of Malmo, the Swedish terminus of the Øresund Bridge mentioned above. All of the tracks on this CD were recorded at the concert given there, the twelfth date of that tour. Acoustically, the church proves to be very congenial with no echoing that one so often encounters in such edifices. Thus all of the notes and words have clear definition, aided, of course, by Ms. Keller's enunciation. And her voice, with its pleasing touch of vibrato, is rich and warm, communicating well the sincerity of her religious conviction. The band also enjoys the clarity such acoustics make possible-one has no trouble hearing the interplay between the two front liners or, on occasion, the arco bass playing. And the band provides such ideal backing for the vocals, allowing the singer to be plainly front and center, giving her a solid foundation on which to build for each number.

The opening track on the CD, “Just a Little While to Stay Here,” begins with Claus Lindhardt laying down a New Orleans street beat, then the band joining in and Ms. Keller following them. The swinging quality of the drumbeat is maintained throughout the entire song, getting the album off to a fine start. The tune's composer, Eugene Monroe Bartlett, born on Christmas Eve, 1884, in Waynesville, Missouri, is recognized in gospel circles as one of the pioneers of Southern Gospel Music. This composition is a favorite of jazz bands.

The next selection, “The Old Rugged Cross,” one of the top ten most popular hymns of the twentieth century, was written in 1913 by George Bennard, who worked for the Sal¬va¬tion Ar¬my in Ill¬i¬nois and lat¬er served as an evan¬gel¬ist in Amer¬i¬ca and Ca¬na¬da.

Dating back almost a century and a half is the third track, “Jesus Loves Me.” As one can tell from the lyrics, this hymn is aimed at-and loved by-children. Sometimes the question is put as to which comes first in songwriting: the words or the music. In this case all the sources point to the words of the first stanza, by Anna B. Warner, coming first in 1860, then being set to music by William Bradbury in 1862. David R. McGuire is credited with stanzas two and three; no one receives credit for any further verses. I am used to hearing the hymn taken at a slightly slower tempo than here, but I think it works quite well at this moderate tempo.

“This Little Light of Mine,” the next piece, is a spiritual. Like most such, no composer or lyricist is known. It speaks of the importance of remaining resolute through the vicissitudes of life, of standing fast in the face of existential slings and arrows, so it should come as no surprise that it became very popular with the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. in the 1950's and 1960's. Hearing it, I was reminded of how Sing Miller loved to sing this song when he appeared with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Ms. Keller obviously relishes singing it as well.

A change of mood and feeling comes with “My God Is Real.” Hans Pedersen's solo piano intro. is decidedly the blues, and when the rest of the band comes in with the backbeat, the triplets, the shuffle rhythm, there can be no doubt. All of this would be quite approved by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, who was among the first to introduce what might be called “gospel-blues” and which was not embraced by the churches at the time. He persevered, however, until it finally was accepted and, in turn, came to be expected. “My God Is Real” is, by comparison with most of the selections on this CD, relatively “modern,” having been composed by Kenneth Morris in 1944.

Another hymn in which the words apparently preceded the music is “In the Sweet By and By.” The story goes that Dr. Samuel F. Bennett, who was operating a drugstore while he studied medecine, saw his friend, Joseph P. Webster, come into the store “in a dark mood.” Quizzed as to what ailed him, Webster replied, “It is not important. It will be all right 'in the sweet by and by.'” Bennett was inspired by these words to begin writing the lyrics-or as he himself claimed, they began writing themselves and he was merely the conduit. Similarly, Webster was inspired and, having his violin with him, immediately began playing the melody as he looked over Bennett's shoulder at the words. Apocryphal or not, it's a good story. The rendition on this CD is taken at a moderate tempo and particularly enjoyable are the several out-choruses that build to a satisfying climax, all without increasing the tempo!

Like “My God Is Real,” “Little Wooden Church on the Hill” is decidedly “gospel-blues,” quite befitting a Thomas A.Dorsey composition, which this is. Before hearing this version, I was quite unfamiliar with it, as possibly many listeners will be, too.

“Rock of Ages, “ which follows, is the only completely instrumental number on this album. It opens in a most pensive mood, with Kjeld Brandt leading a rubato intro. accompanied by Hans Pedersen on piano and Stefan Kärfve bowing his bass. Then the tempo is established by the clarinet and the rest join in. There is much interesting interplay between Messrs. Brandt and Hansson, and on this track, adding more variety, is a tasteful drum solo. While many may think this hymn is American, it is, in fact, English-or at least the lyrics are-and of considerable age to boot. The words were written by Augustus M. Toplady in 1776; the music by Thomas Hastings was not composed until 1830. Toplady was a clergyman in various curacies until his death at 38 from tuberculosis in 1778. Born six years after Toplady died, Thomas Hastings was a prolific American composer from New York, writing some 1000 hymn tunes over his career.

The next selection, “We'll Understand It Better By and By” (often abbreviated to just “By and By”) is one of several Charles A. Tindley songs that found their way into the hymnals and then into the repertoire of a host of Southern Gospel Music touring groups. Along with Thomas A. Dorsey, Tindley is known as one of the fathers of gospel. One Tindley song, “I'll Overcome Some Day,” written in 1901, gave rise to the popular Civil Rights song “We Shall Overcome,” although there is almost no resemblance between the two in words or music.

Just as W. C. Handy is widely known as “Father of the Blues,” so the Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Dorsey, to give him his full title, is often said to be “Father of Gospel.” Perhaps premier among his compositions-at least of the gospel genre-is “Take my Hand, Precious Lord.” The genesis of this song is fairly well-known, but for those who are unacquainted with it, here it is briefly:
Living in Chicago in 1932, Dorsey was on a concert tour in St. Louis in August while his pregnant wife, Nettie, was home, the birth being imminent. Sadly, while giving birth to a boy, neither Nettie nor, ultimately, the baby survived the experience. Devastated by this turn of events, Dorsey sought consolation in music, the result being “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” a kind of cathartic relation of the process of his grieving and the eventual emergence from the state of enervation it engendered. Attesting to its universality, this song has been translated into no fewer than 50 languages. Kjeld Brandt leads into this song on his alto clarinet in the chalumeau register, one which, being low, lends an appropriate air of solemnity.
Contrasting with that solemnity is the bouncing joy of the next track, “Got My Mind Made Up.” To date I have been unable to unearth the source or sources of the melody or melodies (probably a medley consisting of three separate tunes). But one can detect the Caribbean feeling running through this piece, Ms Keller expertly conveying that in her delivery assisted by Claus Lindhardt's drum rhythm suggestive of the West Indies. The words are of recent origin, being attributed to the youthful Donnie McClurkin (born November 9, 1959)-a singer (of gospel and R & B), a Grammy winner, a radio show host, and a preacher who has not escaped controversy in the religious arena.

With the next track, “He'll Understand and Say, 'Well Done!'” we move back in time again to an early part of the 20th century, this gospel being composed in 1933 by Lucie Campbell. She was an educator, an activist for civil and social justice, and an avocational musician who organized choirs (including one of a thousand voices) and ultimately held the position of music director for the National Baptist Convention's Sunday School and Baptist Training Union Congress.

“Amen,” which follows, is another number I remember Sing Miller making his own with the Preservation Hall Band. Just as Ms. Keller does here, he engaged the audience in singing along with him in a kind of “call and response” pattern. I witnessed him getting around 10,000 people to participate in the vocal when the band appeared at the always SRO Stern Grove summer festival in San Francisco, and I'm sure Ms. Keller would have similar success with that many people. The words are credited to Rev. B.H. Hogan (about whom I could find nothing), and the music to him and Laura B. Davis (born 1869 Kentucky, died 1895 aged 34).

As the finale, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” is something of a rouser. It, along with many of the others on this album, is frequently recorded by country singers such as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Little seems to be known about the song's provenance, other than that the words are by Ada Habershon, 1907, and the music by Charles Gabriel, the date being presumably the same.

At the conclusion of that song, the audience breaks into the rhythmic clapping that “commands” an encore, and Ms. Keller and the band oblige with the quiet “An Evening Prayer,” the words and music by C. Maude Bat¬ters¬by and the arrangement by Charles H. Gabriel, circa 1911. Kjeld Brandt begins the piece out-of tempo, assisted by Stefan Kärfve bowing his bass, creating a lovely effect. At the end of the chorus the clarinet sets the tempo and all join in.

Before ending these notes, I want to give a thumbs up to Erling Lindhardt for the rock steady banjo playing throughout the CD since no mention was made of it above. So often banjo players push the beat, but he never does, and since he takes no solos on this album, his playing tends to escape notice. Kudos to Erling Lindhardt!

Short of being at that concert, listening to this CD is the next best thing. And after doing so, no one should be in any doubt as to why Ms Keller has won so many admirers and had so many requests for repeat visits in the future.