The Holmes Brothers - Jubilation 1991

The Holmes Brothers - Jubilation 1991

Blues

Jubilation is a revealing, wonderful collection of the Holmes Brothers' distinctive soul. The brothers tie together a seemingly disconnected array of styles -- everything from straightforward blues, R&B, and gospel to worldbeat and country -- and come up with a cohesive whole. Even when the group delves into soukous or works with a Chinese flutist, it manages to retain the pure qualities of American blues and R&B.
By Thom Owens, All Music Guide.
**
Simply brilliant mix of traditional original gospel songs, and the performances are soul-shaking. This real gospel music, capable of delivering a religious experience to the non-religious. Congratulations to Peter Gabrel for recognizing what a good number of fans worldwide know: The Holmes Brothers are the best band!
By  Frederick Rudofsky
**
Sheila Chandra- (Vocals (Background),
Mari Boine Persen- (Vocals (Background),
Remmy Ongala- (Vocals (Background),
Scott Billington- (Vocals (Background),
Paul Brennan- (Vocals (Background),
Andy Breslau (Vocals (Background),
Wendy Tobiassen- (Vocals (Background),
Cosmas Chidmule- (Vocals (Background),
Popsy Dixon- (Percussion),(Drums),(Vocals),
Alex Gifford- (Organ (Hammond)),
Sherman Holmes- (Bass), (Piano), (Arranger), (Vocals),
Wendell Holmes- (Guitar), Piano), (Arranger), (Vocals),
Karl Wallinger- (Vocals (Background)),
Gib Wharton- (Dobro), Gib Wharton (Pedal Steel),
Guo Yue- (Bamboo Flute),
Hasani Ayas Ayas- (Guitar),
Batii Osenga Ipopolipo- (Guitar),
Shemboza Shekungu Mkiva- (Guitar).
**
01. Jesus Is Alright 2:34
02. I Had My Chance 3:31
03. Amazing Grace 7:55
04. I'll Fly Away 3:06
05. I Want Jesus To Walk With Me 4:50
06. Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Saviour 3:57
07. Will The Circle Be Unbroken 7:00
08. Just A Closer Walk With Thee 3:40
09. All Night All Day 2:32
10. Do Lord 2:39
11. Oh How I Love Jesus 3:11
12. The Power Of The Lord Come Down 2:36
13. A Brother's Prayer 2:30
**

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The Holmes Brothers - Where It's At 1991

The Holmes Brothers - Where It's At 1991

Blues

Their second release contained 11 more wonderful tunes that easily moved from surging R&B to rousing blues with an occasional venture into gospel or country. They covered "Drown in My Own Tears" and "High Heel Sneakers" and had the requisite qualities for each one down pat, as well as "Never Let Me Go, " "The Love You Save," and "I Saw the Light." But their own numbers, like "I've Been a Loser" and the title track, were even better, displaying a contemporary sensibility and a classic style and sound.
By Ron Wynn, All Music Guide.
**
The threesome apparently view the singing and playing of blues as a moral activity. There's a stately, sanctified quality to the ascents and slides of their vocals, the subtle but sure drive of their music, and their interpretation of lyrics. One senses a spiritual purification in progress during, for example, Brother Wendell's "The Love You Save" and Ray Charles's "Drown in My Own Tears."
By Frank John Hadley.
**
Before rap and funk, there was Soul. Aching vocals, tasty guitar licks, percolatin' bass lines, and lyrics of love lost or found defined a style that reached its zenith around 1967. Or did it? Here The Holmes Brothers, infused with the spirit of classic soul music, keep the tradition alive. Many strong songs on this disc, but the title track, which is a Sam Cooke remake, and their own "I've Been to the Well Before", stand out. Some hard hearted grumps may dismiss this kind of record as hopelessly retro; ignore them! If you hanker for honest and real music that makes you feel kinda sad but kinda glad too, Where It's At will not disappoint.
By Randy Matthes.
**
Popsy Dixon- (Drums),(Vocals),(Percussion),
Anders Gaardmand- (Tenor,Baritone Sax) ,
Sherman Holmes- (Vocals),
Laurence Etkin- (Trumpet),
Tim Ouimette- (Trumpet),
Jon Cleary- (Keyboards),(Piano),(Organ),
Wendell Holmes- (Guitar), (Vocals),
Gib Wharton- (Pedal Steel), (Rhythm Guitar),
Dan Levine- (Trombone),
Bob Malach- (Sax Tenor),
Anders Gaardmand (Horn Arrangements).
**
01. That's Where It's At 5:39
02. The Love You Save 4:09
03. You Can't Hold On To A Love That's Gone 3:50
04. I've Been A Loser 3:23
05. High Heel Sneakers 3:42
06. Worried Life Blues 3:56
07. Never Let Me Go 6:39
08. Give It Up 4:43
09. I've Been To The Well Before 3:57
10. I Saw The Light 2:38
11. Drown In My Own Tears 5:05
**
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The Holmes Brothers - Promised Land 1997

The Holmes Brothers - Promised Land  1997
Label: Rounder

Blues

The Holmes Brothers have honed their blend of rock, blues, gospel and soul to perfection on this, their fifth release. Whether it's Popsy Dixon's stunning interpretation of Tom Waits' "Train Song," the soul stirring harmonies on the gospel standard "I Surrender All," or an original, gritty guitar workout like "Start Stoppin'," there is simply not a bad song on this album. The Holmes Brothers continue to defy all classifications,
except one: Damn Good Music.
By Steve McMullen,All Music Guide.
**
The Holmes Brothers' unique synthesis of gospel-inflected R&B harmonies, accompanied by good drumming and rhythm-based guitar playing, gives them a down-home rural feeling that no other touring roots music group can duplicate. Brothers Sherman and Wendell Holmes, along with drummer Popsy Dixon (the falsetto voice), are the group's core members, although they occasionally tour with extra musicians. All three harmonize well together. The Holmes Brothers are so versatile, they're booked solid every summer at folk, blues, gospel, and jazz festivals, as they play a style of music that is a gumbo of church tunes, blues, country, funk, reggae, roots rock, and soul. Although people like Bo Diddley and especially Jimmy Reed were early influences on Wendell and Sherman, gospel music also played an important role in their respective upbringings.

Although they'd been performing in Harlem for years, the Holmes Brothers -- originally from Christchurch, VA -- have only recently become international touring stars. Thanks to a fair deal at Rounder Records, the group released five recordings for that label, beginning with a 1989 release, In the Spirit. When this album made waves and got them off and running on the festival and club circuit around the U.S. and Europe, they followed it up two years later with Where It's At (1991), Soul Street (1993), and Promised Land (1997). The group's career has been aided by the interest of people like Peter Gabriel, who recruited them for his WOMAD (world music) festivals in England and who also recorded them in a gospel context on the album Jubilation, for his Real World subsidiary of Virgin Records in 1992.

Joan Osborne was also a supporter of the group. Early in her career Osborne befriended the Holmes Brothers and eventually took them on tour as her backing band when she opened for Bob Dylan in 1997. She produced the group's first release on Alligator Records, Speaking in Tongues, in 2001. The group then released the seminal Simple Truths in 2004. Three years later, State of Grace, an album of both originals and covers (including ones by Hank Williams, Cheap Trick, Lyle Lovett, and Elvis Costello), came out.
By Richard Skelly & Al Campbell, All Music Guide.
**
Wendell Holmes,
Sherman Holmes,
Popsy Dixon
**
01. Promised Land 3:34 
02. Start Stoppin' 3:20 
03. Train Song 2:58
04. Easy Access 3:34
05. You're Good For Me 3:18
06. You Got to Go 3:40  
07. And I Love Her 4:50  
08. There's a Train 3:58  
09. Got Myself Together 4:54 
10. Thank God For You 3:36  
11. The New and Improved Me 3:54
12. I Surrender All 4:42
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