Odetta

Odetta

"Blues Everywhere I Go"

Mc Records

Odetta has been an icon of American music for half a century. Her career began in 1949 when she played a role in Finian's Rainbow. She was a powerful voice for roots music in the fifties and kick-started the folk
music wave of the sixties. Her potent recordings introduced many
Americans and audiences world wide to African-American folk, blues and gospel music. She was an inspiration to younger singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan.

Now, at the age when many are selecting a retirement home, Odetta is on the march again, touring extensively this year to promote her 50th
anniversary in show business, and her new album-which, if memory serves
me right, is her first all-blues collection. It's also her first album
in 14 years.

Blues Everywhere I Go is a remarkable cD. Odetta's careful selection of
songs pertinent to the human condition, and her warm robust performance make it one of the most powerful and moving musical documents ever made. As Robert Gordon notes in his liner notes, "What sets this album apart " is its reclamation of the soul of the blues." Odetta conjures up images of the blues queens of the past-Memphis Minnie, Sippie Wallace, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith - as she sings about
poverty, loneliness, poor health and unresponsive government. The lyrics
for many of the songs could have been written recently, but most are
decades old.

This is a very special album for anyone who is interested in the real roots of the blues and their significance in history. It is an outstanding achievement, which will not surprise anyone who is familiar with Odetta's prior work. Watch for a local appearance by this living legend sometime soon. This will be one not to miss. Odetta's tour dates are posted on the web at: www.mc-records.com.