| 1. , Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and Jon Bickley came together to create a new album marking the 250th anniversary of the writing of Amazing Grace and the 300th anniversary of the birth of its writer John Newton |
| 2. grace-will-lead-me-home |
| 3. 10482-black-singers-resource-output# and played on the Reg Meuross project 'Stolen from God.' Angeline had released 'The Brown Girl and Other Folk Songs' and 'The Sorrow Songs' to considerable acclaim. Both artists brought the weight of their study as well as considerable artistic talents to the project |
| 4. One of the first things the group did upon first meeting was to respond to a request from the museum. The tune we have come to associate with 'Amazing Grace' is called 'New Britain' but it did not become associated with the song until 70 years after the words were written. In the meantime, it had many tunes, one of which was 'Jesu thy word is my delight.' The live recording on the album is the band singing that arrangement on the morning after the request from the museum. They also recorded 'Eyes on the Prize' and the more familiar version of Amazing Grace on that first meeting. Angeline also sang a beautiful version of Zoe Mulford's song 'The President sang Amazing Grace.' |
| 5. Three months later the group reassembled to record and perform the new songs. Angeline brought 'Turn round Newton' a song about Newton's relationship with William Cowper and 'Grace will lead me home' which she performed with a children's choir in the courtyard of the Cowper & Newton Museum. These songs have echoes of Doo-wop and other music of the Afro Caribbean diaspora. She also brought 'Dear Polly' a song taken from Newton's copious letters to his wife |
| 6. Cohen brought the profound and arresting 'Press Gang Song.' This song gradually reveals the everyday acceptance of the violence and brutality of the transatlantic slave trade and is delivered with Cohen's trademark intensity. He also brought 'Fantasia on a West Indian Burial Theme' a new composition which includes a melody that would have been played at the funerals of slaves. Cohen's musical influence on the project was so strong that after the first day Jon referred to him as 'Maestro.' |
| 7. Jon's contribution to the project is 'I'm going to hear John Newton preach' which traces Newton's life from slave trader to conversion to preacher to abolitionist. 'The choir still sings Amazing Grace' is an imaginative panorama of different places 'Amazing Grace' pops up. He also wrote 'Sorry' an impatient demand that today's leaders should own their countries’ past so that we can move towards reparation and healing and that starts by saying Sorry |
| 8. Tracklist: |
| 9. 1.01 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Dear Polly |
| 10. 1.02 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Press Gang Song |
| 11. 1.03 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Grace will lead me home |
| 12. 1.04 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Turn round Newton |
| 13. 1.05 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - The President sang Amazing Grace |
| 14. 1.06 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Fantasia on a West Indian burial theme |
| 15. 1.07 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - I'm going to hear John Newton preach |
| 16. 1.08 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - The choir still sings Amazing Grace |
| 17. 1.09 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Sorry |
| 18. 1.10 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Amazing Grace |
| 19. 1.11 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Eyes on the prize |
| 20. 1.12 - , Jon Bickley, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Amazing Grace |
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