VA – Highway Of Diamonds – Black America Sings Bob Dylan – Ace UK CD

Ace’s small but ever-evolving “Black America Sings…” series has been quiet of late, but it springs back into action this month with the 2-LP and CD releases of “Highway Of Diamonds” – a second dip onto the catalogue of Bob Dylan, as reimagined by some of the foremost African-American artists of the 20th century.

From almost the start of his songwriting career, Dylan’s words and music have impacted on black American music, with ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’, speaking to an America that was still mostly segregated and becoming an anthem for all colours and creeds. As Dylan’s own career progressed, so did the number of covers he received, with a significant amount coming from what might be termed ‘non-traditional’ sources such as those heard here.

The 20 songs on “Highway Of Diamonds” continue the story that was told in part on the earlier “How Many Roads” compilation, with an almost entirely different selection of artists lending their voices to some of the best songwriting of the 20th century, and an almost entirely different selection of songs (with the exception of ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ itself, which provides a common thread linking the story told across the two sets).

Big names from the worlds of soul, gospel and jazz, timeless songs and, for many, new ways of appreciating ever-durable material make “Highway Of Diamonds” as essential a purchase as its predecessor.

As ever, the great audio is complemented by a handsomely illustrated package on both CD and double vinyl, with a plethora of illustrations and in depth song-by-song-and-track-by-track annotation by Ace legend Tony Rounce

tracklist:

01 The Staple Singers – A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
02 Bettye LaVette – Everything Is Broken
03 Nina Simone – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
04 Natalie Cole – Gotta Serve Somebody
05 Maxine Weldon – It Ain’t Me Babe
06 Billy Preston – It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
07 Solomon Burke – The Mighty Quinn
08 Cassandra Wilson – Shelter From The Storm
09 Merry Clayton – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
10 The Brothers & Sisters Of Los Angeles – The Times They Are A-Changin’
11 Harry Belafonte – Tomorrow Is A Long Time
12 Odetta – Baby I’m In The Mood For You
13 Aaron Neville – Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight
14 Sarah Vaughan – If Not For You
15 JP Robinson – George Jackson
16 Jimmy Scott – When He Returns
17 The Bo-Keys featuring Percy Wiggins – I Threw It All Away
18 Johnny Jenkins – Down Along The Cove
19 Lizz Wright – Every Grain Of Sand
20 The Caravans – Blowin’ In The Wind