Homestead & Wolfe - Our Times (Anopheles)

When Ernie Bringas was young and worldly, he was one of the Rip Chords of “Hey Little Cobra” fame. By the early seventies, the height of the Jesus People era, he was youth minister at Good Samaritan Methodist in suburban Cupertino. Inspired by soloist JoAnne Avery's impressive vocal, arranging and songwriting talent, Bringas took some of his church singers down to Gold Star Studios in L.A., where they recorded an album of intense contemporary Christian originals accompanied by the later Wrecking Crew (including Hal Blaine, Al Casey and Byrds sideman Jaydee Maness on pedal steel). With their topical lyrics, twangy arrangements and JoAnne Avery's powerful, Karen Carpenter-esque pipes, Homestead & Wolfe exceed all expectations for a private press church band album. Pick hit: “Beat of the Drum,” a psychedelicized, harmony-drenched chant that makes Christians sound cool, which was of course the intention of these musical ministers. This reissue includes extensive interview material, vintage photos, lyrics, and funny tales of the session musicians' bemused responses to the hyper-organized Homestead & Wolfe players. More info is at http://anophelesrecords.com/

Posted by Kim Cooper