LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE:  'Sidewalk Saints' -- "Radiant Takes of Sacred  Numbers

Living Blues Magazine, essentially "The Blues Bible," published in Oxoford, Miss. on the "Ole Miss" Campus, says in its September issue:

While there are plenty of John Hammond types on the scene keeping the prewar blues repertory in circulation, far fewer acoustic troubadours seem concerned with the sacred music of that era.  Shame, too - many of the best songsters of the '20s and '30s were just as comfortable plucking righteious gospel melodies as they were grinding out the devil's music.

Ben Bowen King fancies himself a 21st century "Sidewalk Saint," and right he should:  He dons a National Resonator and a slide and offers radiant takes of sacred numbers like "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot;" "Some Fine Morning; "Shall We Gather At the River and "What A Friend We Have in Jesus."

King takes liberties with the melodies (Amazing Grace is unrecognizable in parts), and open-tuned slide guitar naturally becomes monotonous when taken at length but overall this project shimmers.

With nothing but King's transparent guitar and Covita Moroney's makeshift percussion and delicate moans, these tracks are at once soothing and invigorating - like a good choir rave up.

- E.H.