Belafonte can't touch this:
Joseph Spence -- Jump in the Line
Bahamian sponge fisherman/"Thelonius Monk of folk guitar", Joseph Spence, kills it in this rendition of a traditional Trinidadian song. Recorded on Spence's front porch by Samuel Charters in 1958 and later released on the Folkways recording Joseph Spence: Bahamian Folk Guitar.
“Sounding like a delirious sea captain, a Delta bluesman on a tear, or a malfunctioning record player, Joseph Spence's mix of words and sounds is quite unique. The Bahamian guitarist's vocals bob like a fisherman's floater, sometimes leading the guitar and sometimes supporting it. He alternately picks, strums, and beats the acoustic instrument, and the sum total is the most unusual style I've ever heard from such a common setup. Hymns, sea chanties, popular folk songs, and other tunes make up his repertoire. Joseph Spence is where fans of Tom Waits meet followers of Mississippi John Hurt.”
(Robert Gordon — The Memphis Flyer)
When all's said and done, it's the growling, grumbling, muttering and humming that really does it for me.
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