By hurm (198.109.0.136) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 10:56 am:

anybody know anything about griffinairs on d-town?

By Robb_K (66.81.177.70) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 02:55 am:

It's on D-Town Devotional Series 202. Not much information on it. No producer or arranger credits. "The Griffinairs" are listed as the writers on both sides. Unfortunately, I don't know their names, or anything about the group. The Griffinaires have a female lead. She's got a great voice, and can really belt out a song. She can be smooth, but belts it out with a hard, soulful edge. I think the group is mixed, but maybe 2 to 1, women to men. The sing great harmonies.

"I Don't Want To Be Lost" is a deep, deep gospel ballad for the first half of the song, building to a powerful, soulful creschendo, and then turning to a mid-tempo, call and response refrain to the end. Very powerful.

"He Is The Master" is also very powerful. First half is again a deep gospel ballad, changing to a raucus roof-shaking call and response fast gospel song, with the lead belting it out with hard-edged, but flawless, on-key screaming. It's right up there in quality with some of the best I've heard.

The D-Town Devotional series had some surprising good quality gospel recordings, more reminiscent of the classic late Forties and Fifties gospel, than that of its early sixties counterparts. One of my all-time favourites, and my all-time favourite Staple Singers song is number 204-"I'll Fly Away". It's their best ever. Pop Staples' guitar riffs in it are the best of his career and the overall production quality is fantastic.

If you're thinking of acquiring The Griffinairs' record, -I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

By hurm (198.109.0.131) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 11:27 am:

Thanks for the info.

By Robb_K (66.81.198.185) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 06:07 pm:

A few other great gospel records in the D-Town Devotional Series:
201 Meditations "Farther Along"
206 Staples Singers "I Will Trust In The Lord"