Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette

Chronique

At once a fascinating document of nearly century-old recordings and a brief but powerful meditation on the deep history of the United States -- melodramatic to say, perhaps, but also quite accurate -- Tompkins Square's collection of recordings by Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette is another archival treasure among the many that seem to have arrived in waves in the early 21st century. Split between 1909 cylinder recordings recorded a few years before Miller's death and 1928 78 rpm singles that might -- though it is not clear -- feature some of the same singers from the earlier sessions, the disc benefits from the care archival recordings have received in a new century, rich sounding despite all the distance of time, its crackle less a signifier of age and more a snapshot of the time and technology. But it's Doug Seroff's essay and Ken Flaherty, Jr.'s introduction that deserve the most attention beyond the music itself, drawing together the threads of Miller's existence -- the privileged son of a slave owner born in 1844, who later in life was a smash entertainment success with his presentation of "old south" songs sung by an African-American quartet, whose membership shifted over the years, and whose own stories are apparently lost to time. There's a lot to unpack about race, class, and other attitudes and limitations in a short space, and both the essay and introduction do a marvelous job of situating these. The collection starts with a bang that readily encapsulates the history and tensions of the time and place -- "The Bonnie Blue Flag," a Confederate anthem given a stirring delivery by the quartet and Miller, whose straightforward playing is a fine base for the excellent singing. Other moments of note from the 1909 recordings include "Laughing Song," where rhythmic laughing forms an eerie, striking rhythmic hook, and "The Watermelon Party" -- a title that can only evoke stereotypical images, yet which is apparently an original composition of Quartette member James Stamper. Among the 1928 recordings, "Bohunkus and Josephus," a riff on the "Auld Lang Syne" melody delivered with panache and storytelling ease, and the "Laughing Song"-style "Oysters and Wine at 2 AM." Overall, the combination of historical interest -- Seroff notes that the recording of "What a Time" is apparently the first one of that long-established song -- and strong performances, even with loaded material, makes this essential, striking, and emotional listening.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo