Ah, the cool little "discoveries" I live for. I started off putting this in the "tracks on comps thread" since it's not really a Christmas album, but this lost classic from 1971, featuring an even more rare Christmas single, deserves it's own spotlight



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PW3UBG/?tag=imwan-20

http://lightintheattic.net/releases/481 ... out-a-sail

1. Like A Ship
2. Wonderful
3. It's Me O Lord
4. Ever Since
5. Nobody Knows
6. Joyful Noise
7. Medley
8. Blessed Quietness
9. Jingle Bells Pt. 1 (Bonus Track)
10. Jingle Bells Pt. 2 (Bonus Track)
11. These Are The Words (Bonus Track)

Pastor T.L. Barrett is the real deal. Born in 1944, he grew up in one of the nation’s toughest neighborhoods—the housing projects on Chicago’s South Side. Barrett’s father, a part-time Gospel performer with the Southern Wonders , died when T.L. was 16. Barrett began working in a hospital, but also displayed a talent for music and soon felt the call of the ministry. In 1968, he was named the pastor of Life Center Church of God in Christ. A few years later, Barrett, an extremely charismatic preacher, channeled his love of music into a way of keeping Chicago’s disadvantaged children from being swallowed whole by the mean city streets. In 1971, Pastor T.L. Barrett, with his Youth For Christ Choir, self-issued what is today one of the rarest and most highly sought after Gospel Soul classics ever put to wax. You think you know Gospel Soul? You ain’t heard nothing until you’ve heard “Like A Ship (Without A Sail)”. Light In The Attic has resurrected this 100 Proof, saturated with soul, slice of heaven-on-Earth, issuing the album on CD for the first time ever and also making it available on 180-gram vinyl. The album features a supporting cast that includes Gene Barge (of Chess records) and Phil Upchurch and features extensive new liner notes that include new interviews with Barrett, Barge and Upchurch.

More to the point for our purposes here, Light In The Attic has also resurrected the even more rare holiday 45 “Jingle Bells” (parts 1 & 2). Buy the vinyl and get the 45 single as a bonus. Don’t want the full LP? “Jingle Bells” can be purchased through Amazon as a digital download—as part of the full album or as individual tracks. I’m pretty sure “Jingle Bells” is on the CD as well, but the Amazon listing is less clear on that. If you're a collector of Christmas music, you're going to want this version of "Jingle Bells" in your collection.

Pastor T.L. Barrett went on to become a fixture in Chicago radio (I have a Christmas 45 from 1980 which features the Pastor joining in a holiday rap with Tom Joyner and the rest of the WJPC Gang). He has remained active in the church, his sermons drawing the likes of Donny Hathaway and Earth Wind & Fire through the years. And he has remained an activist, as a board member of Operation PUSH, as a leader of 1995’s Million Man March and 2000’s Million Family March, and working with the Outreach Ministry for the homeless and the Big Brother/Big Sister programs to name just a few of his causes. He has received 2 honorary doctorates and at least 47 civic awards. And, again of more relevance here, his discography includes at least 5 albums of Gospel and several more of taped sermons.

“Like A Ship (Without A Sail)” was released on July 27.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PW3UBG/?tag=imwan-20
http://lightintheattic.net/releases/481 ... out-a-sail

"Jingle Bells" hasn't made it to YouTube, but the title track has (from the original vinyl, apparently). Enjoy.

I don't know if the title track is the same version that appears on Numero Group's Good God! Born Again Funk comp, but that was the highlight of that compilation for me. I've never been disappointed with a Light in the Attic title so I'll pick this one up eventually.