Give Us Your Poor

Performer: Various Artists
Engineer: Chris Andersen; Chris Steffen; Eric Corne; Tom Corwin; David Seitz; Brian Cometa; Doug McKean; Helik Hadar; Steve Wood; Kristen Smith; Keith Sykes; Lorne Entress; Mark Johnson; Matthew Ellard; Rob Friedman; Steve Addabbo; Toby Scott
Producer: Jeff Krasno; David Seitz; Jim Musselman; Steve Wood; Phil Sandhaus; Aisha Kahlil; Keith Sykes; Larry Klein; Lorne Entress; Natalie Merchant; Rob Cavallo; Bruce Springsteen
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: Adapter: Alan Lomax. Personnel: Bill Janovitz (vocals, guitar, piano); Dan Zanes, Delmark Goldfarb, Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar); Michael Sullivan, Sonya Kitchell (vocals, acoustic guitar); Bonnie Raitt (vocals, slide guitar); Pete Seeger (vocals, banjo); Soozie Tyrell (vocals, violin); Natalie Merchant (vocals, background vocals); Aisha Kahlil, Madeleine Peyroux, Mario Frangoulis, Mark Erelli, Michelle Shocked, Mighty Sam McClain, Patti Scialfa, Ysaye Barnwell, Lisa Lowell, Mark Pender, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Carol Maillard (vocals); Danny Glover, Tim Robbins (spoken vocals); Frank Bruno, Tim Pierce, Greg Suran (guitar); Tim Carbone, Conor OBrien, Sam Bardfeld (violin); John Sebastian (harmonica); Charlie Giordano (accordion); Edward Manion, Elan Trotman, Dick Lourie (saxophone); Jamie Muhoberac (piano, keyboards); Sam Yahel (piano); Elizabeth Steen, Bob Cooper (organ); Rob Friedman (pump organ); Larry Klein (Wurlitzer organ); Jeremy Chatzky (upright bass); Paul Kochanski (bass guitar); Larry Eagle (drums, percussion); Dorian Crozier (drums, programming); Cody Dickinson, Scott Amendola, Tom Maginnis, Andrew Barr (drums); Jay Bellerose (cymbals); Luis Conte (percussion); Chris Colbourn, Steve Wood , Beth Fitchet Wood (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Chris Andersen; Chris Lord-Alge; David Seitz; Helix Hadar; Steve Wood ; Kristen Smith; Aisha Kahlil; Mark Johnson; Matthew Ellard; Rob Friedman; Steve Addabbo; Bob Clearmountain; Shane Koss. Liner Note Author: Jim Musselman. Recording information: Benaji Studio, Laguna Beach, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Blink Music Studios, Cambridge, MA (??/2005-04/2007); Boxwood Studio (??/2005-04/2007); Busterland Studios (??/2005-04/2007); El Dorado Studios, Burbank, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Festival Five Studios, Brooklyn, NY (??/2005-04/2007); His Cabin, Beacon, NY (??/2005-04/2007); Mad Dog Studio, Burbank, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Market Street, Los Angeles, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Nevessa Production, Woodstock, NY (??/2005-04/2007); Q Division Studios, Somerville, MA (??/2005-04/2007); Sage And Sound, Los Angeles, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Shelter Island Sound, New York, NY (??/2005-04/2007); Stu Stu Studio, Los Angeles, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Studio 8121, Silver Spring, MD (??/2005-04/2007); Tcmproductions, Mill Valley, CA (??/2005-04/2007); Woodshed Studio, Memphis, TN (??/2005-04/2007). Authors: Dan Zanes; Delmark Goldfarb; Jon Bon Jovi; Aisha Kahlil; Mario Frangoulis; Mark Erelli; Bill Janovitz. Photographers: David Seitz; Brianne Widaman; Roger Mastroianni; Jim Musselman; Calvin Stewart; Mike Rew. Arrangers: Chris Colbourn; Dan Zanes; Aisha Kahlil; Natalie Merchant; Bill Janovitz. Give US Your Poor is a benefit record that doesn't duck from its subject for commercial considerations, which is to say that -- the excellent contributions of Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and Bonnie Raitt aside -- you're not going to get through the album without contemplating what's it's like to be homeless. But a downer this CD is not: from Springsteen's juiced-up version of the classic "Hobo's Lullaby" with Pete Seeger to Madeleine Peyroux's pretty "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" to Dan Zanes and Kyla Middleton's rootsy picker-upper "Boll Weevil," the music shoves away preachiness and solemnity in favor of hope. It's there in Danny Glover's affecting spoken word "My Name Is Not 'Those People'" and also Sweet Honey in the Rock's grounded a cappella "Stranger Blues," but where it really reaches its target is on the opening sequence. "Land of 10,000 Homeless -- Minnesota" is a brief audio documentary set to music; here you meet people living the life, and here you hear their sagas. Self-pity never plays a part; only simple humanity, taken to the streets and scrubbed to its core elements, shines through. ~ Tammy La Gorce

Uncut (p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The centrepiece is the pairing of Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger for Woody Guthrie favourite 'Hobo's Lullaby'. Moving and quietly inflamed, it epitomises this strong, humane compilation." No Depression (p.99) - "Not surprisingly, themes of strife and poverty abound, but what's most striking about these songs is the absence of pathos and the prevailing sense of hope."

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