[Dixielandjazz] Sweet Fields

[Bruce Stangeland]

Bill,

I made a lead sheet of "In The Sweet Fields of Eden" from p. 78-9 of the 
old hymnal "Sweet Fields of Eden" that Google digitized.
I put the lead sheet on my website for your consideration. 
<http://www.bestangeland.com/music/InTheSweetFieldsOfEden.pdf>
I compared that tune with the one on the CD you referenced 
<http://www.new-orleans-delight.dk/cd/cd%20Marilyn.html>. I didn't find 
much similarity.

Cheers,
Bruce Stangeland
Berkeley banjoist.

-----------------

------------------------------ Message: 8 Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 
14:04:17 +1100 From: Bill Haesler <bhaesler at bigpond.net.au> To: Ken 
Gates <kwg28 at sbcglobal.net>, Dixieland Jazz Mailing List 
<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List 
<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Sweet Fields 
Message-ID: <70A2715E-5B26-46CD-9F28-37CD2E8EA82E at bigpond.net.au> 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Ken Gates wrote:

> > I'm trying to track down when and where "Sweet Fields" was
> > introduced into the trad jazz songlist.  I assume a hymn source.  The earliest recording I can find is the Eureka Brass Band in the
> > mid 1950s.  I found only one mention on a Ken Colyer recording
> > of 1957.  A google search of black gospel makes reference to a
> > hymn of Isaac Watts (early 1700s vintage) with the words  "Sweet
> > Fields". in it ---but I can find no hymn with the title of "Sweet Fields"
> > I can only conjecture that Ken Colyer brought it to the trad jazz scene when he returned from his adventure in New Orleans. 
>   

Dear Ken,
Further internet searching may have thrown up:
"Sweet Fields of Eden": For the Sabbath School. William Burdine Blake, Sr., J.H. Tenney and Aldine S. Kieffer. (Dayton, Rockingham County, Virginia: Ruebush, Kieffer & Co. 1882.)
"John Harrison Tenney, 1840-1918.
Born: November 22, 1840. Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts. Died: 1918. Georgetown, Essex County, Massachusetts.

The Tenney family of Massachusetts descended from Thomas Tenney who, at age 24, arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in December 1638 from Yorkshire, England, and settled in Rowley, Massachusetts in April 1639. 

Tenney was a prolific sacred music composer, working with a variety of lyricists. Tenney also produced original hymns, both words and music. He edited or was associate editor of over 30 books, and contributed to hundreds more. His work was published in New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Dayton and Aliance, Ohio; Dayton, Rockingham County, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; and Altoona, Pennsylvania."

Could this be the hymn?

Also the reference to the CD by the Danish band New Orleans Delight featuring US gospel singer Marilyn Keller and Cornish trumpet player Derek Winters.
   http://www.new-orleans-delight.dk/cd/cd%20Marilyn.html

Where is our our resident Swedish expert on all things hymnal, Ingemar Wagerman [Gota River Jazzmen], when we need him?
"Sweet Fields" is on the band's CD "In That Day" recorded in Gothenburg on April 2 & 3, 2005.
If  Ingemar doesn't know, no one does.
Very kind regards,
Bill.