Corey Harris Greens From The Garden CD

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.

With Harris's third recording he leaves his traditional take on delta blues behind for good, embracing a wealth of styles, all with equal aplomb. Purists might balk at Harris's abandonment of the style into which he breathed so much new life, but GREENS FROM THE GARDEN makes it clear that Harris's vision is too grand to be contained by one admittedly limiting style. He incorporates a full electric band on several cuts, but this is no Stevie Ray Vaughan-style rocking-up of the blues. Harris keeps the arrangements concise and the performances cutting.

On "Honeysuckle," Harris's guitar is accompanied by the striking combination of barrelhouse piano and djembe. "Congo Square Rag" is a welcome reprise of the guitar-trombone-tuba setup of his previous album. Harris relies on his own compositions here, resulting in a stylistic tour de force that includes Cajun music ("Pas Parlez"), New Orleans second-line rhythms ("Eh La Bas") and a healthy portion of funk. Particularly arresting are a Jamaican rocksteady take on the spiritual "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and a bare-bones "Teabag Blues," recorded at the sessions for Billy Bragg and Wilco's MERMAID AVENUE album, and featuring Bragg on backing vocals.

Principally recorded at Paragon Studios, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Personnel includes: Corey Harris (vocals, acoustic, electric, National resaphonic & electric lap steel guitars, whistle); Jamal Milner (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Victor Brown (bass); Harry Dennis-Djun (djun, percussion); Billy Bragg (background vocals).

Rolling Stone (2/3/00, p.61) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...a rainbow unto itself, from the silvery plunk of his National steel guitar and the brown-dirt honesty of his singing to the scuffed-gold horns blowing behind him in 'Congo Square Rag'....GREENS is a big meal, but all natural..."
Q (6/99, p.105) - 4 out of 5) - Excellent - "...this is primarily acoustic blues without the alcohol and late nights, but with as much cornbread, gravy and good times."
CMJ (4/19/99, p.31) - "...invigorating mix of Delta-style blues songs turned inside out by a madcap attitude and influences ranging from reggae to ragtime."
Dirty Linen (8-9/99, p.86) - "...a nicely diverse and interesting collection of songs interspersed with comments about and favorite recipies for greens."
Living Blues (7-8/99, p.51) - "...speaks to the fact that roots music - broadly interpreted - is enjoying a renaissance that is not dependent simply on recreating older sounds. In this movement Harris is undoubtedly one of the most creative innovators."
Mojo (Publisher) (1/00, p.31) - Included in Mojo Magazine's "Best Blues Albums" of 1999.