Black Midnight Sun

Lucky Peterson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 6, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dreyfus
• ASIN: B00008XEPA
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,229 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Guitarist-organist-singer Peterson shatters the boundaries of blues to make his finest album. First, there’s the sound: crystalline, enveloping, and beat-conscious thanks to producer and bassist Bill Laswell. Then there are the stories, which range from Peterson’s take on the two-timing "Jody" yarns that run through southern blues to the hard-edged contemplation of prejudice "Is It Because I’m Black." His taste in covers is great, too, from a New Orleans funk version of the overlooked Muddy Waters anti-war gem "Herbert Harper’s Free Press News" to obscure soul demigod Howard Tate’s "She’s a Burglar" to Sly Stone’s "Thank You for Talkin’ to Me Africa." And jazz genius Henry Threadgill's flute helps Peterson transform Howlin’ Wolf’s "Smokestack Lightnin’" into an ethereal psychedelic trip. Best of all, though, is the sheer visceral quality of Peterson’s performances. His singing is strong, confident, and low-pitched, and his guitar is especially artful and gritty, finally matching the power of his organ virtuosity. Put this one on 2003’s "best-of" list. --Ted Drozdowski

Product Description

Soul Blues classic features bass and production by Bill Laswell, rock solid drums by 20-year Parliment-Funkadelic alumnus Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey, and horn arrangements and flute of Henry Threadgill, and material from Sly Stone to James Brown to Mick Jagger. Lucky Peterson seems to have set fire to the past with Black Midnight Sun – a molten slab of unusual and, dare we say it, slightly twisted updates of a fistful of electric blues, rock, soul and funk classics. Laced with alternating flashes of dark introspection and spiritual redemption, a good deal of the music here almost perfectly encapsulates, given the tumultuous chain of world events of the last two years, the mixture of uneasiness and expectation so prevalent in today's political and socio-economic climates.

Lucky Peterson – Guitar, Organ, Electric Piano, synthesizer, & Vocal Bill Laswell – Bass Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey – Drums Henry Threadgill – Horn Arrangements Alex J. Harding, Graham Haynes, Jesse Dulman & Henry Threadgill – Horns

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD BUT PATCHY, August 12, 2003

By 

HANS D HARMS (runaway bay, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Black Midnight Sun (Audio CD)

There are a number of outstanding tracks on this CD : HERBERT HARPERS......., IS IT BECAUSE I'M BLACK, BLACK MIDNIGHT SUN, TALKING LOUD AND SAYING NOTHING, TRULY YOUR FRIEND. They are worth 5 stars. Some of the other tracks border on 1 / 2 stars and bring the rest of the CD down. The skip button gets a workout for LUCKY IN LOVE ( it was [bad] when MICK JAGGER released the single ages ago and got worse with age ), SHE'S A BURGLAR ( blues dross ) and some of the others are barely acceptable. The musicianship is uniformly great and LUCKY sure is a talented musician. His guitar / keyboard playing is first class as is his singing. I just wish he had picked a better range of covers to do his talents justice

5.0 out of 5 stars Revolutionary & futuristic form of Blues, September 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Midnight Sun (Audio CD)

I think lots of people consider Lucky Peterson as a bluesman. That's true, but with this new album, he proved that he can go even beyond that. He successfully blended rock, soul, and funk elements into these 11 songs without compromising the conventional side of the blues music. Producer/Bassist Bill Laswell's bone-rattling rhythms of funk work very well here. This album is a must-have for those who want to see the future of blues.

4 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars hopefully *not* the future of blues, February 13, 2004

By 

D. Manley - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Black Midnight Sun (Audio CD)

I was really disappointed by this recording - the songs are tired, and the effects on Bill Laswell's bass single handedly ruins the mix. I don't know what Laswell thought he was doing, it is that bad. On the first 10 seconds of the first song it sounds interesting but then it overpowers and dominates. It is a blurry mess of phased, flanged, who-knows-what, over processed, boomy bass noodling. Skip this one, trust me. You'll be taking it to the used record store in a week.