White African

Otis Taylor | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 6, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Northern Blues
• ASIN: B000059SY9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,304 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Otis tells the Truth, December 3, 2003

By 

Mitchell Lopate (Adak, Alaska) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: White African (Audio CD)

This is about testimony, people, and you will not turn your back and say, "That's not my problem." It's about legacies...of violence, pain, hate, suffering...in the name of heritage; in the name of raw apathy...in the name of ignorance. In Otis Taylor's big hands, plucking and strumming on an electric banjo, mandolin, or acoustic guitar, it's a way to cry out for justice-and mercy and forgiveness. They don't make prophets like this anymore-they did once upon a time, but that was back in biblical days. If there was a reason to listen to this man's songs, it's because he wears the dust of history on his physical body and within his heart, and along with that, the crimes of passion that have been done in the name of righteous intention.

These songs are about commitment: a way to remind us that we have choices to make in our lives, both individually and as a social unit. The actions that we make can come back with a sword or an olive branch-and thankfully, Otis has a gentle way with his power, especially from a man who can stare into your soul from the cover photo of White African. His companions are right beside him like avenging angels: Kenny Passarelli's thudding, plodding bass, holding the chains and shackles of generations, daughter Cassie Taylor's ghostly backup vocals that moan through the leaves on the trees on a hot moonless night, and Eddie Turner's tortured slide and lead guitar. Yes, the obvious comparison is to John Lee Hooker-but Otis's strength is that he's doing it his way. You'll feel it too, once Otis lays his music on you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ancient Blues Masterpiece, March 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: White African (Audio CD)

Except for the sounds of trains, My Soul's in Lousiana, baby crying, 3 Days & 3 Nights, and thunder, Rain so Hard, this could have been recorded in the 20s with a single microphone hung from the ceiling of a cheap hotel room. This is straight ahead, gut level blues, the real stuff, not watered down 4th generation drivel.Great guitar and banjo work, but no overblown guitar heroics. If you listen to Lightnin Hopkins, Howling Wolf, Leadbelly, Mance Lipscomb this is for you. This is the Blues, straight, no chaser. Dark, stark and bone chilling.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good art for dark times, December 28, 2001

By 

ira povey (Denver) - See all my reviews

This review is from: White African (Audio CD)

Stark and hauting...this is not a pick-me-up, but masterfully arranged and performed, absolutely deep and real, a tower of remorse and memory to the legacy of early black america. If you have a feel for country blues or dark alterna-blues, then for god's sake, get this CD!!!!!!!