Downhome Sophisticate

Corey Harris

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 30, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder / Umgd
• ASIN: B000063CWE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,228 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This singer-guitarist, discovered on the streets of New Orleans, has grown immensely since he emerged as the great black hope of acoustic blues with 1994's exceptional Between Midnight and Day. The electric Downhome Sophisticate is an often-superb sequel to his eclectic 1999 catalog of African American styles, Greens from the Garden--sprawling, but sparked by topical songwriting and Harris's raw-toned, Delta-fueled guitar and full-bodied singing. Harris infuses traditional blues with new blood, often by combining his sources. He tattoos an African vocal melody and guitar rhythm to a Mississippi fife-and-drum beat in the riveting antiwar number, "Fire," which is further stoked by psychedelic slide guitar. His 5x5 Band pump the traditional numbers "Don't Let the Devil Ride" and "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning" by giving Harris's sleazy bottleneck playing and raw howl a rock & roll bottom. "Santoro" and the title number are the best blues-hip-hop blends since Arrested Development's searing "Tennessee." There's also a smart samba excursion. But some experiments, like the funky "Frankie Doris" and the Fred McDowell acid trip "Money on My Mind," don't gel, and several instrumentals unspool aimlessly. Nonetheless, Harris is trying to transform one of the most idiom-bound genres into something personal and utterly modern. And that marks him as one of the music's most courageous contemporary artists. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing!!!, August 15, 2002

By	John Terry "The Worrier King" (Kansas City, Mo) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a pudgy, bald man of Irish descent. That really doesn't qualify me to speak on what moves Corey Harris when he makes music. I certainly am not qualified to speak on the reality of being a black man in this place and time. It is evident to me that he is a man very much in touch with who he is. A man who realized that sometimes you must go back to go forward. There is an astonishing array of musical genres on display here. Rural country blues, sizzling electric barnburners and guitar workouts inspired by time in New Orleans, Cameroon and Mali.

This music takes my breath away. I don't have to fully understand what's going on to know that it moves me. This is music with a heart and soul. Music that's warm and alive. Music that makes you feel the blood flowing through your veins.Thank you, Corey. This is wonderful.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars He's Great, the album is only fair., May 2, 2002

By	CLARENCE J BUCARO (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

Corey Harris is great, no doubt about it. He is my favorite modern bluesman. However, it is difficult to follow where he is headed with this album. He starts off with some harder,electric songs that don't strike the listener extremely well, and throws in many different directions. I love his Carribean songs especially black maria and sister rose, but the rest of the songs are not great. Still a decent album, but definitely not nearly as good as his last three albums.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continues to evolve and defy categorization, February 4, 2003

By	Donnie (Boston) - See all my reviews

Corey Harris is a remarkable talent who refuses to be categorized by genres or labels. "Downhome Sophisticate" is a wonderful follow-up to Harris' stellar 1999 release "Greens in the Garden". Harris is one of the few musicians capable of creating a record that has a variety of styles that somehow fit together perfectly. Though firmly rooted in the blues, "Downhome Sophisticate" is actually a mix of funk, rock, reggae, hip-hop, gospel and world beats. At no time does anything feel out of place. As he says, he uses the blues as a "blueprint to build whatever house you want.".

The record is loaded with remarkable performances. His revved up version of "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Buring" is a great companion to "Between Midnight and Day"'s acoustic version. "Black Maria" is simply gorgeous and "Frankie Doris" flat out roars. And the driving force behind it all is Corey's voice. He sounds utterly amazing.

Why didn't this record make more noise than it did? This is the type of music I'd like to see/hear more of in the mainstream market. Though well known in the blues circles (and perhaps some Dave Matthews fans), you rarely hear Corey mentioned accept for a Rolling Stone cd review here or a World Cafe broadcast there. Corey Harris and the 5x5 should be superstars. Until that time they'll just have to remain hidden gems.