Blackwater [ENHANCED] [LIVE]

Mofro

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: April 24, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Live
• Label: Alligator Records
• ASIN: B000V6BDRW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,361 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Blackwater

2. Ho Cake

3. Air

4. Jookhouse

5. Nare Sugar

6. Free

7. Florida

8. Cracka Break

9. Lazy Fo Acre

10. Santa Clause, True Love and Freedom

11. Frog Giggin'

12. Whitehouse

13. Brighter Days

14. [CD-Rom Track]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Florida's Mofro know you don't need a studio full of fancy effects to make a funky record. The act's debut CD spins tales from the Blackwater region around "front-porch soul," a stripped-down collection of bottom-heavy beats and hip-shaking rhythms. This is the kind of record G. Love should be making, a flawlessly tight package of funk, gospel, blues, and rock & roll fronted by singer-songwriter J.J. Grey. Although there are a number of instruments filling out the songs--slide guitar, bass, harmonica, keyboards, sax, and percussion--the arrangements all feel sparse enough to create an organic, authentic, easygoing vibe throughout the record. From the early Rolling Stones-esque blues of "Brighter Days," to the mouthwatering funk of "Ho Cake," Blackwater pays the highest respects to this area of northern Florida, both musically and lyrically. --Jennifer Maerz

Product Description

MOFRO is led by singer / songwriter JJ Grey who grew up outside Jacksonville, developing a taste for raw grooves and living a life to inspire his soulful lyrics. Blackwater, Mofro's debut release on Fog City Records, maintains the label's focus on musicianship, fat tones and good times, deepened by insights into a place and culture that is slipping away with Florida's steady march to "progress".

Guest drummer George Sluppick (on loan from Robert Walter s 20th Congress) says: I feel like we've connected with each other on a very deep level... it's funky and groovin', like fried catfish and turnip greens... it's uplifting and spiritual, like grits and bacon... it's Southern to the core. My peoples!

Special guest: Robert Walter (Fog City recording artist and founding member of The Greyboy Allstars)

Reissued by Alligator Records (Oct 2007)

This is an ENHANCED CD: In addition to more than an hour of boombox-optimized barbeque soul, this CD can also be placed in the CD-ROM drive of most computers for a multimedia experience that a live video of "Ho Cake" (recorded in studio during the Blackwater sessions). It's got soul, and it's superbad!

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't sound like a debut, December 4, 2004

By	Elliot Knapp (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

From the opening, spacey piano riff, it sounds like Mofro have been doing this for a whole lot longer than one record. The title track is stunning, otherworldly, and classic. I'd like to give this record 4.5 stars because at times it seems a little disjointed--like it can't choose between sentimental thudding funk and faster, jokey tunes--both are great, but it's a little jumpy at times. "Ho Cake" is great--a list of southern foods and some hilarious childhood anecdotes. My favorites are "Air," which makes use of rhodes electric piano, the looping "Free," the heart-wrenching "Florida," "Whitehouse," and the oh-so soulful "Brighter Days." Mofro owes just as much to the Meters (believe it or not) as they do to the environs of the Florida bayou and J.J.'s back woods upbringing. What comes across is a soulful, funky record specializing in sentimentality and filthy grooves. Recommended for fans of the aforementioned Meters, Galactic, funky jambands, and soul. These guys don't disappoint.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holy Smokes!!!!! I feel like having some hamhocks myself!!!, March 4, 2003

By	Mark A. Sanchez (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

This album is another fine effort put out by producer Dan Prothero of Fog City Records. Mofro is one heck of an eclectic mix of people(who would imagine a French bass player in a Floridian funk band??!?!) who put it all together with some great stories and down home songs. Environmentalism, ...idiocy, and songs of youth characterize an album with loose grooves and back porch funk to electrify your soul.

I have purchased this album over four times(twice because it's been stolen from me) and would buy it again for anybody without hesitation. This is definitely one of the greats that most everybody could groove to!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have!, May 18, 2002

By	D. Berg "Lord of the Dance" (Rockville Centre, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Blackwater (Audio CD)

This CD is fabulous. As a longtime lover of funk, blues, and rock, I'm overwhelmed by Mofro's efforts on this album. Every song is interesting, funky, and somehow raunchy at the same time. The title track "Blackwater" is ridiculously catchy and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since the first time I heard it. Robert Walter, of Greyboy Allstars fame, adds some always fantastic keyboard work to accompany the band's surprising talent. Although the roots and influences are different, something about the laid back, not taking itself too seriously feel of this CD as a whole reminds me of Sublime's "40 Oz. to Freedom." I would classify exactly what sort of music fans will like this album, but honestly, anybody who likes music will like this, I promise.