Greens from the Garden

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Greens from the Garden
Studio album by
Corey Harris
Released1999
GenreCountry blues
Length60:03
LabelAlligator
ProducerCorey Harris
Corey Harris chronology
Fish Ain't Bitin'
(1997) 		Greens from the Garden
(1999) 		Vu-Du Menz
(2000)

Greens from the Garden is an album by the American musician Corey Harris, released in 1999.[1][2] The album title was inspired by a Buddy Guy comment about Harris's country blues.[3] Harris considered the album to be roots music.[4] "Wild West", about gun violence, was released as a single.[5] Harris supported the album with North American and Australian tours.[6][7]

Production

Greens from the Garden was produced by Harris, although Alligator Records asked him to remix it with an outside producer.[8] It is a concept album, likening the vegetables that go into a pot of greens to various Black musical styles.[9] The album contains spoken interludes in which Harris and his family reflect on the cultural role of land and nourishment.[10] Henry Butler played piano on two tracks.[11] Members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band backed Harris on "Congo Square Rag".[12] "Teabag Blues" is an outtake from the Mermaid Avenue recording sessions to which Harris contributed; the lyrics are by Woody Guthrie and the harmony vocals are provided by Billy Bragg.[13][14] "Eh la Bas" and "Pas Parlez" are sung in French.[15] "Nola Rag" is about Harris's days busking in New Orleans.[16] The version of the traditional "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is played in a reggae style.[17] "Sweet Black Angel" is a version of the Lucille Bogan song.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Edmonton Journal[18]
The Gazette8/10[19]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[20]
Rolling Stone[12]
The Tampa Tribune[21]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music[22]

The Independent called Harris "one of the young, black neo-country-blues stylists currently attempting to wrest the form back from the straitjacketing notions of technical dexterity imposed upon it by a generation of white guitar-heroes."[10] The Washington Post opined that "like Taj Mahal, a kindred spirit, Harris possesses a voice and personality that are hard to resist no matter what the tune or setting."[14] The Edmonton Journal wrote that "Harris's superb solo feature on National steel and vocal, 'Sweet Black Angel', has a hint of underlying fun, and he matches it every step of the way with confident picking."[18]

The Des Moines Register said that Harris "has echoed prewar acoustic blues better than anyone in recent years, and his raw talent grounds the album."[15] Newsday stated that Harris "combines New Orleans stomp with country-flavored fingerpicking, Caribbean rhythms and ragtime."[23] The Morning Call and Nashville Scene included Greens from the Garden on their lists of the best albums of 1999.[24][25] The Tampa Tribune noted that "this has to be the most impressive blues release of the year."[21]

The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings awarded the album a "crown" symbol, indicating a "truly exceptional" album that belongs in any "basic blues library".[20]

Track listing

Greens from the Garden track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Introduction to the Greens"0:48
2."Basehead"4:41
3."Honeysuckle"4:23
4."Tapado"0:39
5."Eh la Bas"5:50
6."Interlude"0:40
7."Wild West"4:04
8."In the Kitchen with Momma"0:22
9."Sweet Black Angel"4:08
10."Pas Parlez"4:30
11."Interlude"0:13
12."Lynch Blues"6:16
13."Greens Back in the Day"1:20
14."Congo Square Rag"1:44
15."Diddy Wah Diddy"2:31
16."Ites"1:14
17."Just a Closer Walk with Thee"5:56
18."Nola Rag"4:56
19."Epilogue"0:49
20."Teabag Blues"4:59
Total length:60:03

References

  1. ^ Van Vleck, Philip (September 1999). "Greens from the Garden". Wired. Vol. 7, no. 9. p. 188.
  2. ^ Gundersen, Edna (April 24, 1999). "Special sauces for home cookin'". USA Today. p. 4D.
  3. ^ Knopper, Steve (May 9, 1999). "Recordings". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 14.
  4. ^ Harden, Mark (March 26, 1999). "Harris' eclectic styles blend into his own musical stew". The Denver Post. p. E1.
  5. ^ Soeder, John (May 12, 1999). "Teacher Turns Hobby into Full-Time Music Job". The Plain Dealer. p. 1E.
  6. ^ DeLuca, Dan (Apr 2, 1999). "And Then There's...". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
  7. ^ Roberts, Jo (March 3, 2000). "Tours". Entertainment Guide. The Age. p. 6.
  8. ^ Johnson, Jeff (May 21, 1999). "Acoustic bluesman goes eclectic". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 9.
  9. ^ a b Isola, Gregory (August 1999). "Corey Harris: Cooking up a blues stew". Guitar Player. Vol. 33, no. 8. pp. 35–36.
  10. ^ a b Gill, Andy (April 9, 1999). "Corey Harris Greens from the Garden". Features. The Independent. p. 12.
  11. ^ Piccoli, Sean (Nov 16, 1999). "Ups & Downs: Butler-Harris Offer Nothing but Pleasure at Blues Fest". Sun Sentinel. p. 3E.
  12. ^ a b Fricke, David (February 3, 2000). "21st-century blues". Rolling Stone. No. 833. p. 61.
  13. ^ "Corey's deep blues". Arts & Entertainment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 9, 1999. p. 3.
  14. ^ a b Joyce, Mike (April 9, 1999). "Corey Harris 'Greens from the Garden'". The Washington Post. p. N14.
  15. ^ a b Munson, Kyle (May 13, 1999). "Harris makes his name; Cray sustains his". Des Moines Register. p. D15.
  16. ^ De Barros, Paul (January 20, 2000). "Corey Harris Colors the Blues with Triumph and a Global Spin". The Seattle Times. p. G11.
  17. ^ Guarino, Mark (May 21, 1999). "Corey Harris picks 'Greens' to showcase blues". Time Out. Daily Herald. Arlington Heights. p. 4.
  18. ^ a b Levesque, Roger (May 9, 1999). "Harris serves up musical jambalaya with infectious spirit". Edmonton Journal. p. C7.
  19. ^ Regenstreif, Mike (August 5, 1999). "Blues". The Gazette. Montreal. p. D5.
  20. ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. pp. ix, 242–243.
  21. ^ a b Atkins, Ace (October 29, 1999). "Corey Harris, Greens from the Garden". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 17.
  22. ^ Larkin, Colin (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music. Virgin Books. p. 187.
  23. ^ "Corey Harris". Newsday. Sep 2, 1999. p. C3.
  24. ^ "Discs: Best". The Morning Call. January 8, 2000. p. A33.
  25. ^ Wynn, Ron (December 16, 1999). "Around the Edges". Nashville Cream. Nashville Scene.
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