Ben Harper's history with
the Blind Boys of Alabama has been an evolving one that has moved from being a guest on their Higher Ground offering and touring with them in Europe, to
the Blind Boys joining
Ben and the Innocent Criminals on-stage at the front and back of their show. This album began as a series of rehearsals for collaboration on a
Blind Boys of Alabama record. Recorded in two sessions, the vibe in the room was loose and creative enough that the two acts ended up with an album of material for a joint release. This is "collaboration" in the truest sense of the word. It's not just
Ben playing gospel, or
the Blind Boys of Alabama singing on a
Ben Harper record. These ten tunes -- with seven
Harper originals written specifically for the sessions, the rest traditional gospel tunes and covers -- showcase
Harper and the Innocent Criminals alongside
the Blind Boys of Alabama. The album kicks off with
Harper's "Take My Hand," a funky gospel tune that showcases a Fender Rhodes and
Harper's wah-wah pedal underscored by the call and response of
the Blind Boys repeating the title after each sung line of the verse, before
Clarence Fountain takes it out. "Wicked Man" is a Southern soul tune that has a Muscle Shoals groove and a beautiful vocal weave on the refrain. "Church House Steps" is pure gospel groove with a Hammond B3 and a smoking duet between
the Blind Boys' layered harmonies and
Harper on the verses with full-on blues feel in his singing and playing. There's a killer cover of the
Bob Dylan/
Danny O'Keefe tune, "Well, Well, Well," with Delta blues bottleneck shimmering through the intertwined vocal lines. The deep, nocturnal sparseness of "Satisfied Mind" is a complete re-reading of the nugget with a swampy backbeat. And this album works beautifully. Nothing sounds forced, all of it loose and comfortable and the vocal performances on both sides are simply stellar. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek