|
Profile
Corey Harris
|
 |
1999 KBA Award Winner
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by the Blues Foundation
| |
 |
One of the new breed of exciting young blues performers, Corey Harris has not only embraced the traditional acoustic blues guitar style but has added a few twists of his own. Not satisfied with just reproducing the traditional music, Harris has pushed the boundaries of this form, adding the music and rhythms of Africa, the Caribbean and New Orleans jazz to create a distinct and extremely entertaining blues style. Born in 1969 in Denver, Harris took up the guitar at age 12. He lists some of his influences as R.L. Burnside, Big Jack Johnson and John Jackson from Virginia, as well as some of the legends of acoustic blues like Son House, Mance Lipscomb, Charlie Patton, and Lightnin’ Hopkins. In fact as a child Harris wore out one of his mother’s Lightnin’ Hopkins’ records. Self taught on the guitar, Corey Harris draws on a wide variety of traditional styles that are superbly presented on his debut Alligator CD "Between Midnight and Day." Covers of Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Blind Boy Fuller and Fred McDowell appear fresh in his capable hands. His original compositions bear a strong resemblance to the traditional sources without being direct copies of the style. Harris builds on the foundation of acoustic blues and transforms his blues playing into something fresh and exciting. Getting started by playing on street corners just a few years ago, Harris is now touring world wide opening for acts like B.B. King and Buddy Guy. Now living in New Orleans, Harris has released his current Alligator Records album, "Vu-Du Menz" (in collaboration with Henry Butler). Corey Harris delivers a laid back live performance switching from acoustic, to National, to lap steel guitar with proficiency and ease.
|
|
E-mail Ray Stiles at: 
We build websites