Search - Alvin Youngblood Hart :: Big Mama's Door

Thunder in them thar' hands.

R. J MOSS | Alice Springs, Australia | 01/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No small wonder that Taj Mahal was recruited to pen a few introductory remarks to acolyte, Alvin's,'Big Mamma'. And more than this, he sits in on three tunes to further endorse the man who, for all intents and purposes on this gem, would appear to be his heir apparent. The mix of re-arranged Delta Blues and self-penned material, the multi-instrumental accomplishmnet and that inimitable afro-American vocalising, is everything that Taj has reverently worked over down the decades. Hart's songs sit seamlessly with the archival stuff. as,'Rest You Saddle' and,'If the Blues was Money' demonstarte.'Gallows pole' and McTell's,'Hillbilly Willie's Blues' are exemplary. An especial thrill for me is my favourite Ledbelly,'When I was a Cowboy Out on the Western Plain', as complete a snapshot of cinematic breadth as you'll hear condensed into a few minutes. This is a thrilling album. Blessed with such 'grasp of the idioms, tone, humour, irony, joy, and breadth' of tradition, to quote Taj, it will serve as a powerful foundation for a wide-eyed approach to re-invigorating music."

Saw Him Live

Frederick P. Gault | San Francisco, CA USA | 12/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I gotta say, we saw him live in New York City recently along with Doc Watson, and he stole the show! This cat had us glued into our seats. Wow!"

Quite Honestly The Best Country Blues CD In Decades

D. B Pepper | Plainview, NY United States | 07/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is, quite honestly, the best Country Blues cd to be released in decades. We have to remember that Alvin wasn't born in Mississippi or Texas around the turn of the century. He's a young guy who was raised on Classic Rock, and here he is, writing original material that sounds like it could have come from "Hambone" Willie Newbern, King Solomon Hill, or Son House. This is truly a fantastic disc, and there's not a single song that one should avoid. Alvin Youngblood Hart is the greatest living Bluesman; even better than Corey Harris, Samuel James, Rory Block, and John Hammond, Jr. I only hope that he has a long and productive recording career. "Them Fair Weather Friends" and "Big Mama's Door" are originals, but one would never know that on first, second or even fifteenth listen. Alvin is the greatest living Bluesman out there, period. I was lucky enough to see him perform live with his band, opening for an aged and senile Bo Diddley, about two years ago. I was hoping he'd perform some solo, acoustic, Country Blues material, but he didn't. I still went home happy. Most importantly, Alvin's diction when he sings is beautiful. He doesn't sounds like a product of the modern age, and I don't mean that in a degrading way. He has an intangible tang to his pronunciation when he sings."