KEMP HARRIS
Edenton (www.kempharris.com)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

Longtime blues sideman Kemp Harris' second solo album is something very special. There are many styles of blues, folk and gospel here, and no matter what style Harris is singing in at any given moment, he just plain nails it. His voice is a multi-tool, equally convincing in a gospel setting ("Didn't It Rain" and the a cappella reprise of "Sometimes") or a minimalist blues ("Miles Between Us"). He sings quietly and soulfully, hitting falsetto notes in mid-run the way a good guitarist uses harmonics to raise the hairs on the back of your neck, then effortlessly slipping back into an emotion-filled baritone that is to die for. It takes a special kind of vocalist to really make a tune work when he's only accompanied by stand-up bass ("Nightlife"). This is just one of the many songs here that have minimal instrumentation, but it never feels sparse at all. With outstanding background vocal support from the legendary Holmes Brothers, and Kemp's own considerable talents, this is an album that will excite harmony fans as much as the blues crowd. Had Kemp Harris come along in the 60s, he almost certainly would have been huge. Te music biz being what it is today, he's putting out his own stuff and building awareness through word of mouth. That's usually a tough sell, but I have a feeling Kemp is far too great a talent to avoid the top for long.

© 2007 - DJ Johnson