“A restless explorer of roots music, the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter continues to examine African-American art, history and culture in 14 mostly blues and reggae songs. Enlisting producer and keyboardist Chris ‘Peanut’ Whitley, Harris tells a variety of tales in his tunes, from the uplifting ‘So Good to Me,’ about the joys of finding a soulmate, to the darker reality on ‘Pimps and Thieves.’”
USA Today
“The songs celebrate blackness, freedom and empowerment, and they’re against Babylon and colonialism. Even love is high-minded and dignified. Harris’ performances make it all less pro forma than that description sounds, though. He doesn’t sing the songs as spirituals, but he’s soulful in a way that connotes both passion for life and a higher purpose.”
OffBeat
“On blu-black, Harris, who lives in Virginia these days, continues the reggae vibe he explored on Zion Crossroads in 2007, though there’s some R&B and ‘70s-style soul and even a blues tune mixed in there, too…In 2007, Harris won a $500,000 ‘genius grant’ from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Call him a genius with a deep groove. On blu.black, Harris more than proves he’s worthy of that ‘no strings attached’ bankroll.”
ColoradoBiz
“A winning singer with an easy charm, Harris shines here on songs (most of them were co-written with keyboardist and producer Chris ‘Peanut’ Whitley) like ‘King and Queen’ (a duet with Davina Jackson), the straight-out-of-Kingston-..sounding ‘Conquering Lion,’ the sunny skanking ‘Run Around Girl,’ and a moving, stark solo version of Burning Spear’s ‘Columbus.’ It all goes down easy, and Harris’ naturally positive tone makes this album yet another treat from this gifted musician.”
All Music
“Corey Harris has always been a student of the cultural and eclectic themes found in the blues, and this record expands these studies. It’s a mixture of blues, reggae, contemporary soul and gospel, as they pertain to the African-American culture, both past and present. Done primarily with guitar, bass, drums, and keys, (the keyboard work ably handled by producer Chris Whitley) this set presents each song as a story unto itself, and, when woven together, presents us with a ‘musical map’ of sorts, that tells us where we’ve been, musically speaking, as well as charting a course for the future…Corey Harris embodies the very culture of the blues itself. Inblu.black, he shows us how the blues is the root of many varied styles of music, and how they are all indeed related.”
Nashville Blues Society
“Corey Harris’ blu.black follows up on his critically-acclaimed 2007 collection, Zion Crossroads with a sound as unique as the artist himself. Harris uses Mississippi Delta blues as a starting point, adding in layers of Southern gospel, reggae and other Caribbean sounds, and the rhythms of Africa. The result is an invigorating blend of cultures and styles, a blues-based world music, if you will. Harris is also a natural born storyteller, and blu.black features its share of finely-crafted tales. Harris uses his invigorating musical smorgasbord as a soundtrack for his epic lyrical attempt to connect the stories of African-Americans of centuries ago with the Black experience today.”