Insurrection Blues, Harris’ 20th album, continues a blues journey that began with his debut album Between Midnight and Day in 1995. The songs are full of topical relevance, yet steeped in tradition and informed by his musical explorations over the decades. Recorded in Italy under shutdown conditions, the album returns to the solo acoustic format that’s been his base since his early days as a street singer in New Orleans. But you can also hear between the lines traces of the different styles he’s absorbed, including the roots music he heard during a year’s stay in West Africa–fusing that with Delta blues on 2003’s Mississippi to Mali. His interest in the Rastafarian faith led to a reggae-inspired album, 2007’s Zion Crossroads, and later band albums like 2009’s blu.black even incorporated hp-hop. Through it all, he returned to cornerstone blues pieces, while gradually evolving from an interpreter to a songwriter.
With Insurrection Blues he returns to acoustic basics while offering some necessary commentary. Like many of us, he was paying attention to national events during the pandemic lockdown. And when he saw the profoundly disturbing events in Washington DC on January 6th, the path of his next album became clear.
“As an African living in America, as a descendant of slaves that built this country, I am looking at the survival mechanisms that have existed for people to persevere in difficult times. And when we think about that, the blues always comes to mind. When I saw the insurrection, I saw how race and history collided there. For instance, the way that the Black Capitol police were being assaulted physically– The symbolism of that was quite heavy, particularly since it was a Black man who saved the life of Mitt Romney (among others) by delaying the entry of the aggressors.”
Also included are a handful of instrumentals that showcase his guitar prowess. “Afton Mountain Blues” has a lively country feel with its harmonica and fingerpicking. “That’s my song but to me, it’s a real Piedmont style, a mountain, and country thing.” In contrast, “Sunjata” and “Tubaka” are both rooted in Malian traditional music. “That’s what you might call manding or griot guitar, a little inspiration I carried over when I wrote “Mama Africa” and the title song. Just trying to show that you can put the blues with those other styles, and together they say something about the world as it is today.”
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