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Artist Bio:
Since 1939, The Blind Boys of Alabama have sung a fervent blend of traditional and contemporary Gospel music. Much has changed during these seven prolific decades. Stylistic phases have waxed and waned; personnel has come and gone. 78 r.p.m. records have given way to LPs, followed by eight-track tapes, cassettes, and CDs. The Blind Boys’ audience – once rigidly segregated and confined to traditional Gospel venues – now reflects the group’s eclectic, global following, while their repertoire has expanded to embrace secular songs with a strongly spiritual message. Such wide acceptance is also evidenced by four Grammy Awards, an honor that didn’t exist when the Blind Boys started out. Even so, the Blind Boys’ lengthy saga remains a steadfast testament to constancy. Singer Jimmy Carter, who was there when the group was first formed, leads the band today with the firm conviction, joyous commitment, and gravitas that befit an elder statesman.
But Carter’s venerable stature does not preclude an adventurous openness to musical experimentation. Hence The Blind Boys’ decision to record “Down In New Orleans,” accompanied by some of the Crescent City’s most distinguished R&B and jazz musicians: Allen Toussaint, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Hot 8 Brass Band, and the tight threesome of pianist David Torkanowsky, bassist Roland Guerin and drummer Shannon Powell. “This particular flavor is new for us,” Carter comments. “We’ve never recorded in New Orleans, never been backed up by any New Orleans bands. We’ve had it in our minds to work there for awhile, and we decided to do it now to support New Orleans while they rebuild after the hurricane. I can’t get up on a ladder and hammer nails, but me and the guys can sing inspirational songs that will help lift people’s hearts while they hammer nails.
http://www.blindboys.com/about.html
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