white african

Review by Alex Henderson
Otis Taylor has a knack for interesting titles; Blue-Eyed Monster and When Negros Walked the Earth are among the CDs that the Denver bluesman recorded before White African. Taylor also has a knack for very dark and sobering themes — this 2001 release, in fact, is full of them. On White African, Taylor's subject matter ranges from lynching in the Deep South ("Saint Martha Blues") to homelessness ("Hungry People") to being unable to afford health care for a sick, dying child ("3 Days and 3 Nights"). And Taylor doesn't try to sugarcoat his often disturbing lyrics with happy melodies. Greatly influenced by John Lee Hooker, the very soulful Taylor often favors moody, dusky, haunting grooves. So White African is as dark musically as it is lyrically. Over the years, dark humor has played a major role in the blues — like country and hip-hop artists, bluesmen are known for finding a variety of humorous, clever ways to tell you how cruel and punishing life can be. But White African isn't dark humored; it's simply dark. This CD is also incredibly compelling, and it is enthusiastically recommended to those who don't expect lighthearted escapism from all of their music.


Tracks




Title
Composer
Time

1 My Soul's in Louisiana Taylor 3:35
2 Resurrection Blues Taylor 5:59
3 Momma Don't You Do It Taylor 2:24
4 3 Days and 3 Nights Taylor 4:21
5 Round and Round Taylor 1:47
6 Stick on You Taylor 3:30
7 Rain So Hard Taylor 3:52
8 Lost My Horse Taylor 3:10
9 Saint Martha Blues Taylor 4:15
10 Ain't No Cowgirl Taylor 2:14
11 Hungry People Taylor 5:01