"White lies for dark times"

The new album is amazing.

sounds like Hendrix sometimes, yet there's still originality a-plenty, especially the 2nd song "up to me"

He's giving Prince more than a run for his money and without all the tedious mindf*ck hype-up nonsense that precedes a new prince album.

The album "Lifeline" appeared only shortly before this new album of Harper's, and is pretty good too.

I wonder if he has any fans here on the Org?

What do you mean, "Getting better"? He's great!! I have all of his albums love the all. The comparison to Prince, I don't see though.

There were no comparisons to Prince. I think the reference was to both recently making a Hendrix-ispired record, and simply both "being talented musicians"

Haven't been listening to Harper's music for a while. Ten years in fact.

shorttrini said:

prince, deservedly, gets a whole lot of praise for his song "dreamer"
but he isn't the only 1 who can turn this stuff out.

I get tired of the whole prince worship thing. Prince is unique etc, but there are others just as unique; and are at present doing so much better. Harper is one these folks doing better.

Not a HUGE fan of Harpers but I do like most of his stuff. Seems like a cool guy and real down to earth cat.
Have to say my fave is Two sides of the Coin. That's what kinda drew me in.
What are others would you highly recommend I check out?
Already on the new one.

Well Prince is clearly a fan. To me (& my wife) 'Dreamer' sounds like Prince imitating Ben Harper doing a Hendrix cover! Seriously.

Looking forward to the new album. ...Though the last few have been pretty hit and miss.

He's at his best when he's not pushing the production too much. The acoustic stuff on the first few albums are what it's all about.

HARPER'S always had good records, This one's good but lemme catch more live shows.

PFunkjazz said:

yes, there's a live double album with "mars" in title. It's da bomb!!!
I like his rockier stuff and only a little less his ballads and gospel stuff.

I love Mr. Harpers music. If you mean he's getting better in-terms of musical growth... YES.

TD3 said:

that's what I'm saying!

I respect him as an artist and I'm really glad that a black cat is out there doing his style of music and doing it well. But I've never liked any of his records.


Hmm, I may go check him out on May 10th when he hits Paradise up here in Boston.

Rightly said:

Just like Hendricks paved the way for artist like Prince, Prince paved the way for artist like Harper. Prince has made it okay for a black artist to be different and to "dance to his own drum". Also, I would not call it "worshiped", but Prince is respected.

shorttrini said:

^^^^^
Hm food for thought....


We've always had African American artist who've danced to the beat of their own drum. It's the market place a.k.a. record companies and radio who've felt the need to narrowly define who does what or who can do what. To be fair, the American public also has a tendency to define artist or to see musicians through a narrow prism. That's why Bob Dylan damn near caused a riot when he dared to pick up an eletric guitar.

The thing about Mr. Harper, he's well versed in music of the Black community(Black Diaspora) and those influences folk,gospel, blues, and reggae have greatly shaped his music. Maybe some of use have lost touch, haven't been exposed, or just dont know our musical heritage... which is has been far broader and reaching than many would admit.

Just so you folks can say you know something about Harper.

He got his start in Taj Mahal's band.
He not only knows how to play a wide variety of guitars.He also is a skilled craftsman who can build and repair his own instruments. His grandfather owns a guitar shop where he grew up working in it.
This selfsame guitar shop is where Taj and a number of country, gospel and blues artist would visit Harper and his grandparents.
[Edited 5/6/09 8:28am]

chuckaducci said:

I know what you mean. I say the same thing about Prince's recent records.

PFunkjazz said:

I've been to Harper's family guitar/instrument shop.... nice.

shorttrini said:

*Hendrix


I disagree. Prince alone has not made it okay for a black artist to do all the things you suggest. Simply put: he was not the first black artist who was "out there." Both Hendrix and Prince owe a debt to Little Richard, who in turn, owes a debt to Esquerita. And Esquerita was probably influenced by some other flamboyant figure....and if you've seen some of the fools' avatars on this site and other social networks, one would definitely think there is a Prince Church rendering him capable of worship. All that said, I don't think Prince's legacy has helped Harper's. It is possible for a black musician who isn't R&B or soul centered to exist and survive independently from Prince.

PFunkjazz: I haven't liked a Prince album since Sign O' The Times and even then I skip a few tracks!

chuckaducci said:

I am talking about in his time? Name me one artist aside from Prince who has made a such a dent as he has? Sure, the artists that you have mentioned paved the way for him. In my opinion in today's music, nobody else has opened doors the way Prince has.

shorttrini said:

There are quite a few black musicians during the 80s who could easily be termed as "different" who existed and established a musical career independently from Prince (remember, Prince was a pop musician, so he couldn't have been too far "out"):

Livnig Colour
Bad Brains
Amp Fiddler
Fishbone
Tony MacAlpine
.....I know I'm forgetting someone

My point is, is that Prince was not the ONLY black musician who was doing his own thing - nobody creates music in a vacuum.

Prince has opened some doors but I'm hesitant to give him too much praise in that regard.
[Edited 5/6/09 14:13pm]

shorttrini said:

with all due respect, if you don't think the man is worshiped by a lot of his fans then you must be dumb.

Rightly said:

That's my own opinion, there was no need for the name calling.