Corey Harris has led the life of a musical explorer, traveling and listening all over the world. He’s performed at many of the world’s most well-known venues, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, London’s Royal Albert Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center, Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Tennessee’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. As the star of Martin Scorsese’s segment of the PBS series, The Blues, Corey traveled to Mali to play with Ali Farka Toure, a voyage he repeated for his album of field recordings called Mississippi to Mali, in which he explored the connections between African music and the blues.
Born in Denver, Colorado in 1969, Corey Harris made two extended trips to Cameroon after graduating from college. He came home from West Africa determined to make his way as a musician, while he taught French at a rural Louisiana middle school. In the decade between 1995 and 2005, Corey released a string of critically acclaimed albums which firmly established this young lion as the most versatile blues and roots artist of his time. He has toured in Guinea and Mali, West Africa, as well as South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Most recently, Corey has released Zion Crossroads (Telarc, 2007), a celebration of roots reggae, Ras Tafari, Ethiopia, and the African continent.“…one of the most vibrant reggae albums to be released this year.†- Global Rhythm
“The CD is laced with messages and conscious lyrics that would thrill a lover of true reggae/roots and culture music. It’s really a celebration of the ‘overstanding’ of this journey we call life.†- Carib News
