Artist:     Marc Cohn and Blind Boys of Alabama

Album:     Work To Do

Label:     BMG

Release Date:     08.09.2019

98

BUY DIGITAL

BUY PHYSICAL

Good Lord they’ve done some mighty fine work here! Work To Do features a marriage made in Heaven if there ever was one. Marc Cohn played several shows last year with Blind Boys of Alabama, their relationship and incredible chemistry a result of his songwriting contributions to their 2017 album, Almost Home.

One particularly fine performance was taped at “The Kate,” the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, in Connecticut. Cultural art certainly describes the music made that night. These songs, and this music, work flawlessly on the deepest fundamental levels of art and human emotion intersecting. The performances are real, and just plain spine-tingling. The most spirited, rich and absolutely divine Southern gospel singing ever, combines as if meant to, with Cohn’s Americana and gritty street soul. A band of aces supplies the adornment—Cohn on piano and guitar, Randall Bramblett playing organ, Tony Garnier on bass, and percussionist Joe Bonadio.

Sixteen men have graced the ranks of Blind Boys of Alabama over seven decades. Today, they’re Jimmy Carter, Eric “Ricky” McKinnie, Joey Williams, and Ben Moore. The conviction in their hearts to singing the Gospel truth hasn’t changed. The recording is impeccable, voices and instruments alive in the room with the listener. Initially, this was planned as an EP of the album’s first three songs, cut not at the Kate, but in the studio with producer and multi-instrumentalist John Leventhal playing everything. But the Kate show had to come out, and the studio songs blend into the live material seamlessly. Cohn wrote nine of the ten songs, save the traditional “Walk in Jerusalem” which opens the studio set and serves as an introductory showcase for the Blind Boys.

“Work To Do” speaks of failings with hope and poise, highlighting what a fine craftsman Cohn is. The live set takes off on “Ghost Train,” Cohn at the piano ruminating as the Blind Boys snap their fingers. All involved then dig in. Between “Listening to Levon” and “Silver Thunderbird,” echoes of The Band, Billy Joel, and Springsteen resound, but all Cohn’s songs here rate a ten for originality and execution. His one big hit, “Walking in Memphis,” sounds its most wonderful ever here with the Blind Boys chiming in. Hopefully, their work is not done. Certainly the soul album of the year.

—Tom Clarke