Alabama 3 Acoustic and Unplugged - UK

Coming to WOMAD with the support of the British Council.

Alabama 3 Acoustic and Unplugged is a four-piece outfit consisting of Larry Love (vocals), Aurora Dawn (vocals), Rock Freebase (guitar), and Harpo Strangelove (harmonica).

With this line up they bring a whole new dimension to the songs made famous by Alabama 3. This isn’t acid house music, this is country/gospel/delta blues, but played with a rhythm you’ve still got to dance to.

With the addition of Aurora Dawn to the line up there’s an added injection of soul – or, as it says on the cover of the band’slatest album ‘Revolver Soul’ this is ‘soul music with a gun against your head’.

“The ghost of Mississippi Fred McDowell haunting the fingers of Rock Freebase on guitar, Larry Love’s larynx
looser than Howlin’ Wolf... and Harpo Strangelove’s harmonica cooking up a Sonny Terry vibe - welcome to the Delta Blues alive and kicking in 2008”

By performing in this stripped down acoustic way the band’s aim was to show the songs in a format reminiscent of the people that have been their inspiration, chiefly the old Delta Blues players like Fred MacDowell and Bukka White.

Rock Freebase: “I've developed a style of guitar, that combines elements of both MacDowell and White, with a hint of banjo picking, and tried to give it a more modern, urban twist.”

Review of Cambridge Folk Festival:

'While the full band has already conquered the main stage at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival, this year the unplugged band headlined the prestigious Cambridge Folk Festival to an amazing audience response. Gentle folk types were converted to the Alabama 3 unplugged with the same enthusiasm which the Glastonbury crowds have taken to the full band. Rock Freebase has consistently earned his position as a top Mississippi delta blues guitarist and, coupled with Larry’s poisonous vocals, Devlin Love’s sweet soul singing and Harpo Strangelove’s harmonica, it is no wonder they have been hailed as the best live band in the UK.'

'Blending techno, acid house and country, Alabama 3 has scored big across the Big Pond.

Their music has appeared in "The Sopranos" as the theme song and in the film "Gone in 60 Seconds."

They showed why at the concert.

With only a guitar, a harmonica and two voices, Alabama 3 captivated the audience with an intricate weave of harmonies, melodies and lyrics, which ranged from love and cheating to murder and social injustice.

Alabama 3 founder Larry Love's raspy, intense vocals were a perfect balance to the sweet yet fiery twang from Zoe Devlin.

Add in some flash roots guitar work from Mark Sams and harmonica from Nick Reynolds and you have some serious roots music taking hold.'

www.alabama3.co.uk

Watch a video on the official Alabama 3 website