Alvin Youngblood Hart

Alvin Youngblood Hart is an absolute master of Mississippi country blues, but this musician’s musician is much more than that. Guitar Player Magazine wrote that he “transcends labels and genres with his unique, soulful sound.”

The legendary Taj Mahal said of Hart, “he is that rare breed who brings cultural awareness and artistic expression into a vibrant, natural marriage. His skills as a multi-instrumentalist command attention. His grasp of the idioms, tone, humor, joy and breadth of the Afro-American acoustic music tradition is extraordinary. His music is pure pleasure and surprise.”

Like his mentor Taj Mahal, Hart sees the blues as a type of music that is more than a purely American genre; it is a global form that spans countries, genres, and centuries.He is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, a powerhouse of a player at home with both acoustic and electric guitars as well as banjo and mandolin. Hart remains one of the most exciting and important exponents of Delta blues in recent decades, with the chops and understanding to stay true to the form whilst rejuvenating and reinventing it.

We’ll leave the last word about Hart to Taj Mahal: “Boy got thunder in his hands!”

– EM