A . D V B . R L Z

Artist: Ben Harper
DVD.Title: Live aux Eurock ennes 2008

Label.

Duration: Approx. 98 mins
Source: VIRGIN 17
Aspect.ratio: 16:9
Region: 0

Genre: Music / Rock

Rlz.Date: Jul-13-2008
Show.Date: Jul-05-2008

Packaging: 84 x 50

MD5.Checksum: 521C5D823AE9F92894815887C169F257

Region.Code: Free
Disc.Format: DVD-5
Audio: 2ch

BIO

Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and
folky handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben
Harper enjoyed cult status during the course of the
'90s before gaining wider attention toward the
decade's end. As a young artist, Harper combined
elements of classic singer/songwriters, blues
revivalists, Jimi Hendrix, and such '90s jam bands
as Blues Traveler and Phish, which meant that he
was embraced by critics and college kids alike.
Despite the commercial success of the radio single
Steal My Kisses" in 2000, Harper continued to
explore different musical textures into the 21st
century, enjoying a solid fanbase at home and a
considerable amount of fame in Europe, where was
named 2003's "Artist of the Year" by the French
branch of Rolling Stone.

A native of California, Harper grew up listening to
blues, folk, soul, R&B, and reggae. He started
playing guitar as a child, and began to perform
regularly as a preteen. During his adolescence, he
turned toward acoustic slide guitar, which would
eventually become his signature instrument. Harper
scored a deal with Virgin Records in 1992 after a
steady schedule of shows in the L.A. area; two
years later, he released his debut album, Welcome
to the Cruel World, to positive reviews.

Released in 1995, the politically heavy Fight for
Your Mind made for a strong sophomore effort, an
obvious growth in musical experimentation and
individual declamation. It was also the
songwriter's first record to later reach gold
status. Harper's third album, 1997's The Will to
Live, pushed his blues-oriented alternative folk
into the middle mainstream, becoming a mainstay at
college radio and making inroads at adult
alternative radio. Recorded over two years of
touring in support of Fight for Your Mind, The Will
to Live also introduced the Innocent Criminals,
Harper's supporting band. The Innocent Criminals
bassist Juan Nelson, drummer Dean Butterworth, and
percussionist David Leach -- helped solidify
Harper's musical rhythms and emotional diversity.

Harper's career gained momentum during 1998 and
1999. One of his most successful albums to date,
1999's Burn to Shine blended his fondness of '20s
jazz compositions and urban beatboxing, resulting
in a clever and passionate collection of songs.
"Steal My Kisses" and "Suzie Blue" were radio
favorites, landing him two headlining world tours
and an opening spot on the Dave Matthews Band's
summer trek of 2000. In spring 2001, Harper issüd
Live from Mars, a double disc of live electric and
acoustic material spanning the previous year's tour
and including covers of material by Led Zeppelin,
the Verve, and Marvin Gaye.

When it came to recording his fifth studio effort,
Harper went back to the drawing board. He'd circled
the world countless times and, naturally, he
brashly sang about it on the worldbeat-inspired
Diamonds on the Inside, which appeared in March
2003. After a European tour with the Blind Boys of
Alabama in 2004, the two acts entered the studio
together and laid down ten tracks in two different
sessions at Capitol Records' basement studios. The
resulting collaborative album (issüd under the
names of both Harper and the Blind Boys of
Alabama), There WiIl Be a Light, was released in
September 2004, followed by the concert CD/DVD
package Live at the Apollo in 2005. Eager to
release more material, Harper returned to work with
The Innocent Criminals and issüd the double album
Both Sides of the Gun March 2006. The album reached
number seven on the Billboard album charts and rose
to number one in Australia. While touring in
support of the record, Harper and company began
playing a new slew of songs during their evening
soundchecks, eventually decamping to Paris and
recording the material within one week. The
resulting products, Lifeline and Live at Twist and
Shout Records, were issüd in 2007.

Jah Work
Please Bleed
Forgiven
Diamonds On The Inside
Excuse Me
Morning Yearning
Fool For a Lonesome Train
Whipping Boy
Ground On Down
Amen Omen
With My Own Two Hands
Better Way

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Official.Url: http://www.ben-harper.com

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