The Blind Boys of Alabama began singing together in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama. All the original members of the band have passed away, but the group survives with three singers and a backing band featuring guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. I have been listening to their music for years, but I finally attended a BBA concert Thursday evening at the SPACE nightclub in Evanston.
The group's music consists of gospel, R&B, and blues, but mostly gospel. And all of it centers on praise for God. But you do not have to be a believer to appreciate the joy this group brings to their music. The show's energy increased as the evening wore on, improving with each song. They included several songs from their most recent studio album, "Echoes of the South", including "Send it on Down", "Friendship", and "Work Until My Days Are Done". But they drew on many older songs from their catalog, such as "Wade in the Water" (a beautiful a capella version), "Nobody's Fault", and "Uncloudy Day." They borrowed from popular music, providing their gospel-tinged interpretaion of Tom Waits's "Way Down in the Hole" and Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky". Highlights included "Amazing Grace", sung to the tune of "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Praying Time" to the tune of Ray Charles's "Crying Time".
Each singer showed great range individually, but they were at their best when combining their voices into tight harmonies. They joked with the audience, claiming they were "watching TV" and that they could see a cousin in the audience, despite each of the trio lacking the sense of sight.
I was surprised to see the group return to the stage for an encore, given that their manager had to lead them back. But they finished with a rousing version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", which brought the sold-out crowd to its feet.
The Blind Boys brought joy to their music tonight and projected that joy onto the audience.