*GUEST REVIEW*
Best known as a blues man who's taken some side steps into African, Latin, Caribbean, and funk flavorings, Corey Harris goes into full-on reggae mode with Zion Crossroads. Apart from a brief kora interlude and "Plantation Town" (which reminds me of early Dire Straits), every track here rides a reggae groove. And Harris isn't pussyfooting; the grooves are damn good ones (not surprising, since Michael Goldwasser and Victor Axelrod from the Easy Star crew provide production and instrumental assistance). Some songs, like the opening "Ark of the Covenant," recall Jack Ruby-era Burning Spear with their potent keyboard and horn stabs and aggressive drums and bass. Others, such as the breezier "In the Morning" and "Keep Your Culture," skank with more of a Wailers-like bounce, while "Afrique (Chez Moi)" wouldn't sound out of place on an Alpha Blondy album. Harris further echoes the artistry of the greats by having Ranking Joe on board for some trademark "bong diddley bong" toasting and utilizing the same classic riddim that bedded such songs as Gregory Isaacs' "My Only Lover" for "You Never Know." Even so, he manages to sound fresh. His vocals are all his own, combining blues testifying with a soulful style that wraps around the reggae with sing-along cadences and focused intensity when needed. It takes skill for a non-reggae artist to make a great reggae album, but it can be done. Just ask Sinead O'Connor. But then, her reggae release was all cover versions. This one's all originals, and it's smashing.

- Tom Orr