Electric Blue Watermelon (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Luther Dickinson (vocals, guitar); Chris Chew (vocals); Cody Dickinson (drums).

Additional personnel: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, East Memphis Slim, Jim Spake, Jim Mathus, Jimmy Davis , John Stubblefield, Al Kapone, Lucinda Williams, Othar Turner, R.L. Boyce, Robert Randolph , Rod Evans, Steve Selvidge, Susan Marshall, Ben Nichols, Jim Crosthwait, Mary Lindsay Dickinson.

Audio Mixers: Jim Dickinson; Pete Matthews.

Liner Note Author: Little Lorenzo.

Recording information: Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN; Sam Phillips Studio, Memphis, TN; Zebra Ranch, Independence, MS.

Animation: Tom Foster.

Photographers: Adam Smith; Jeff Kravitz; Bob Bayne; William Eggleston; Wyatt McSpadden; Jim Marshall ; Kevin Houston ; Sid Selvidge.

ELECTRIC BLUE WATERMELON furthers the notion that the North Mississippi Allstars have become something of a rolling history of 20th-century musical forms. Deeply rooted in Delta blues of the heavily rhythmic, modal variety pioneered by Charlie Patton (the band covers Patton's "Mississippi Bollweevil" here) and practiced by latter-century artists like R.L. Burnside, the Allstars spread their wings to encompass old-school rock & roll, country, electrified blues rock, '60s psychedelia, hip-hop, and a dash of alt-rock sensibility.

Typically uneasy musical partners go remarkably well together in the Allstars world. Even the deepest roots music (there are two Otha Turner compositions, originally written for fife and drums) and a nod to contemporary country (Dickinson's duet with Lucinda Williams on "Hurry Up Sunrise") make it into the mix, proving the Allstars to be one of the most versatile and wide-ranging bands around. minimize