Ben Harper's curious Kiwi connection

By STEPHEN JEWELL

The first thing you notice when Ben Harper walks through the door of his Auckland hotel are the striking Maori tattoos that adorn his arms.

Harper's tattoos, which were done by leading tattooist Gordon Hatfield, are an indication of the close affinity that the California-based musician has with this country.

His six albums have sold prolifically here and his frequent concert tours have invariably seen Harper performing to full houses (his show in Auckland last night sold out and tonight's is likely to do the same).

And Harper's fifth studio album, Diamonds On The Inside, debuted at No 2 in the New Zealand charts last week.

However, Harper warily refuses to explain why he commands such a loyal Kiwi following.

"I don't want to know why because then the mystery wouldn't be a mystery," he says. "The truest spirits lie in the mystery, so I leave it alone. I'm just thankful that it is what it is.

"This country has exposed itself to me in a way that no one or nowhere else in the world has. It's something extraordinary for me. It's like a consciousness. It's in the wind, it's in the water, it's in the rhythm of life. It just fits in with who I am as a human being.

"So to say, 'It's good to be back', doesn't even scratch the surface. It's like coming home."

Diamonds On The Inside has been rated by many critics as Harper's best effort to date, and while reluctant to blow his own trumpet, the artist cannot help but agree.

"I feel that this record solidifies the others, and in its cohesive diversity somehow defines the others in their diversity," says Harper. "It's like a definitive record in that it shows how and why I've been doing what I'm doing and how it's all led up to this record.

"This record to me symbolises the largest step forward in progress and maturity. But I don't want to hear an artist wax about what he did ... like I don't necessarily want to hear Picasso talk about how he went through his Blue Period. Just do it."

Harper is more at home talking about how he came to work with South African choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who collaborated on the album track Picture of Jesus.

"It was a dream of mine to work with them, just as it was a dream of mine to work with many of my influences and heroes from older generations, like the Blind Boys of Alabama and John Lee Hooker," says Harper.

"Again, it was this fantasy of mine that I put into action, and it worked. They were in town and the timing was right. The song was one take from beginning to end."

Harper is joined on tour by newcomer Jack Johnson, whose debut album Brushfire Fairytales has been entrenched in the New Zealand top 10 over the past six months.

"Jack and I have been friends for about five years," says Harper. "He's been coming to my shows for a long time and finally he passed me a tape of his.

"I was blown away, as was my manager, J.P. Pluiner, who also works in production with me. He produced Brushfire Fairytales and got me to play on it."

Those attending his concerts can be assured that Harper won't be sitting down on the job, at least not all the time.

"People can expect me to be standing up as well as sitting down now," says Harper. "I've sat down because the first guys I saw play, who influenced me and pushed me to want to make music, were the old Delta blues players. There's this old footage that exists, like homespun videotapes, where they're all sitting, so I emulated them and it just took on its own style.

"But now I'm doing both, standing and sitting. And people can expect to hear songs from the new album as well as songs from past records.

"I've got a new, extended band - a six-piece instead of a four-piece - so expect to see six guys up on stage having a really good time."

* Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, North Shore Events Centre tonight.