Benny Turner & Cash McCall - Going Back Home

Benny Turner & Cash McCall - Going Back Home - Nola Blue Records

After the death of Clay 'Clady C' Graham of the gospel group The Pilgrim Jubilees, Benny Turner texted Sallie Bengtson, Nola Blue Records President to find Cash Mccall. McCall was found in Memphis but not doing well and needing support. The contact led the two veterans of Chicago's blues scene to the recording session producing "Going Back Home." Turner and his bass and vocals, along with McCall on rhythm guitar and vocals, are joined by a variety of studio players including Raishene Webb, and Joe Krown on keyboards, Butch Mudbone on guitar, Billy Branch and Johnny Sansome on harmonica, and Rodd Bland on drums. 

These are solidly performed songs (9 covers and one original) as one might expect from the personnel and Benny Turner's production skills. The vocals are pleasant, if not compelling, with McCall overshadowed by his performances from decades past when he had some hit recordings, did session work as a guitarist for Chess and other labels and spent a year and a half touring with Minnie Riperton. His blues recordings in the intervening years also had a vocal range reflecting his gospel roots.

One should not get an idea that these are poor performances. Turner does a solid job in reviving Harold Burrage's "Got to Find a Way" on which McCall played on as well as a wry treatment of Willie Mabon's hit "Poison Ivy," a driving rendition of Elmore James' "Shake Your Money Maker," as well as a rollicking interpretation of G.L. Crockett's "There's a Man Down There." 

McCall had a close connection with Willie Dixon, but adds little to the cover of "Spoonful." Much better is his humorous, talking blues original, "Money." Billy Branch's harmonica and Mudbone's slide guitar contributes to an enjoyable "It Hurts Me Too," with Turner on backing vocal. This Tampa Red song is wrongly credited to Elmore James. There is an entertaining, bawdy "The Dirty Dozens" taken from his days playing with pianist Little Johnnie Jones.

Billy Branch handles the vocal (and harmonica) on a Sonny Boy Williamson cover, "Bring It On Home," that takes this recording home with Turner and McCall in supporting roles. This track closes an enjoyable, although not compelling, Chicago blues recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared originally in the May/June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384). Here is a video of the two talking about this recording

Some Choices For JazzFest's Second Weekend

Esperanza Spalding

I am not attending JazzFest this year, having opted for the French Quarter Festival. However looking at the schedule on nojazzfest.com, I have made some suggestions of acts that I recommend for the second weekend. I generally stay away from major label, national touring acts in this list.

Little Freddie King

On Thursday May 3, some blues worth catching in the Blues Tent include Kipori ‘Baby Wolf’ Wood; J’Monique’d and Little Freddie King. James Cotton closes the Blues Tent that day. I saw Mia Borders for the first time at the French Quarter Fest and was quite impressed that I bought a CD by her. She is on the Gentilly Stage where she will be followed by legendary bassist George Porter, Jr. & the Runnin’ Pardners. The Congo Square Stage has The Stooges Brass Band followed by Henry Butler. Grammy® Award winner Esperanza Spalding:Radio Music Society closes that stage. On the Fais Do Do Stage one can here the Savoy Family Cajun Band, and Rosie Ledet are featured along with Ani DeFranco. The WWOZ Jazz tent features the marvelous Dutch pianist-composer Amina Figarova Septet along with Regina Carter while the Economy Hall Tent has the vivacious Banu Gibson and trumpeter Kid Chocolate. The iconic and influential Dirty Dozen Brass Band perform on the Acura Stage.

Germaine Bazzle

Some suggestions for Friday May 4 in the Blues Tent include a couple of Bourbon Street favorites, Bryan Lee and Big Al Carson. Others in the tent this day include Reggie Hall, Wanda Rouzan and Deacon John. I saw the latter two at the French Quarter Festival and loved Wanda’s survey of New Orleans music while Deacon John did not get into his blues thing till his set was nearly over. Be curious if he displays more of a blues focus in the tent. On the Gentilly Stage one can see local favoriteTheresa Andersson as well as the Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela et C.U.B.A.. New Orleans vocalists Phillip Manuel and Germaine Bazzle along with Terri Carrington Lynne’s Mosaic are in the WWOZ Jazz Tent, while in Economy Hall Tent the reliable Connie Jones opens things up. Closing this stage will be Wycliffe Gordon Quintet’s "Hello Pops: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong." A younger, traditionally oriented cajun band, Feufollet, Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band and Lil Nathan & the Zydeco BigTimers will have the folks at the Fais Do Do Stage dancing. The legendary Mavis Staples is in the Gospel Tent.

John Boutté

Saturday May 5 suggestions start with Guitar Slim, Jr; Mac Arnold; and the Joe Krown, Wolfman Washington & Russell Batiste Trio in the Blues Tent. Incidentally Dr. John will guest with the Warren Haynes Band to close this stage this day. Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas are on the Acura Stage while Big Sam’s Funky Nation is on the Congo Square Stage. One of my favorite singers anywhere is John Boutté, and this is the day of his appearance in the WWOZ Jazz tent which will close with the genius of Herbie Hancock. Young Tuxedo Jazz Band; the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Louis Jones will be in the Economy Hall Tent while the great lineup at the Fais Do Do Stage includes cajun veteran Belton Richard; Jeffrey Broussard & the Creole Cowboys and Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers. On the Jazz and Heritage Stage on can see the Original Pin Stripe Brass Band along with the New Birth Brass Band. Aaron Neville does his annual gospel performance in Gospel Tent.

Keith Frank

On the closing day, Sunday May 6, Kermit Ruffins and the Funky Meters are on the Gentilly Stage on which the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (likely with special guests) replace the disbanded Radiators to close the festival on this stage. Mem Shannon and Rebirth Brass band are on the Congo Square Stage while Orange Kellin and George French are in Economy Hall Tent which closes with Ruby Wilson’s tribute to Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. In the WWOZ Jazz tent, there will be a Living Tribute to Harold Battiste as Jazz ambassador (and legendary A&R man and teacher). Harold Battiste gets a heartfelt “thank you” from New Orleans jazz greats Jesse McBride, Ellis Marsalis and Germaine Bazzle. David Sanborn appears with organist Joey DeFrancesco. On the Fais Do Do Stage will be the Red Stick Ramblers, and Keith Frank. Asleep At The Wheel also is on this stage. On the Jazz and Heritage Stage will have Los Hombres Calientes feat. Bill Summers and Irvin Mayfield along with a performance by Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias. In the Gospel tent will be the Boutté Family Sunday Praise with John, Lillian, Tricia, Lorna, Tanya, and Arséne. Tom McDermott and Friends will be on the Lagniappe Stage followed by Ed Volker, formerly of The Radiators. The main Acura Stage closes out, as is traditional, with The Neville Brothers.

There are my suggestions of musical performances that will undoubtedly include some performers outside of what you might normally see. I should mention, there are also fascinating interview-oral histories taking place throughout on the Allison Miner Stage. For those lucky enough to be there, I hope hope the weather cooperates and that you have a culinary as well well as musical feast at JazzFest


All photos copyright by Ron Weinstock

Amina Figarova

Some 2012 French Quarter Images

For 2012 I passed up on JazzFest and instead came to New Orleans a few weeks earlier for the 29th Annual French Quarter Festival. Like JazzFest, this is a multi-genre event. However it is staged throughout the French Quarter and on Riverfront Park as well. It is free and the performers are with a few exceptions (some traditional jazz artists from overseas) are from New orleans and Louisiana. So no touring acts but there are some impressive National touring acts including Trombone Shorty.

One could not expect better weather this past weekend. Sunny, a breeze and not particularly humid. One performer I had the pleasure to see twice was keyboardist Joe Krown. First I saw him in the trio with guitarist Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington and drummer Russell Batiste on the Abita Stage (perhaps the largest performance stage. The next day, he did a tribute to James Booker at irving Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel which was quite crowded for his performance. At the top of the page is a picture taken at the the James Booker tribute. Below is Wolfman Washington and Russell Batiste from their performance with Joe.

Some JazzFest recommendations for Day 1 Friday April 29

Corey Ledet

I will be heading down to New Orleans for the Annual Jazz & Heritage Festival for the first weekend. I will also be attending Lil’ Band O’ Gold’s Bobby Charles Tribute at the House of Blues’ Parish Room on Friday Night and WWOZ Piano Night on Monday May 2. Of course this assumes no problems with my flight getting down there, etc. However, here are some recommendations of lesser known performers that you should think about seeing. I have avoided major touring acts like Jeff Beck, Robert Plant or Tom Jones or Wyclef Jean and also some of my favorites like the Joe Krown Trio and Irma Thomas.


For Day 1 here are several acts of note


11:15 at the Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do Do Stage - Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band. Ledet is among the more traditional of today’s zydeco acts, but certainly can lay down a hot two step or waltz. He can channel Clifton Chenier or John Delaphose, and do a zydeco take of an Elvis hit, Burning Love. He has a fine CD A Matter of Time as well as with Cedric Watson recorded the excellent Going Down to Lousiana.

Henry Gray

12:00 in the Blues Tent - Henry Gray & The Cats. Howling Wolf’s pianist for over a decade before he moved back south to Baton Rouge for the past four decades or so where he has mixed in his Big Maceo influenced piano style heard on recordings by Wolf, Jimmy Rogers and others with a healthy dose of Louisiana Swamp Blues exemplified by his Cold Chills. He has never received the acclaim of a Pinetop Perkins, but in my mind he is Pinetop’s equal and a better singer. His annual JazzFest appearance is always a treat.


12:15 in the WWOZ Jazz Tent - Derek Douget. If Derek had moved out of New Orleans, he is a saxophonist people would be talking about. I have seen him play with the marvelous trumpeter Maurice Brown as well as with Irwin Mayfield’s NYNO. He has a terrific CD, Perpetual Motion, as well as appeared to numerous cds including those by Adonis Rose, Leah Chase, Maurice Brown and Ellis Marsalis (He is the saxophonist on An Open Letter to Thelonious).

Derek Douget

1:30 in the WWOZ Jazz Tent - Germaine Bazzle. . What can one add to New Orleans jazz Diva, a singer of exquisite tone, taste and nuance. Always has some of Crescent City’s best musicians supporting her.

Germaine Bazzle

2:45 at the Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do Do Stage - Warren Storm - Willie Tee & Cypress. As a drummer, One probably cannot count the number of recordings Warren Storm played on (many Excello swamp blues classic) but he is also a great blues-eyed soul singer which can be heard when he anchors Lil’ Band ‘0 Gold. I am less familiar with Willie Tee Trahan, but the saxophonist and Storm hooked up in the 1980s playing bars throughout the Gulf Coast and recording some fine ‘swamp pop.’ Really looking forward to seeing them.

Warren Storm

4:00PM in the WWOZ Jazz Tent - Anat Cohen Quartet. She is becoming a perennial nominee for Best Clarinet Player in the Jazz Journalist Awards and the DownBeat Awards. Conversant with traditional swing, hard bop and world music, the Israeli born Anat will be also leading her Quartet on Saturday in the People’s Health Economy Hall Tent which might suggest two very different performances displaying two different sides of this remarkable msuician and composer.]


There are a few selections. Plenty of other great music including John Mooney, Donald Harrison, Jon Cleary, Los Hombres Caliente, Keb' Mo and the Golden Striker Trio featuring Ron Carter. 

Anat Cohen

New Orleans' Icon Grandpa Elliott's Sweet Street Blues

This review is several months old, but during the broadcast on NBC of the NFL season opener between the saints and the Vikings, at one point they showed Trombone Shorty and Grandpa Elliott jamming in the French Quarter. This review originally appeared in the May 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 324) and the review copy was provided by a publicist for the record label.



Playing for Change, according to its website (http://www.playingforchange.com), began a decade ago, the brainchild of Grammy-winning music producer and engineer Mark Johnson. Utilizing innovative mobile audio/video techniques, it records musicians outdoors in cities and townships worldwide. 


For ten years, Johnson and his team traveled the globe, with a single-minded passion to record little-known musicians for what would become Playing for Change - its name evoking the coins thrown to street musicians as well as the transformation their music inspires. They have had a documentary on public television try to bring peace and positive change through music. Through Timeless Media they have an arrangement with Concord Music Group to issue some of the music they document from South Africa to Santa Monica to New Orleans, in the case of their newest release by Grandpa Elliott “Sugar Sweet,” (Playing For Change).


In September, 2006, they came to New Orleans as that city was in the beginning of its recovery from Hurricane Katrina to find Grandpa Elliott. Grandpa Elliott is a fixture of the French Quarter scene, regularly seen singing and playing harmonica on the street at the corner of Royal and Toulouse. While much of what Playing For Change does brings the studio to the street, in this case they did a studio recording session with the Playing For Change Band in Spring 2009 which was led by Reggie McBride on bass and included musicians from around the world with the guitars of Louis Mhlanga andJason Tamba, the keyboards of Michael Thompson, the drums of Peter Bunetta and the djembe of Mohammad Alidu worth notting. There are also guest appearances from Keb’ ‘Mo, Joe Krown and Kirk Joseph.


Elliott has a wonderful voice as he sings a variety of mostly blues & R&B classics including Bobby Bland’s “Ain’t Nothing You Can Do,” Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do,” Little Milton’s “We Gonna Make It,” and Sam Cooke’s “Another Saturday Night.” While Bland sings the opening song as someone suffering heartbreak, Elliott’s warm, rich vocal, set against an Afro-Caribbean groove is reassuring in tone, which also falls into the mood of the lyric of “Share Your Love,” another song from the Bland songbook as well as his wonderful reading of “We’re Gonna Make It,” with a soulful country tinge and a nice harmonica solo that owes as much to jazz players as Little Walter. “Sugar Is Sweet,” is a Caribbean a slightly saccharine love song that gives this disc its title. 


There is a spirited live club recording of Buster Brown’s “Fannie Mae,” followed by a rendition of Charles Brown’s “Please Come Home For Christmas,” backed by Joe Krown on Wurlitzer piano and Kirk joseph on tuba that concludes this somewhat short (37 and a half minutes) but thoroughly engaging recording.