Leroy Jones' Fond Memories of the Fairview & Hurricane Band

One of the pleasures for this writer at this year’s French Quarter Festival was to see and hear Leroy Jones and the Original Hurricane Brass Band. What was notable was they played more of a traditional Brass Band repertoire and what was notable was their clean intonation as well as the performance eschewed the funky style of most contemporary New Orleans Brass Band. But to hear a band that handles some of the traditional repertoire in the manner of the legendary bands like the Inward, Eureka, Olympia, Excelsior and Doc Paulin’s Band was a true delight, not to mention Jones own playing along with the others including trombonist Freddie Lonzo.

Back in 2005 Jones issued on his own label New Orleans Brass Band Music: Memories of the Fairview & Hurricane Band. In his notes he mentions his fond memories of the Fairview and Hurricane Brass bands. The former was under the leadership of Reverend Andrew Darby, pastor of the Fairview Baptist Church as well as church member and New Orleans legend, Danny Barker. Later the Hurricane Band came into existence and some of its members would form the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Anyway, Jones put together this recording to evoke the older bands with a fresh twist and flavor. He did the arrangements on familiar numbers and assembled a band that included Calvin Klein on trombone, Alonzo Bowens on tenor saxophone and clarinet; Ron Espino on sousaphone; Kerry ‘Fat Man’ Hunter on snare drum and Cayetano “Tanio’ Hingle on bass drum. On one selection, Jones wife, Katja Toivola handles the trombone solo.

This is a delightful recording which exhibits the same swinging grooves and clean, but spirited ensembles and solos that were exhibited at the festival. Most of the performances will be familiar from the opening Lily of the Valley, the slow drag tempo used for Just a Little Walk With You, the peppy Lord, Lord, Lord, Muskrat Ramble, and South Rampart Street Parade. They standard out with the relaxation in the performances and the lack of frenzy. Dixieland favorites like When the Saints Go Marching In and Back Home In Indiana, also share these virtues as the two drummers set forth the rhythm and then the band kicks in. Furthermore, all three horns are excellent soloists. I was most familiar with Jones playing on a variety of sources but Bowens saxophone also constantly impressed while Espino also proves his capabilities on the cumbersome sousaphone on Indiana.

This is available from the Louisiana Music factory, www.louisianamusicfactory.com. Leroy Jones own website is http://www.satchmo.com/leroyjones/main.html.

I purchased this CD. Here is part of their French Quarter Festival performance.

One Has To Love Lillan Boutté at the French Quarter Festival

Some years back, I came across an album The Jazz Book (Enja) by a New Orleans vocalist I was previously not familiar with, Lillian Boutté. I confess that the presence of Dr. John was a factor influencing my purchase. Then I discovered the presence of New Orleans legends Edward Frank on piano and Lloyd Lambert on bass with Leroy Jones on trumpet.

Then putting it on my cd player and hearing her launch into Billie Holiday’s “Now Baby Or Never” and sings associated with Dinah Washington, Bessie Smith and Patti Page. On a recording of superb singing, the highpoint was her reworking of “Tennessee Waltz,” with a New Orleans R&B style arrangement. What a terrific performance and it lead me to purchase an ensuing recording with many of the same personnel, But Beautiful, as well as the music of her baby brother John and niece, Tricia “Sister Teedy” Boutté.

I have had the pleasure of seeing John perform a number of times and Tricia a couple of times, but I finally had a chance to see Lillian perform at this year’s French Quarter Festival. Someone mentioned to me that April is about the only time once can see her in New Orleans as opposed to Europe where she has become quite the attraction. I was glad I finally had the change to see her perform, and with a quartet that included the great New Orleans guitarist, Detroit Brooks. The icing on the cake was that she opened with a stunning rendition of Tennessee Waltz. Her set was storming enough for me to go to The Bombay Club that night and catch her opening set that evening.

Lillian Boutté’s recordings may be hard to find, but try the Louisiana Music Factory.In addition to her back catalog, they were selling Lillian Boutté Sings Louis Armstrong, a marvelous EP that is excerpted from her CD, You Got To Love Pops. I simply state, you got to love Lillian Boutté.