Marcia Ball Shine Bright

Marcia Ball

Shine Bright
Alligator Records

It's been a 50 year run for Marcia Ball performing her mix of Gulf Coast blues and rhythm music and this is her seventh album for Alligator to go along 8 similar albums for Capitol, Antone's and Rounder. With her mix of a rollicking piano in the vein of Professor Longhair and Fats Domino and soulful singing influenced by the great Irma Thomas, she has been thrilling blues and roots audiences as a touring performer for nearly forty years. This latest recording was produced by Steve Berlin who adds baritone sax to many tracks with others heard here including guitarist Mike Schermer, organist Red Young, bassist Lee Allen Zeno and guitarist and accordionist Roddie Romero. Of course, Ball herself is at the center with her soul-laced singing and New Orleans-rooted boogie piano, as well as contributed nine originals to go with three interpretations of songs from other sources.

As to be expected there are plenty of hot grooves, rocking piano and searing guitar starting off with the title track and her fervent message of hope in these times and then followed by the second line funk of Ernie K-Doe's "I Got to Find Somebody" to love her right. Her piano captures on this the spirit of Allen Toussaint (who this album is dedicated to along with Fats Domino and Buckwheat Zydeco) and Eric Bernhardt's tenor sax solo is firming in the classic New Orleans tradition. There is more Crescent City fun on an original she wrote with Shelly King and Tim Cook, "When the Mardi Gras Is Over."

Gary Nicholson co-wrote, "They Don't Make 'Em Like That," with its complaint that the music of today doesn't hold up or is as lasting as the blues and country of yesteryear. Bernhardt shining. Mike Schermer co-wrote "Life of the Party," with its calypso groove along with Enrique Chi's fiery trumpet, followed by her heartfelt blues singing on Ray Charles' "What Would I Do." "Once in a Lifetime" is a soulful original where she advises the guys if it is really true love, make sure you treat her fine. Schermer takes a tightly constructed short solo. Then there is her heartfelt hope that we all come together on "World Full of Love," with just her piano, Young's organ and Schermer's acoustic guitar providing the effective, austere backing.

A boisterous zydeco-inspired rendition of Jesse Winchester's "Take a Little Louisiana," with Romero channeling Buckwheat Zydeco on accordion, is the finale of this Ball recording. This superb recording is full of first-rate material and splendidly sung and played music, that one has come to expect from Marcia Ball.

I received my review copy from Alligator Records. Here is a live studio session to promote "Shine Bright."

James Booker's Classified: Remixed And Expanded

James Carroll Booker, that genius of New Orleans piano tradition, passed some 30 years ago on November 8, 1983, several months after Rounder issued his final studio recording Classified. Rounder has just issued an expanded version Classified: Remixed And Expanded to celebrate the Thirtieth Anniversary of the original release of along with a documentary about Booker, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker. This new expanded Classified adds alternate takes and previously unissued recordings from the October 1982 sessions that produced the original LP.

Booker is a revered figure in the history of New Orleans music who incorporated the inventions of Professor Longhair into his repertoire that ranged from boogie blues, New Orleans R&B, jazz and classical. His legacy as a pianist, vocalist and songwriter shines even brighter three decades later. His influence is heard in such performers as Dr. John, Harry Connick Jr., Tom McDermott, John Boutté and Henry Butler. Booker played on a number of studio recordings in addition to ones he made under his own name (he is on keyboards on Freddie King’s Cotillion Recordings for example). In the booklet accompanying this reissue we get Scott Billington’s essay in addition to Bunny Matthews original 1983 notes. Billington’s essay provides this overview and cites a number of those who might be called Booker’s musical children.

To use a term associated with Duke Ellington, Booker was “Beyond Category.” The depth of his repertoire is suggested by the performances here including the opening signature title tune that opens this compilation which opens with some nice solo playing before joined by a small backing trio that included legendary tenor saxophonist, Alvin ‘Red’ Tyler. The contents of this include a Professor Longhair medley, two takes on Lloyd Price’s Lawdy Miss Clawdy (one of which is solo), Warsaw Concerto (which explains why he was sometimes called the Bronze Liberace and along with Madame X displays how accomplished he was a s pianist of classical music), a medley of Tico Tico / Papa Was a Rascal / So Swell When You're Well, (and this last number was one Aretha recorded), his solo piano reworking of Little Willie John’s Hit All Around the World, a manic vocal on King of the Road, the classic Art Neville ballad, All the Things You Are, and “Yes Sir, That's My Baby,” the one selection on which he plays the organ (with the sounding like he is playing a calliope for a carousel). This last track is one of the several with Red Tyler’s saxophone. Among these selections, a highlight is the Fats Domino flavored, One For the Highway, again with Red Tyler taking a choice tenor solo.

Thirty years after being originally released, Classified remains as a cornerstone of James Booker’s recorded legacy. His genius is well served by this well thought out and expanded reissue.

I received my review copy from Rounder Records. Here is a trailer for the film documentary, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker.

Take a Sentimental Journey With Fats Domino

The following is taken from the April 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 292) when I did a lengthy review of a number of releases on The German Blue Label (a subsidiary of SPV Gmbh). This is the first of a number of posts from that composite review. My review copies were supplied by the publication. This is still in print.

Of interest will be a double disc by the legendary Fats Domino titled Sentimental Journey. Recorded in 1987, Fats was accompanied by his working band for what is a solid live recording at the University of New Orleans as he revisits so many classics including I’m Gonna be a Big Wheel Someday, I’m Walking, Ain’t It a Shame, The Fat Man, Walking to New Orleans, Blueberry Hill, My Girl Josephine, Let the Four Winds Blow, I’m in Love Again and Professor Longhair’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans. 

 The band is in solid form and the Fat Man rocks and one gets to hear plenty of his piano in addition to his warm, ingratiating vocals. Unfortunately no band personnel are listed though there is plenty of fine sax, muted trumpet and guitar (featured with Fats on the closing instrumental rendition of Sentimental Journey). This is an enjoyable performance, although there is much live Domino available including a hot European concert with trumpeter Dave Bartholomew present and his Austin City Limits TV show (also available on DVD). 

Here is some Fats live.

Engaging CD Of Lesser Known Crescent City Piano Players

George Buck’s American Music label has issued an interesting compilation, Crescent City Piano Players, of three lesser known piano players associated with the City of New Orleans, Earl Roach, Duke Burrell and Louis Gallaud.

Roach was born in Maine but came to New Orleans at the early age. His nine selections open with the simple, firmly played instrumentals Blues and Boogie. There are a couple of simply delivered vocals as well as renditions of older songs Play Jack Carey and Bucket's Got a Hole In It. Plenty of charm by a player in an older style, as his stomping Whistling the Blues, would suggest.

Burrell is a bit better known to me as he was on a tour and record date with Louis Jordan shortly before Burrell passed away. He played on sessions in New Orleans in 1950 and 1953 backing other performers. A student of Burnell Santiago, Burrell incorporated a bunch of more modern influences in his piano style. He was a solid, sophisticated blues player, as his rendition of After Hours, as well as his Boogie Woogie indicates. Also of interest is his modernistic interpretation of the Duke Ellington classic, Caravan. On "Louisiana and Me," he displays a a definite charm as a vocalist. His repertoire was fairly wide and included the movie theme of Love Story and Indiana.

Pianist Louis Gallaud is heard on two vocals of very old pop numbers and was a simple,  functional pianist. His performances though are not up to the level of those by Roach and Burrell and ultimately serve as filler on an intriguing, and engaging, album of solo New Orleans piano.

I purchased my copy of this.

Josh Charles' New Orleans Inspired Musical Stew

Josh Charles was born in California, raised in Kansas City where he was trained in classical piano before the jazz bug hit him. After High school, Josh Charles moved to New York, where he went to study at the Manhattan School of Music and studied with the legendary Barry Harris. He would play all around the city at any bar with a piano, and discovered Tramps, the legendary New York City club which brought in many giants of classic rhythm and blues, and which brought in many of the great New Orleans artists. Josh honed his craft by listening and learning from the masters of the New Orleans sound and mentored by Crescent City transplant, Dr. John. In August 2005, he was in New Orleans readying to move in as well as record down there. But fate in the form of Hurricane Katrina intervened and he was on one of the last buses out.

In 2009 he recorded a single Healing Time, which provided a small window into the struggle of what the citizens of New Orleans have felt since Katrina. All the proceeds from the success of Healing Time have gone back into the community in the city he loves toward rebuilding the city. Healing Time is included in his just issued album, Love Work & Money (CC Entertainment/El Records). It has him with members of Dr. John’s Band as well as his own touring band and was recorded in New Orleans as well as New York. With the exception of a cover of Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder The Come, Charles wrote or co-wrote the nine originals here.

Listening to this I am tempted to burden Charles by describing him as a blue-eyed Allen Toussaint. I do not mean that Charles is a Toussaint imitator, but his vocals, piano and the general feel of the material is suggestive of the New Orleans legend, in the nature of his songwriting, use of vocal chorus backing and the general groove. Given how Toussaint’s productions shaped much of what we think as New Orleans music over the past five decades the fact that Charles’ soulful efforts here sound like they could have been all recorded in New Orleans shouldn’t be surprising given how he immersed himself in New Orleans grooves in New York. I think Toussaint would be proud of Charles with the opening, The Waiting Game, a nice piece of funk as Charles sings about waiting for the phone call or a train or a check to clear as well as the title track with its churchy piano opening before delivering a message about how love work and money makes the world go round and what brings one up can bring one down. 


Jimmy Cliff’s classic The Harder They Come, is a nice change of pace with its caribbean groove. Pickin’ Up the Pieces, opens with a classic Crescent City piano riffs, before Charles takes us with a piece of bluesy soul with perhaps more of a tint of Memphis than New Orleans. The afore-mentioned Healing Time, is included and one can understand why this remarkable song about coping with the hard times has been so well received. Other songs such as Stars, and the closing Just a Man, further display Charles strengths as a songwriter of soulful songs and a solid, genuine singer. This is an impressive release and this writer certainly hopes he can see him live.



This review appear originally in the May 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 325). My review copy was provided by a publicist.

James Booker's Unpredictable Keyboard Magic

The late James Carroll Booker III was one of the most unique and brilliant of the New Orleans pianists, recording on Imperial as a young teenager, later recording an organ instrumental, Gonzo, named after a character in a movie about drugs that became a minor hit, and doing hundreds of recording sessions including New Orleans R&B dates, and with artists as diverse as Ringo Starr, the Doobie Brothers and Freddie King. Plagued by personal demons, perhaps arising from a lifelong battle with drugs and alcohol (which he attributed to a prescription he was given after being hit by ambulance in his youth), his behavior was often erratic and his music could be extremely extroverted or painfully withdrawn inward. A child prodigy, he played Chopin as a child, and was drawn to the music of Errol Garner and Liberace. As indicated he played on countless sessions, although made few recordings under his own name. Like his moods, his playing could be inconsistent. While it was usually marvelous, he could ramble on, noodling. The various nicknames he had, Little Booker, Gonzo, Junco Partner, the Bronze Chopin or the Black Liberace, may give you an idea of what to expect. Rounder has added, to the few albums issued under his name, two new albums drawn from over 60 hours of live recordings of Booker playing the upright piano at New Orleans’ Maple Leaf Bar, perhaps his steadiest gig. These provide a fascinating glimpse at one of major piano stylists of recent pop music idioms. Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah and Spiders on the Keys present slightly different perspectives on Booker’s art. Resurrection is comprised primarily of medleys of vocals along with his pounding boogie accompaniment while Spiders is an instrumental album. There is some overlap in the material. Tico Tico and Papa Was a Rascal can be heard on both, although in different forms. The latter tune is pure Booker, as he reworks the melody of St. Louis Blues. The vocal version contains outrageous lyrics including a warning to watch out for the CIA. Booker’s singing is also outrageous, suggestive somewhat of Professor Longhair, and may be an acquired taste. His song medleys often feature changes in tempo and mood. Many of the songs on Resurrection have some connection with New Orleans R&B, such as All By Myself, Lawdy Miss Clawdy and Junco Partner. His use of cross rhythms is reminiscent of Professor Longhair, although his piano playing is more ornate. Booker’s originality will be evident from listening to these. Furthermore, he could play songs very differently at different times. The version of Junco Partner, is quite different from a previous recording of his I had heard. And then he could follow that with Chopin. His versatility, and command was uncanny, leading to the admiration of many including Harry Connick, Jr.. Spiders is all piano and, includes interpretations of pop tunes, including Eleanor Rigby and the unlikely choice of A Taste of Honey. Particularly nice is Gonzo’s Blue Dream, which suggests Professor Longhair’s Tipitina. His solos have some disassembly of the melodies, but his style primarily is one of embellishing the melody. In any event, these two CDs make for fascinating listening, and both have been frequent visitors to my compact disc player. Its been some time since James Booker left this plane of existence. The review appeared in slightly different form in the December 1993 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 187) and these recordings are still available.