Mitch Woods A Tip of the Hats to Fats

Mitch Woods
A Tip of the Hats to Fats
Blind Pig

If one is already familiar with Mitch woods, then you will know what to expect with the live recording from the 2018 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Woods has been playing boogie-woogie and jump blues piano for decades and in the past couple of decades, has added a heavy dose of New Orleans R&B gumbo to his musical mix. He is a terrific pianist and a warm, natural singer who always brings a good-time party.

For this live recording, he had a band with Roger Lewis on baritone sax, Amadee Castenell and Brian 'Breeze' Cayolle on sax, John Fohl on guitar, Cornell Williams on bass, and Terence Higgins on drums. It is a tight band that captures the classic New Orleans sound on Woods' idiomatic original, "Solid Gold Cadillac," and his tribute to Professor Longhair, "Mojo Mambo." The last number is derived from Earl King's "Big Chief." The centerpiece of this lively set was three numbers associated with Fats Domino to whom the 2018 Festival was dedicated. Booting sax solos from Cayolle and Lewis enliven a relaxed "Blue Monday," and Lewis storms through his baritone sax solo on "Jambalaya." Then there is a terrific rendition of "Walking To New Orleans." The classic old Clarence Garlow recording, "Crawfishin'," is a rocking New Orleans flavored jump blues with a superb John Fohl guitar solo and more rousing baritone sax from Lewis, while "Rocket 88" becomes a storming boogie-woogie."

A closing rendition of the classic pop boogie-woogie number, "House of Blue Lights," puts a close to the party that Woods was leading at the Blues Tent that JazzFest day. Well recorded by Munck Music, this is another wonderfully performed Mitch Woods performance to add to his marvelous body of recordings.

I purchased this recording. Here is Mitch Woods doing a 2019 in-store appearance at the Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans to promote "A Tip of the Hats to Fats."

Dirty Dozen Brass Band What’s Going On

Dirty Dozen Brass Band
What’s Going On
Shout Factory

Like others from their home city of New Orleans, the members of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band have been greatly affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They recorded this new album with some friends which reinterprets the classic Marvin Gaye album on a recording that is very relevant in light of the catastrophic events of last year in which the band members, like so many, lost their homes, and so much more.

More than their homes, they were distressed about the loss of their communities and personal treasures; photo albums and mementos of their travels were all destroyed. “I’m not talking about clothes and shoes and material things, but family albums,” says Roger Lewis. “I have a 7-year old daughter. I had pictures of myself as a child, but I can’t share them with her because they were destroyed. All she’s really going to know is her dad as a 64-year-old man.”

The album opens with Chuck D rapping on the title track with a justified bitterness as the Dozen provides a sobering backing with Revert Andrews contributing a strong trombone solo. This is followed by a Betty Lavette take on "What’s Happening Brother" as she sings “Are things really getting better like the newspaper says ... I just don’t understand what’s going on in this land ... will the Tigers win the pennant, do they stand a chance ...” with the tenor sax reaching to the higher registers behind her. "Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky)," is taken at a medium tempo with a rather nice rendering of it before the tempo picks up as the members chant “Help Me Somebody,” with some nice spirited playing as the tune rides out. Some nice trumpet leads "Save the Children" which also includes some nice sax work including Roger Lewis’ baritone, and original member Kirk Joseph provides a foundation on the sousaphone and Jamie Mclean’s guitar brings African flavoring and rhythm. Ivan Neville guests on God Is Love, as Joseph and Lewis add the deep bottom behind his vocal as the brass punctuate the lyrics. G. Love raps the lyrics "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" with the Dozen providing a sharp funk groove before they get another groove going on "Right On," as Revert Andrews takes the lead on trombone prior to Kevin Harris’ tenor sax. The last instrumental, "Holy Holy," is rendered almost as a funeral dirge before they conclude with Guru rapping on "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," concluding a very thoughtful and moving recording.

A portion of the proceeds from this CD will be donated to the Tiptina’s Foundation, benefiting the musical community of New Orleans.

I am not sure if I received from Shout Factory or a publicist. This review originally appeared in the October 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 287). I made a couple minor corrections. Here the Dirty Dozen performs "What's Going On."

 

The Heavyweights Brass Band This City

The Heavyweights Brass Band
This City
Lulaworld Records

New Orleans Brass Bands has led to a world-wide resurgence of Brass Bands throughout the world. Some remain closer to the roots of their Crescent City inspiration than others. Toronto's Heavyweights bring there own personality to the New Orleans Brass Band sound but they honor their influences with this recording made in New Orleans. The Heavyweights are comprised of John Pittman - Trumpet; Chris Butcher - Trombone; Paul Metcalfe - Tenor Saxophone Tim Richards - Tuba, and Lowell Whitty - Drums with guests including guitarist Kevin Breit and legendary vocalist Jackie Richardson along with bass drum from Joe Lastie of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, baritone saxophone from Roger Lewis of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, trumpet from Ashlin Parker of the Ellis Marsalis Quartet, and vocals from Marla W#alters (Dixon) founder of the Shotgun Jazz Band.

Butcher contributed the opening "Hands Down Lo’," with Lastie on bass drum and Parker adding trumpet on a performance that would be at home on early recordings by the Dirty Dozen, and Rebirth Brass Bands. Also sounding like those modern New Orleans Brass Band is the rendition of  Paul Metcalfe's arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "Tell Me Something Good." Richard's "Two Foot Ticket" takes down the tempo and is as much a feature for Breit's bluesy guitar with the horns providing a background. The band's irresistible second line returns with "I've Got Time For You," that features a terrific barreling tuba solo and then searing trumpet from Pittman and saxophone from Metcalfe.

After a short solo baritone saxophone break from Roger Lewis ("Roger's Intro"), the Heavyweights join in for "Dance Out On the Corner," another number that will get the listeners feet moving with Lewis taking a baritone sax solo full of swagger and substance above the insistent groove Richards and Whitty lay down. Pittman and Metcalfe wail on this and Marla Dixon joins the band in their vocals here. Then there is another driving Brass Band number, "Rosco's Big Hit," with Ashlin Parker adding upper register trumpet fireworks.

The Heavyweights close with Steve Earle's homage to post-Katrina New Orleans, "This City," with Jackie Richardson singing "This City won't wash away. This City won't ever drown... ." It is a marvelous performance, even if sounds like something The Band might have recorded as opposed to the partying and street parade of a New Orleans Brass Band. Still there is plenty to party to as well as listen to on this high-spirited and energetic set of modern Brass Band music.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here The Heavyweights Brass Band perform "Just the Two of Us."

Dirty Dozen Asks What's Going On

With JazzFest having concluded this past weekend, it is worth looking back at an album the Dirty Dozen, one of the pioneering bands of the modern Brass Band scene issued after Hurricane Katrina with their interpretation of a classic Marvin Gaye album. This review originally appeared in the October 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 287). I purchased the CD.

Like others from their home city of New Orleans, the members of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band have been greatly affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. With some friends they have their new album, What’s Going On, (Shout Factory), which reinterprets the classic Marvin Gaye album on a recording that is very relevant in light of the catastrophic events of last year in which the band members, like so many, lost their homes, and so much more.

More than their homes, they were distressed about the loss of their communities and personal treasures; photo albums and mementos of their travels were all destroyed. “I’m not talking about clothes and shoes and material things, but family albums,” says Roger Lewis. “I have a 7-year-old daughter. I had pictures of myself as a child, but I can’t share them with her because they were destroyed. All she’s really going to know is her dad as a 64-year-old man.”

The album opens with Chuck D rapping on the title track with a justified bitterness as the Dozen provides a sobering backing with Revert Andrews contributing a strong trombone solo. This followed by Betty Lavette take on What’s Happening Brother as she sings “Are things really getting better like the newspaper says … I just don’t understand what’s going on in this land … will the Tigers win the pennant, do they stand a chance …” with the tenor sax reaching to the higher registers behind her. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky), is taken at a medium tempo with a rather nice rendering of it before the tempo picks up as the members chant “Help Me Somebody,” with some nice spirited playing as the tune rides out. Nice trumpet leads Save the Children which also includes some nice sax work including Roger Lewis’ baritone, original member Kirk Joseph provides a foundation on the sousaphone and Jamie Mclean’s guitar brings African flavoring and rhythm. Ivan Neville guests on God Is Love, as Joseph and Lewis add the deep bottom behind his vocal as the brass punctuate the lyrics. G. Love raps the lyrics Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) with the Dozen providing a sharp funk groove before the Dozen get a groove going on Right On, as Revert Andrews takes the lead on trombone prior to Kevin Harris’ tenor sax. The last instrumental, Wholy Holy, is rendered almost as a funeral dirge before they conclude with Guru rapping on Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), concluding a very thoughtful and moving recording.

A portion of the proceeds from this CD will be donated to the Tiptina’s Foundation, benefiting the musical community of New Orleans.