Ruthie Foster Let it Burn

Ruthie Foster is one of the signature voices today. I really enjoyed her performance at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival and her latest album Let it Burn (Blue Corn Music) is a gem. 

Recorded in New Orleans with George Porter, Jr., and Russell Batiste amongst others it has some terrific material as well as performances. There are several wonderful collaborations with the Blind Boys of Alabama including Lord Remember Me that are chilling. They back her on her rendition of Steven Stills' A Long Time Coming that make these four decades old lyrics come across as contemporary. The riff from Miles Davis' All Blues (laid down by organist Ike Stubblefield) is incorporated into the arrangement of  William Bell You Don't Miss Your Water that is a soulful duet by Foster and Bell. James Rivers is outstanding on tenor sax here. I enjoyed her interpretation of the Johnny Cash hit Ring of Fire, as a ballad (I also recommend folks check out the classic rendition by deep soul legend, James Carr). One last track to mention is the classic from The Band, It Makes No Difference, that Ruthie places her stamp on. 

Simply a marvelous recording.

Ruthie Foster at the 2013 Pennsylvania Blues Festival

This was a purchase.

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.