Rebecca Hennessy’s FOG Brass Band Two Calls

Rebecca Hennessy’s FOG Brass Band
Two Calls
Self-Produced

Toronto-based trumpeter and composer Rebecca Hennessy is represented by her first full length recording, Hennessy is the musical director of the Massey Hall Women’s Blues Review and as a staple in several modern jazz outfits in Toronto. Here she leads a brass heavy ensemble comprised of a front line of Hennessy on trumpet, flugelhorn, peck horn & baritone horn; Tom Richards on trombone; and Jay Burr on tuba with Tania Gill on piano; Don Scott on guitar and Nico Dann on drums & triangle. Her influences include New Orleans brass bands, Balkan folk music, country blues and high-energy jazz-rock which she brings together on her compositions here which reflect her love of the natural world where four compositions being fishing songs, where two (including the title track) are inspired by bird songs. There is also a tribute to the great trumpeter Booker Little who died so young.

The opening "Red Herring" is one of the fishing songs with an initial groove that might suggest a rush hour commute before Richards takes a trombone solo set against Dann's marvelous drums before Hennessy herself solos followed by some jazz-rock guitar.  In contrast to the almost manic feel of the opening track, "Horn Lake" projects a tranquility with its chamber brass opening followed by a stately piano interlude and a lovely trumpet solo with the ensemble entering and generating a bit of intensity. It is a performance that displays her compositional and organizational talents as well as her marvelous musicianship. "Lagoon" is another composition and performance having a languid feel. 

The title track is a composition built on a riff derived from actual bird calls with engaging solos from Richards and Gill. "Snag," another fishing inspired number, is a playful performance set against a New Orleans second-line groove with Richards playing in a blustery, tailgate-style as Scott's guitar backing provides counterpoint. An Afro-Caribbean groove helps enliven "Bird Calls" with Hennessy judiciously using slurs followed by some more barreling brusque tailgate sounding trombone from Richards. The disc closes with the lovely "Mutterings," a tribute to the singer, Mary Margaret O’Hara, with Gill spotlighted, and the somber "Why Are You So Sad Booker Little," a lovely sober tune and performance, but somewhat removed from the fire that Little brought as a composer and musician (think of Little's composition "Bee Vamp" with Dolphy at the Five Spot).

Brass Band in the name of Rebecca Hennessy's ensemble might mislead those expecting a contemporary band in the vein of the contemporary New Orleans scene or similar aggregations. Ms. Hennessy shines as a composer and soloist, and the FOG Brass Band is an outstanding ensemble. While there has been focus on contributions of the soloists here, one cannot ignore the brass bass provided by of Jay Burr as well as with Dann's drumming. "Two Calls" is a strongly recommended, and thoroughly engrossing recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This can be purchased at bandcamp along with other outlets, https://fogbrassband.bandcamp.com/album/two-calls. Here is Rebecca Hennessy’s FOG Brass Band in performance.

Thomas Jefferson With His New Orleans Creole Jazz Band

New Orleans trumpeter, Thomas Jefferson, was best known as a leader of traditional jazz bands. The Chicago native came to the Crescent City early in his life. In the 1930s he led a band that included vocalist Smiley Lewis and pianist Tuts Washington, both individuals who were legendary figures in New Orleans music in the fifties and sixties. Jefferson is more obscure, but a release on George Buck's GHB label, With The New Orleans Creole Jazz Band 1961 provides us a glimpse of his music.

This disc was originally issued on the Southland label and brings together two sessions. One session had Jefferson with a small group led by drummer Monk Hazel that also included Armand Hug on piano, Sherwood Manglapane on bass and whistling and Joe Caprano on guitar. The other session was with Jefferson's band that included Sam Dutrey on clarinet, Waldren 'Frog' Joseph (Kirk's father) on trombone, Lester Santiago on piano, Gerry Adams on bass and Paul Barbarin on drums. 

Listening to Jefferson's trumpet, vocal and repertoire it is apparent that Jefferson was under the influence of Louis Armstrong. He is a melodic trumpeter and singer whose music has a genial quality that is very easy to listen to as evident on the opening In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree. Caprano is wonderful with his single note backing to the vocal on Breeze. The traditional Back O'Town Blues, is a nice mix of gut bucket and sophistication with Jefferson's low-key vocal with excellent backing (Caprano's playing under the vocal is again marvelous).

The session with his Creole Jazz Band has a different feel with its three horn front line. Blues From Yesterday opens as Frog Joseph and Santiago accompany his vocal. It is followed by a cleanly played version of Dippermouth Blues. Other songs at this session include swing staples If I Could Be With You, and "Rose Room," as well as another staple of New Orleans jazz Basin Street Blues. The vocalist on the band's cover of Billie Holiday's Fine and Mellow, is not identified but does a nice take with Jefferson adding nice trumpet behind her vocal. The spirited Mardi Gras Parade closes this extremely entertaining album of swinging New Orleans jazz.

I purchased this CD.

Kid Chocolate Has His Take On Louis Armstrong's Music

It was at 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival that I first saw Kid Chocolate (real name Leon Brown) when he sung as part of the Marsalis Music Honors tribute to drummer, bandleader and teacher, Bob French. At the time, he was limited to singing as he had lost his trumpet chops due to illness. Thankfully the chops have restored and he has been able to resume playing trumpet under the name that Bob French gave him in 2000. Kid Chocolate has played with countless folks, including recently overseas with clarinetist Michael White, while establishing a reputation in New Orleans.

With a quartet that includes pianist Thaddeus Richard, bassist Richard Moten and drummer Ricky Sebastian, Kid Chocolate has produced and issued a recording, My Take (Funkin Horns Records), that pays homage the great Louis Armstrong as he provides his own renditions of a number of classic songs associated with New Orleans most beloved son. From the opening moments of Wild Man Blues, Kid Chocolate leads to the closing notes of I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead (You Rascal You), Kid Chocolate and band lays down plenty of ebullient music.

He mixes his spirited trumpet on the opening Wild Man Blues as well as on Shine. The latter tune sports his very effective understated vocals as well as trading fours between trumpet and drummer Sebastian. He also has a charming vocal on High Society Calypso, with its delightful Caribbean-tinge. Richard plays marvelous on this. I am with Jimmy Rushing’s vocal with Bennie Moten of the Hoagie Carmichael ode to the Crescent City, New Orleans. It is nicely sung by Kid Chocolate in an Armstrong-styled manner and segues into Up the Lazy River. Richard is stunning on piano both accompanying the vocal and in his short solo. The leader eschews his trumpet on this.

“I’ll Never Be the Same” has a nice latin groove and after his vocal, Kid plays nice muted trumpet in a more contemporary vein, It contrasts with the extroverted trumpet that opens All Of Me, followed by a some horn-like phrasing in his vocal owing more than a little to contemporary jazz singers such as Jon Hendricks. Moten and Sebastian both take crisp solos on this. “Weatherbird Rag” is a duet with bassist Moten. His trumpet is a bit more relaxed than Armstrong was on his classic duet with Earl Hines on this Armstrong composition originally performed by King Oliver. Kid Chocolate employs his mute producing slurs and cries to open the venerable “St. James Infirmary Blues,” in a performance that is a terrific bridging of the jazz and blues realms.

He is marvelously complemented by his band who, like the leader, bring these performances to fruition as Kid Chocolate tells his stories. Most of these performances allude to Armstrong but none of them copy or imitate the master nor any familiar versions of any songs. Kid Chocolate has a more relaxed vocal and trumpet attack than Armstrong and invests his own musical personality in a consistently ingratiating manner. The Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans (www.louisianamusicfactory.com) and other vendors have this available.

This was a purchase of mine.  Here is Kid Chocolate playing with the great drummer, Shannon Powell. 

And he he is with the New Orleans Moonshiners with Al 'Carnival Time' Johnson singing.

Roy Hargrove's Music Is Food For Ears

This review of Roy Hargrove appeared in the October 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 309) on page 19. As I type this introduction, I am getting ready to see him this evening (January 8) at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for the first of the two sold-out shows. Among the young lions who has emerged in jazz the past few decades, Hargrove brings forth fresh jazz while rooted in the tradition, whether lading his quintet, fabulous big band or simply being a member of the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Band. Earfood is his most recent quintet release I believe.


It is astonishing that Roy Hargrove is not yet 40, as his recording career almost spans a full decade. His latest album is Earfood for Emarcy and features his trumpet and flugelhorn with his working band of Justin Robinson (saxophone), Gerald Clayton (piano), Danton Boller (bass), Montez Coleman (drums).

A solid modern date which is intelligently programmed with a few choice chestnuts mixed in with Hargrove’s intriguing originals that transverse a wide landscape of moods and grooves. The sizzling opening, Cedar Walton’s “ I’m Not So Sure,” kicks off like an Art Blakey cooker, while the mood shifts on “Brown,” with nice mute playing from Hargrove, but the whole group is terrific. The empathy they display is an element is one the crucial reasons why this is such a solid effort. “Starmaker” is another lovely ballad with strong solos from Hargrove, Robinson and Clayton. “Joy is Sorrow Unmasked,” is a melancholy tinged tone poem followed by the bouncy bop of “The Stinger.” “Mr. Clean” is built on a funk bass line, somewhat evoking Cannonball Adderly and similar soul-laced jazz, while “Speak Low,” is another ballad with Robinson sitting out and Hargrove playing marked by its ruminative flavor.

A live performance of Sam Cooke’s “ Bring It On Home to Me,” takes us back to the church and the blues with Robinson and Hargrove engaging in a spirited call and response before Hargrove launches into perhaps the most fervent playing here followed by Clayton sounding like he is playing in church. It is a spirited close to a terrific collection of performances by one of the leading groups playing today.
I received a review copy of Earfood either from Jazz & Blues Report or from Emarcy Records or a publicist for this release.

Trombone Shorty's Backatown Keeps Groove Going

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue at 2009 Duke Ellington (now DC) Jazz Festival

Since emerging nationally as a member of Lenny Kravitz’s Band, and his appearance on a nationally televised Hurricane Katrina, Troy ‘Trombone Shorty’ Andrews has emerged as a favorite band on touring and festival circuits with his blend of funk, Brass Band riffs and some hip-hop & soul seasonings. He is a member of a musical family as his older brother James was a founder of the New Birth Brass band and recorded a brassy al;bum that was produced by Allen Toussaint. Another brother, trumpeter James helped mentor him and Troy’s grandfather was the late Jessie Hill who had a major hit with the New Orleans R&B classic “Ooh Poo Pah Doo.” 

Busy beyond his years, Troy has recorded a CD with his brother, and a previous CD with his band Orleans Avenue along with plenty of studio work. Now he has a new release, “Backatown” (Verve Forecast), that seems destined to increase his fan base even more. Also there are recordings available of his New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival sets (from 2004 and 2006-2008) that can be found at JazzFestLive.com.

The title of this album refers to the area of New Orleans that includes Tremé, the historic neighborhood where so many great musicians came from and which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Produced by Galactic’s Ben Ellman, Troy’s band, Orleans Avenue (Mike Ballard on bass, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Dwayne Williams on percussion and Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax) is the core behind him with special guests that include Allen Toussaint, Kravitz, Marc Broussard and Charles Smith (Orleans Avenue’s original drummer playing synth bass). Troy wrote all except one of the 14 numbers on this.

The tune is set with the opening “ Hurricane Katrina,” with its hip hop rhythm mixed with a funked up brass band sound, followed by Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down,” where the legendary pianist plays as Troy delivers the message the folks you see on the way up are the ones you will pass on the way down. After another funked up instrumental, Kravitz joins on guitar and backing vocal on “Something Beautiful,” as he asks “Can You Show Me Something Beautiful,” which is quite catchy. The title track opens with some dark sounding synth bass from Smith before Troy enters with some buzzing trombone with some ripping baritone from Oestreicher as the horns weave around each other. Broussard adds a vocal to “Right to Complain,” wLith a message about all make a complain but no one wants to do anything. The instrumental “Neph,” has an mesmerizing cowbell-ish groove before Troy on trumpet conjures up a strong spanish tinge with stirring interludes of his trumpet soaring over the percussion. “Suburbia,” opens with some metal-ish guitar before Troy adds some trombone and trumpet playing that suggest a call to arms. The groove of “In the 6th,” with the baritone helping set the funk riff, sounds like a homage to the Dirty Dozen and other modern New Orleans Brass Bands that his music is rooted in. “Where Y’At,” is a composition that originated in some onstage jamming with “new ideas coalescing out of improvised sections of existing pieces.” Troy credits Marvin Gaye as inspiration for the ballad “Fallin’.”

Anyone who has seen Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue know how electric the performances can be. A studio recording can only go so far in capturing this aspect of his music, but “Backatown,” is a recording that undoubtedly will increase his growing visibility (his appearances on the HBO series “Tremé,” also contribute to this) and certainly please his many fans.

This review also appeared in the July, 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 327) at page 15 although I have added a few bits like the reference to the availability of his Jazz Fest sets. It should be readily available.

For purposes of FTC regulations, I received a review copy from a publicist for the label.

The Barbecue Swingers Live Display Kermit Ruffins' Joyful Jazz

The HBO show Tremé probably introduced Kermit Ruffins to many folk. I have been following him since he was with Rebirth Brass Band, and he is always a treat to see and hear perform. Basin Street Records has just issued a new CD by him, Happy Talk, which I can’t wait to hear. Last year Basin Street released his delightful Christmas album, Have a Crazy Cool Christmas that included wonderful renditions of Christmas standards along with his love song to New Orleans Football team, A Saints Christmas, which received heavy play as the Saints made their Super Bowl run. Another favorite Kermit Ruffins CD for me is Live at Vaughan's. Anyway, the following review of a live recording appeared in the July/August 1998 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 233). This should still be readily available. Basin Street Records website is http://www.BasinStreetRecords.com/ and it can be ordered there or at other sources like the Louisiana Music Factory. Since leaving the Rebirth Brass Band, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins has emerged among the most entertaining personalities on New Orleans’ music scene with the ebullience of his vocals and trumpet. In addition to his small combo, the Barbecue Swingers, heard on this new album, The Barbecue Swingers Live (Basin Street Records) he also leads a big band that is developing quite a reputation in the Crescent City. The Barbecue Swingers include Corey Henry’s trombone (and rap), Emile Vinette’s piano, Kevin Morris’ bass and Jerry Anderson’s drums. They lay down tasty grooves rooted in the hot swing of the great Louis Armstrong (the most obvious influence on Ruffins) with some bop, brass band, funk and even rap embellishments. So Ruffins mixes in tasty swing on his original Smokin’ With Some Barbecue, sings an amiable St. James Infirmity and mixes in some second-line funk for Do the Fat Tuesday. What is New Orleans has a charming spoken rap by Kermit about the various charms of the Crescent City from various types of gumbo to the Treme Music Hall and Tipitina’s, while trombonist Henry raps in the more contemporary fashion on Peep This Groove Out. Ruffins plays particularly nice on the Roberta Flack classic ballad, Killing Me Softly With His Song, followed by the street-wise grooves of Rebirth’s Do Watcha Wanna. Kermit Ruffins may not be setting out new musical directions, but their particular synthesis of the jazz tradition is a lively one that will have you feeling things are getting better.

Jerry McCain Still Got The Blues All Over Him

Harmonica player Jerry McCain who first recorded for Trumpet Records in the early 1950s continues to record today with recent efforts under the Music Maker Foundation’s rubric. Here are three reviews of albums by hot dating from 1993, 2000 and 2002 to showcase what a superb blues artist he has been and continues to be.

From Jazz & Blues Report December 1993 (Issue 187).

I Got The Blues All Over Me (Wild Dog Blues / Ichiban). [Ichiban issued several albums by him, and while this might be hard to find on a physical CD (Copies of unopened copies of this can be expensive), it is available for download.]

Harp legend Jerry McCain’s four decade career included sides on Trumpet and continued with a variety of labels. His recording, Steady, is a definitive harmonica instrumental, displaying his full-bodied tone, and subtle phrasing. While he has recorded quite a bit over the years for a number of labels, it often has been in spurts. This is at least his fourth album for Ichiban and may be the best yet, with the instrumental Tumblin’ in the Sea, showing that he still can play with the fat tone of his classic 45s, while other songs have him playing in a Sonny Boy II manner, as on Lucy Pearl, where he is backed just by acoustic guitar. He contributes original, oft witty songs, which he delivers in a slightly raspy voice. The studio band occasionally comes across as stiff, but this is a minor complaint. This is a solid effort, full of good songs, great harp and solid singing.


From Jazz & Blues Report September-October 2000 (Issue 247).

This Stuff Just Kills Me (Cello / Sire) [When this was issued Ichiban had stopped producing new CDs so the Music Maker Foundation picked up the slack. Unfortunately this seems to only be available as a collector’s item and not even as a download.]

One of the harmonica masters who probably has never received his due, Jerry McCain has a terrific new album on Cello/Sire that is part of the series of albums associated with the Music Makers Foundation. Since first recording for Trumpet in the fifties, McCain has produced a body of recordings that feature stellar harp, strong songs and fine vocals. Possessing a full-bodied tone and an irresistible swing in his playing, McCain’s instrumental Steady, has to be regarded as one of the essential blues recordings, while the flip side, She’s Tuff, may be best known from the Fabulous Thunderbirds rendition, but his original is equal to any cover. Madison Mood on this release gives full spotlight to his commanding harp tone and technique, being a wonderful atmospheric slow blues. He has remained a witty, contemporary songwriter who is not afraid to touch topical themes as he does on such tracks here as his anti-drug song, Ain’t No use For Drug Abuse or Mama’s Gone, where he comments on the effect on the kids of Mom not being at home. In contrast, on the title track McCain is celebrating his woman whose love is so good it drives him out of his mind. In addition to McCain’s soaring sax-like harp there is some terrific piano here, perhaps from the legendary Johnny Johnson, although Carl Sonny Leyland, heard on much of this is no slouch. (I am working from an advance copy without the personnel on each track). In singing about his own virility, McCain wryly notes he ain’t worrying about getting up or falling down as he is the Viagara Man. Producer Mike Vernon assembled a great band that includes Leyland, Leroy Hodges and John Primer with guest appearances from Johnnie Johnson, Jimmy Vaughan and the Double Trouble rhythm section. McCain is at top of his game here and the result is This Stuff Is Killing Me may be his most consistent and strongest album.


From Jazz & Blues Report September-October 2002 (Issue 259).

Absolutely The Best (Fuel 2000) [This reissue of his Jewel Recordings from the sixties will unfortunately be hard to find, but you may be able to find this used for a reasonable price. New copies on amazon from third party sellers go for about $40 or more. I do note that bluebeatmusic.com lists a CD by the late Jelly roll King, Frank Frost and McCain, Southern Harp Attack!! that is on the Japanese P-Vine label and contains 13 of the 15 recordings on Absolutely the Best along with 13 recordings for Frost for a price of $21.50, relatively reasonable for such material.]

One of the post war masters of blues harmonica, Jerry McCain has recorded steadily since the fifties when he first sent some demos to Trumpet Records. If he had only recorded Steady/ She’s Tough, his status would be assured because of the wonderful harp tone, his swinging playing and his wry, soulful singing. Somebody’s Been Talking, The Complete Jewel Singles on England’s Westside label, and available on Fuel 2000 in the Untied States as Absolutely the Best in the United States, brings together the six 45s that were issued on Stan Lewis’ Jewel label between 1965 and 1972 along with previously unissued renditions of Bill Doggett’s Honky Tonk. The material here is varied, including the wry She’s Crazy About Entertainers, a slow stop-time blues about his woman who would rather be with James Brown, Otis Redding or some other big star of the time, while Somebody’s Been Talking focuses on a nosy next door neighbor who is blabbing all over town. Toss in several New Orleans flavored numbers like I Don’t Care Where I Get My Loving, and Love Ain’t Nothing to Play With, some harp showcases like Midnight Beat and 728 Texas (Where the Action Is), named after the Jewel Records street address in Shreveport) and one has an entertaining collection. He does not play harp on all the tracks, and if his playing tone is not as tight and fat sounding as on Steady (perhaps he was not playing his harp through an amp), he shows his fertile musical imagination throughout. While not the best collection of his early recordings, it is welcome to have this available.


This reviews are so old but likely received review copies from record company or their publicity form.

Maurice Brown's HipBob Blend Delights

Trumpeter Maurice Brown, according to his website biography was “Raised in south Chicago, Maurice was awarded a full music scholarship to Northern Illinois University upon graduating from Hillcrest High School. After winning first place in the esteemed National Miles Davis Trumpet Competition, Maurice found new flavor in the heart of Louisiana, …” He continued he studies at Southern University where he was part of the Jazz Program led by the late clarinet player and composer, Alvin Batiste. While living in New Orleans, he recorded his debut CD, “Hip to Bop,” and established himself in the New Orleans scene, playing regularly at Snug Harbor. He also has done a wide variety of session work working with hip hop artists, queen of soul, and contemporary jazz including recordings by Musiq Soulchild, Aretha Franklin, Roy Hargrove, Kendra Ross, Ernest Dawkins, Fred Anderson and George Freeman. Currently he lives in New York, and has just issued his second CD as a leader, “The Cycle of Love,” (Brown Records).

Derek Douget, on tenor with Derek, was on Maurice’s earlier CD and also studied in new Orleans although under the University of New Orleans Jazz Program under Ellis Marsalis’ leadership. The rest of the quartet is pianist Chris Rob, drummer Joe Blaxx and bassist Solomon Dorsey, none of whom were on the earlier album. Of this album, Brown notes that the music here is his interpretation of the “different stages we go through in our quest for true happiness.” He does elaborate for each tune here, but I will let you discover his comments for himself.

Drummer Blaxx opens “Fly By Night,” with a hip hop groove, before Ron lays down a chord and Dorsey starts a bass figure with the two coming to state the melody with a stop-time stutter added. It exhibits some of the playfulness and melodic qualities that characterize this recording. Douget and Brown both have marvelous tones, with Brown having a bright, lyrical sound but certainly get dig in and get a stinging tone as necessary. Pianist Rob also exhibits a lyrical tone to his playing. “Good Vibrations,” illustrates Brown’s ability to write material which should appeal to those with more of a smooth jazz tastes, but his playing here certainly will not put to asleep those whose tastes are more straight-ahead.

Its hard not to tap one’s feet or simply smile listening to Brown. One of my favorite tracks is “Time Tick Tock,” built around a Blaxx’s clock-like groove with Rob’s repeated piano riff that echoes the groove as the two horns engage in a call and response with each other before Brown takes off on his solo which elaborates on some of the melodic figures he had been passing back and forth with Douget. “Lovely,” is a ballad with some elegant sounding playing with Brown adding a mute for his solo. Echoes of the Miles Davis Quintet of the mid-sixties can be heard by the performance, “The Connection,” and the disc closes on the upbeat “Reflections.”

“The Cycle of Love” is allruing and I have listened to it repeatedly the past few weeks. Shortly after receiving my review copy, I learned he was playing at the Kennedy Center’s K.C. Jazz Club backed by the quintet on the disc with the exception of a different bassist. There, before an audience that included Dr. Billy Taylor and pianist George Cables, Brown played a number of tunes from this, several from “Hip to Bop,” and gave the Errol Garner classic “Misty” a superb interpretation. Watching him perform, one sees the exhilaration he has in performing as he will stand on the side dancing along, swaying, twirling his trumpet and encouraging his band members. The performance certainly delighted all there.

“The Cycle of Love”is available from cdbaby.com, Louisiana Music Factory, and other sources as well as can be downloaded. Maurice Brown will be performing the first weekend at this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, but both and Derek Douget will be performing in a variety of groups and likely also at some evening appearances at clubs while JazzFest is taking place. I certainly hope to cross their paths while I am in New Orleans for the second weekend of JazzFest. His website is www.mauricebrown.net.

For purposes of FTC regulations, i received my review copy from Brown Records.