"Our New Orleans" Was Rhythm And Blues After Katrina

In April 2006 I wrote reviews on several post-Katrina benefit albums. I will be posting these in the next few days (not necessarily consecutively). Here is the first which originally appeared in the April 2006 (issue 281) of Jazz & Blues Report as well as the April 2006 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. Some of the artists on this have passed on and it is still in print. I likely received a review copy, not sure if from the record company, a publicist or Jazz & Blues Report.

Our New Orleans on Nonesuch is a collection of new studio recordings by New Orleans and other Louisiana musicians recorded in various cities last September and October. The emphasis is less towards jazz and more towards blues and rhythm & blues.

Allen Toussaint opens with his Yes We Can Can, a song he originally wrote for Lee Dorsey and the spirit of helping each other make it is especially apt. Dr. John’s morose World I Never Made is followed by Irma Thomas, backed by Toussaint, singing an unfortunately topical Back Water Blues, singing “My house fell down and I can’t live there no more.” Davell Crawford adds a touch of gospel with his marvelous Gather By the River, one of several fine solo piano performances including Eddie Bo’s slow drag interpretation of When the Saints Go Marching On, Carol Fran’s Tou' Les Jours Ç'est Pas La Même with New Orleans rhythm accents as she sings bilingually about her man, “where were you when I passed by?”, and Allen Toussaint’s instrumental Tipitina and Me.

Traditional jazz is represented by clarinetist, Dr. Michael White, on a lively salute to King Oliver on Canal Street Blues and Preservation Hall on Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans; cajun and zydeco are represented by Buckwheat Zydeco’s Cryin’ in the Streets (with a sullen feel and one of the best vocals I have heard from Mr. Dural with Ry Cooder on guitar) and Beausoleil’s bittersweet instrumental L’Ouragon; and street sounds of New Orleans are sampled by the Wild Magnolia’s Brother John is Gone/ Herc-Jolly-John, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now.

Charlie Miller plays sings and provides the only accompaniment on his trumpet on Prayer to New Orleans, while Donald Harrison’s alto is featured on The Wardell Quezerque Orchestra’s rendition of What a Wonderful World. The disc concludes with Randy Newman reviving his unfortunately appropriate Louisiana 1927 (about the flooding of cajun country in 1917) backed by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra with members of the New York Philharmonic singing about “they are trying to wash us away,” a lyric that rings unfortunately true.

Eddie Bo 1930-2009

2008-0426_JazzFest_Day_2-521
Originally uploaded by NoVARon

Word came out today that Eddie Bo, yet another New Orleans piano playing funk pioneer passed away on Wednesday, March 18. Bo is among the last pianists from the age of classic New Orleans rhythm and blues where he had some big hits as well as wrote a number of songs that became classics for others. His career spanned the boogie influenced jump blues to the more modern funk.

His website biography summarized his career succinctly: "In a career that spans well over five decades, Eddie Bo has made more 45’s than any artist has in New Orleans other than Fats Domino. He has produced records for Irma Thomas, Robert Parker, Art Neville, Chris Kenner, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson and the late Johnny Adams. Bo is a prolific songwriter, having penned several timeless songs: "Check Mr. Popeye", "It Must Be Love", "I’m Wise" (made famous by Little Richard under the name "Slippin' and Slidin'") and the hit recorded by Etta James, "My Dearest Darling". He also wrote Tommy Ridgely's "In The Same Old Way" and further demonstrates genius in the realm of contemporary New Orleans funk on the highly creative works, "Hook and Sling" and "Pass the Hatchet.""

I had the pleasure of first seeing him perform at one of the Ponderosa Stomps performing solo, and at several JazzFests with a tight, funky band where he always did some of his favorites. Rounder reissued some of his funky R&B that included the popular dance number "Check Mr. Popeye," after all Olive Oyl was in the danger zone. A favorite CD of his was "New Orleans Solo Piano" on Night Train. His death, coming shortly after the death of Snooks Eaglin, is a terrible loss to fans of New Orleans music. I join the many world-wide, who mourn this great artist.

The picture is from April 26, 2008 at the Fais Do Do Stage at the New Orleans Jazz & heritage Festival

2008 JazzFest Day 2

Continuing my travelogue (sort of to speak) of my 2008 New Orleans vacation, here is my recollections of the Second Day of JazzFest. As I noted before, it can be found in its entirety in the June 2008 issue of Jazz & Blues Report which can be downloaded as a pdf file at that publication's link.


Saturday, April 26, the weather forecast was for showers midday and while the rains came midway and shortened the performances that day, some of the best performances I saw were before the showers. My day began in Economy Hall where I saw several numbers by a fine traditional cornet player, Connie Jones who has a marvelous new CD on Arbors with pianist Tom McDermott. On the way to the Blues and Jazz tents I stopped for a bit of The Black Seminoles Mardi Gras Indians with there chants, songs and dancing. Rockie Charles, a fine singer with a touch of Al Green in his delivery impres me with his soulful blues style. He had an excellent album on Orleans Records a decade ago that is worth searching out. I had not seen the exuberant contemporary cajun sounds of Wayne Toups and the Zydecajun who rocked the Acura Stage with their strong music. Then a chance to see Carol Fran whose recording career stretches back to the sixties and who made two really memorable recordings for Black Top with her late husband Clarence Holliman. She suffered a stroke a few years ago, but that did not stop her from even sitting at the piano and weaving her spell on the audience. She remains a marvelous singer, although one limitation is that a good portion of her set was standards. Still it was wonderful to see her sound so vibrant. From her set I drifted to the jazz Tent to finally see Germaine Bazzle, one of New Orleans most beloved jazz singers and she did not disappoint me with her song selection and her marvelous singing. The charm and joy of Economy Hall beckoned for Greg Stafford’s Young Tuxedo Brass Band which had the crowd, including a sizable contingent from Lillestrøm, Norway, to second line in the tent.

Legendary honker Big Jay McNeely celebrated his 80th Birthday a bit over a year ago, but his performance in the Blues Tent showed the tenor saxophonist with the vitality of someone much younger as he wailed on sax and sang fairly strongly. After several excellent numbers by him I headed to Congo Square where Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington and the Roadmasters were holding forth with his solid funky blues including a couple numbers from his new Zoho release, “Doin’ the Funky Thing.’ With long-time bassist Jack Cruz and saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter, the Wolfman has one of the tightest bands that can really kick the groove around. After several numbers I headed to the Fais Do Do stage to catch Eddie Bo, New Orleans legendary pianist and songwriter (His ‘I’m Wise’ was a hit for Little Richard as “Slippin’ and Slidin.’” In exuberant form he led his band through some solid performances. As he was performing, the rain started getting heavier and I returned to the Blues Tent to meet my wife. I had been hoping to catch Astral Project in the Jazz tent and Dr. John on the Acura stage, but with the rain I settled in for the entire set by James Cotton and his excellent band marked by the terrific guitarists Tom Holland and Slam Allen, with his longtime bassist Noel Neal anchoring things. Allen warmed the tent audience up with several strong vocals and both guitarists are marvelous players. Cotton finally came up, and while he doesn’t sing anymore, Mr. Superharp was wailing on the Mississippi saxophone. He does not fail to satisfy. With the heavy rain, we caught a bus back to the hotel, Billy Joel cut his two-hour set early at 6:15 I understand, but I would have passed on him. I caught on WWOZ a broadcast of the Ponderosa Stomp Revue and the Count Basie Band was in the jazz Tent, but weather shortened all the closing sets. While the weather limited who I had the opportunity to watch, it was an exhilarating afternoon.

That night, my wife and I went to the Palm Court to have dinner and hopefully see 95-odd year old cornet player Lionel Ferbos and the Palm Court Jazz Band. We trekked in the very rainy streets till we reached there and stayed to hear the band even though Mr. Ferbos was unable to get out of his home because of flooded streets. The Palm Court has marvelous food and offers terrific traditional jazz nightly and the band, most of whom would play with Ferbos at the Festival on Sunday, were excellent. After dinner and the music we headed back to our hotel, although stopping at Margaritaville to catch some lively blues & R&B by veteran New Orleans guitarist Irving Bannister, who have a regular no cover gig at Jimmy Buffett’s New Orleans establishment.