Email this article | Printer friendly page The Top 50 Louisiana CDs of 2007By offBeat Staff |
In our November issue, we looked at the Louisiana talent over the last 20 years to gauge the health of our music community; last year’s recordings similarly reassure us that musicians in the area aren’t coasting or licking their post-Katrina wounds. Or, if they are dealing with the hurricane experience, they’re doing in artistically resonant ways. One of our post-Katrina songs is Al “Carnival Time” Johnson’s “Lower Ninth Ward Blues,” but since the song’s a single, we had a hard time including it in our Top 50.
More than anything else, it was a good year for jazz. Marsalis Music Honors Alvin Batiste is Alvin Batiste’s final music statement, and it’s fair to wonder about the path not taken and what sort of musical legacy he would have left had he recorded more and taught less. Then again, what talents would have gone undeveloped had he not been there to help develop them? Our writers also admired the successful execution of daring ideas by Terence Blanchard, Christian Scott, Matt Perrine and the Rob Wagner Trio on A Tale of God’s Will, Anthem, Sunflower City and Rob Wagner Trio featuring Hamid Drake and Nobu Ozaki respectively. They’re very different albums taking very different chances, but each bears the mark of artists in control of their craft and vision.
One of the most exciting things going on in Louisiana is the Great March Backwards taking place in Acadiana, where young Cajun musicians are looking for inspiration in the past and Cajun and Creole traditions, then performing the resulting music with the spirit and verve of those who established the traditions in the first place. The Pine Leaf Boys, the Red Stick Ramblers and Allons Boire un Coup: A Collection of Cajun and Creole Drinking Songs also cut across audiences, winning dancers and the leadfooted among us as well, making music that doesn’t require you to speak French or long for the fais do do to appreciate.
These days, deciding who is a Louisiana artist is a challenge considering the way musicians are scattered around the country. We took as wide a view as we could to be inclusive, recognizing people who have been identified with the city or area for a long time even if they don’t live here now. Still, we left out Lucinda Williams’ West, Mary Gauthier’s Between Daylight and Dark and Telefon Tel Aviv’s Remixes Compiled despite each receiving well-deserved votes and recognition. Since all are primarily associated with other cities and simply have roots here, we opted not to include them.
One disturbing post-Katrina trend is the relative absence of brass band releases. Last year, the Dirty Dozen’s What’s Going On loomed so large that it obscured the lack of other releases, but Mardi Gras Records’ release of New Birth’s New Orleans Second Line! was the only brass band release we received this year, and that album was dominated by reissued material. The dearth of brass releases makes you wonder. Is it because recording is a luxury many recovering brass bands can’t afford? Is it because brass bands don’t see enough of a market for their music on CD to make albums a reasonable expense? Or does it say something about the condition of the brass bands and their musical community? Sadly, it’s now a feature of life in New Orleans that celebrations are almost always accompanied by causes for concern, so why should our look at the year’s top releases be any different?—Alex Rawls
The Top Ten
Alvin Batiste: Marsalis Music Honors (Marsalis Music) (reviewed by Todd A. Price, April 2007)
“Batiste plays with the easy confidence of a musician with decades of experience. It’s a joy to listen to him work through extended musical ideas without every taking a wrong turn.”
Terence Blanchard: A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (Blue Note) (reviewed by John Swenson, September 2007)
“Blanchard’s expressive trumpet floats over the hypnotic ebb and swell. That narcotic-like feeling of being slowly overwhelmed evokes those who stayed behind through ‘Levees.’”
Bonerama: Bringing It Home (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, June 2007)
“On Bringing It Home, the band sounds more coherent, more diverse… and more adventurous than ever.”
Galactic: From the Corner to the Block (Anti-) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, August 2007)
“As a band that can roll out grooves over its morning Wheaties, Galactic sounds right at home, and if anybody asserts hardness here, it’s Galactic.”
Matt Perrine: Sunflower City (Independent) (reviewed by David Kunian, May 2007)
“Perrine’s take on the songs is to cast them as if New Orleans is even closer to the Caribbean than it already is.”
Pine Leaf Boys: Blues du Musicien (Arhoolie) (reviewed by Dan Willging, April 2007)
“Although the Pine Leaf Boys do a magnificent job of blending originals with selections from undisputed greats Austin Pitre, Nathan Abshire and Belton Richard, there is also material that’s beyond typical dancehall fare.”
Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars: The La Louisianne Sessions (Octavia) (reviewed by Dan Willging, August 2007)
“Romero and Adcock can be taken more seriously as American writers who just happen to play kick butt Cajun and zydeco music.”
Christian Scott: Anthem (Concord Jazz) (reviewed by Todd A. Price, October 2007)
“Scott taps into the daily reality of the city. He captures on Anthem a street-level view of life in New Orleans.”
Various Artists: Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, September 2007)
Goin’ Home: a Tribute to Fats Domino is the rare tribute album that pays off. It delivers interesting, entertaining performances remarkably often…”
Rob Wagner: Rob Wagner Trio featuring Hamid Drake and Nobu Ozaki (Valid) (reviewed by Todd A. Price, June 2007)
“From the first bars the opening track “Desoparia (They handed out 12 billion cash in Iraq and couldn’t even give New Orleans drinking water),” the group is locked in tight and playing like a single unit.”
The Next Forty
James Andrews and the Crescent City Allstars: People Get Ready Now (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, November 2007)
“There’s a lot of sound on the tracks and a lot of pieces that cling tentatively to the tight core, but they’re in the right places and that makes all the difference.”
The bALLY who?: Keep on Dawn (Yea Sayers) (reviewed by Robert Fontenot, July 2007)
“These 15 tracks happily have some solid songcraft under the foundation.”
Tab Benoit with Louisiana’s LeRoux: Power of the Pontchartrain (Telarc) (reviewed by Jeff Hannusch, July 2007)
“Power of the Pontchartrain might be Benoit’s best yet.”
Big Blue Marble: Natchez (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, October 2007)
“Fera’s talent as a songwriter is to root his songs the details of real life without becoming mundane or self-consciously poetic.”
Jon Cleary: Do Not Disturb (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, May 2007)
“A positive surprise, presenting something uncommon in the New Orleans piano tradition, and like everything on the EP, it’s simple, well-crafted fun.”
Harry Connick, Jr.: Oh, My Nola (Columbia) (reviewed by Tom McDermott, March 2007)
“Connick has really hit his stride, going back to the music of his childhood and reinterpreting it with the skills of a master arranger and pianist.”
Cupid: Time for a Change (Atlantic/Asylum) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, November 2007)
“Time for a Change … tries to be catnip for the dance floor without following the “Cupid Shuffle” model too shamelessly.”
Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie: Le Cowboy Creole (Times Square) (reviewed by Dan Willging, November 2007
“Le Creole Cowboy isn’t simply a studio recreation of a Delafose dance; there are a few surprises.”
Down: Over the Under (Down) (reviewed by Rory Callais, November 2007)
“The focus is on composition rather than showmanship.”
Dumpstaphunk: Listen Hear (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, May 2007)
“It’s musically hard-nosed and rooted in 1970s inner city funk.”
The Eames Era: Heroes + Sheroes (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, March 2007)
“A band that errs on the side of ambition and subtle smarts has to be embraced.”
Andy J. Forest: Real Stories of Love, Labor and Other Man-Made Catastrophes (Independent) (reviewed by John Swenson, September 2007)
“With Anders Osborne producing him, Forest has recorded some of the best recent songs about life in New Orleans before the Federal Flood.”
Bob French: Marsalis Music Honors (Marsalis Music) (reviewed by Todd A. Price, April 2007)
“The record is lovely escapism, but more entertainment than art.”
Duke Heitger’s New Orleans Wanderers with Bob Havens: What Is This Thing Called Love? (Jazzology) (reviewed by Steve Steinberg, April 2007)
“If as a trad fan you consider this CD and ask yourself if there’s a good reason to add still another example of these guys to your collection, the answer is definitely positive. Virtually all of the music here is too good to miss.”
Leroy Jones: Soft Shoe (Independent) (reviewed by Andre Mouton, July 2007)
“Combine a traditional New Orleans jazz repertoire with an aesthetic a la Art Blakey and you get Soft Shoe.”
Joe Krown Trio: Old Friends (Independent) (reviewed by David Kunian, May 2007)
“It is a rare record where the quality and playing of originals match up to standards made famous by Shirley and Lee or Benny Spellman, but this release is one where they more than hold up.”
Lil’ Fallay: Just for the Ladies (Lil’ Fallay Music) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, June 2007)
“Just for the Ladies is a pleasant, unassuming surprise, an album of contemporary urban R&B from Lafayette way that exists to fill dance floors.”
Lost Bayou Ramblers: Live: A La Blue Moon (Swallow) (reviewed by Nick Pittman, October 2007)
“The record is solid, lively gem and is the closest thing to being at a Lost Bayou Ramblers’ shows.”
Wynton Marsalis: From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, May 2007)
“From the Plantation to the Penitentiary recalls the Black Arts era in African-American culture—particularly poetry and jazz.”
Tom McDermott: Live in Paris (STR) (reviewed by John Swenson, May 2007)
“McDermott delivers a history of New Orleans music interspersed with his own compositions and musical obsessions.”
The New Orleans Bingo! Show: Volume 1: Soft Emergencies (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, February 2007)
“Maedgen has one of the most beautiful voices in the city.”
Anders Osborne: Coming Down (M.C.) (reviewed by John Swenson, October 2007)
“Anders Osborne is to be congratulated for putting the difficult work in to produce the album’s worth of songs that make up Coming Down.”
Judith Owen: Happy This Way (Courgette) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, July 2007)
“Judith Owen treats songs as art, making beautiful piano-based songs that draw on jazz, pop, folk and R&B traditions, effectively dressing up a number of songs with strings.”
Papa Grows Funk: Mr. Patterson’s Hat (Funky Krewe) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, May 2007)
“Mr. Patterson’s Hat is the sound of a band packing its lunch pail and going to work.”
George Porter, Jr.: It’s Life (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, June 2007)
“It goes without saying that everything here is funky, and Porter gets A list help on the album.”
Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Made in New Orleans (Preservation Hall) (reviewed by Steve Steinberg, July 2007)
“You’ll find many surprises in this remarkable compilation of music, video footage and memorabilia ranging from carnival doubloons to calling cards to old publicity photos.”
Quintron: Jamskate (Rhinestone) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, July 2007)
“Considering the sound of Quintron’s organ, it was probably inevitable that he’d turn his attention to the skating rink, and he does so successfully on this five-track EP.”
Racines: Racines (Swallow) (reviewed by Dan Willging, December 2006)
“Racines certainly lives up to its name with material stemming from the roots of Cajun and Creole music.”
Red Stick Ramblers: Made in the Shade (Sugar Hill) (reviewed by Christopher Courville, October 2007)
“With so much style packed into 12 tracks, this album is worth the wait of long-time fans and potentially one of the hottest finds for new fans this fall.”
Ed Sanders: Poems for New Orleans (Paris) (reviewed by Bill Lavender, November 2007)
“Perhaps it is because Sanders has no personal Katrina experience to relate that he can tell the story as a tragedy of history, a tragedy of a city, a nation, and a people.”
Johnny Sansone: Poor Man’s Paradise (Shortstack) (reviewed by Brett Milano, August 2007)
“The disc as a whole marks a songwriting breakthrough for an artist who’s been better known as a singer and harmonica player.”
Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights: If Dreams Come True (Memphis International) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, August 2007)
“If Dreams Come True presents Ann Savoy at her most relaxed and, consequently, most simply enjoyable.”
The Schatzy Band: Nocturnal Wild Life Journal (Hot Spazz) (reviewed by Robert Fontenot, August 2007) “Nocturnal Wild Life Journal makes you wonder how long the party can last.”
Mem Shannon: Live At Tipitina’s (Northern Blues) (reviewed by Brett Milano, September 2007)
“Live at Tipitina’s delivers just what the title promises; the sound and feel of a hot club date.”
Sons of William: What Hides Inside (Red Lick) (reviewed by Robert Fontenot, November 2007)
“Singer Joe Stark combines John Mayer’s sensitivity and Adam Levine’s sexuality.”
Kenny Bill Stinson: F-Earl (Independent) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, March 2007)
“Every track shows a good-natured love of rock ’n’ roll in all its traditional forms, and it’s clear the great records shaped Stinson’s musical vocabulary.”
the subdudes: Street Symphony (Backstreet) (reviewed by Brett Milano, August 2007)
“The topical context gives the subdudes’ music a bite that it has sometimes lacked in the past.”
Supagroup: Fire for Hire (Foodchain) (reviewed by Alex Rawls, September 2007)
“Fire for Hire… rocks like crazy with songs you can remember, lots of big guitars and shit like that.”
Various Artists: Allons Boire un Coup: A Collection of Cajun and Creole Drinking Songs (Valcour) (reviewed by Dan Willging, February 2007)
“Few recordings in the Cajun and Creole fiefdom have ever run the gamut quite like this one.”
The Zydepunks: Exile Waltz (Nine Mile) (reviewed by Richard Giraldi, September 2007)
“Exile Waltz is lively, infectious, and an extremely fun listen.”
Published January 2008, OffBeat Louisiana Music & Culture Magazine, Volume 21, No. 1.
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