Frederick "Shep" SheppardTradition: The Habari Gani Sessions
The late Frederic Sheppard was best known for his rhythm and blues work in Fats Domino’s horn section, but he could do so much more. His modern jazz sensibility was right on, and he spent years doing the traditional and slightly modern New Orleans jazz on Jackson Square and with the Treme Brass Band. On this CD, a compilation of his final sessions, Sheppard plays with all that variety and a lot of soul. Shep could vary his groove and he gets both down and funky here as well as clean as a motherfucker. At some points he hits some notes as ending flourishes that evoke every meaning of the word, “funky.” There are some showcases for his flute work, which he could play with the best of them with a steady tone and great solos. He was always hip, as his rock-steady version of St. James Infirmary (under the name “Habari Gani”) attests. The loss of Frederic Sheppard is still a great hole in the musical fabric of New Orleans, but this record is a fitting tribute to both the man and his music. Subscribe to offBeat and receive a FREE JazzFest CD! |
