Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball and Tracy Nelson: Sing It! (Rounder Records)

There are voices, and then, there are voices.

Two of the absolutely most spine-tingling, toe-curling, soul-caressing voices I know belong to Irma Thomas, the long-reigning Soul Queen of New Orleans, and Tracy Nelson, former Earth Mother of the psychedelic era. Both are present on this recording, and put on as fine a display of vocal pyrotechnics as either has produced.

Expanding Our View of the Blues

It seems that we may have gotten the blues all wrong. Instead of the taproot of American popular music, drawing on work songs, spirituals, and juke joint rhythms, the blues […]

Feufollet’s Crazy Fire Takes Flight

Feufollet: Sunday, May 3, Fais Do-Do Stage, 12:25p Every once in a while, a band comes along that you think might be really special, a band that makes you wonder […]

Various Artists, Through the Streets of the City: New Orleans Brass Bands (Smithsonian Folkways)

The Liberty Brass Band, Treme Brass Band and Hot 8 Brass Band are the three New Orleans brass bands featured here. They are meant to represent three generations of New […]

Face to Face with Doug Kershaw and Steve Riley

Take one monumental figure from the history of Cajun music. Combine in equal portions with the reigning master of contemporary Cajun music. Blend in a couple of 90-year-old accordions and […]

The Babineaux Sisters, Quoi Ca Dit (Independent)

If you’re of the opinion that young women in their early adolescence are incapable of conjuring up original, serious and profound Cajun music, then take one listen to the Babineaux […]

Bonsoir, Catin Plays Cajun Music Their Way

When the four dynamic, multi-talented women who formed Bonsoir, Catin in 2004 first came together, their main goal was simply sustaining the pleasure of playing music with like-minded souls. That […]

Joel Savoy’s Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round: Joel Savoy’s Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round (Valcour Records)

Joel Savoy’s Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round is a real sweetheart of an album—an informal gathering of accomplished young Cajun musicians taking their turns on tried-and-true honky-tonk numbers in a recording environment […]

Old Tradition, New Guardians: Young Big Chief Returns

New Way Pocky Way, recorded throughout 1998 by the Young Guardians of the Flame, is being reissued for national distribution by locally based Louisiana Red Hot Records just in time […]

Aaron Neville, My True Story (Blue Note Records)

My True Story started out as Aaron Neville’s “doo-wop project” but became something else. On a promotional video made for the album, Blue Note label president and album co-producer Don […]