NEW ORLEANS STOMP PART 2

BRIAN WISE LEFT NEW ORLEANS WITH A SWAG OF NEW RELEASES.

MARC BROUSSARD

S.O.S: SAVE OUR SOUL

SHOCK

It might seem strange to claim that a singer can find their own voice by recording an album of covers but in the case of Marc Broussard this seems to be true.

Broussard is from Carencro, Louisiana, and released one EP back in 2003 before being signed to a major. In concert Broussard has been a solid performer and his debut album, released a couple of years ago and named after his hometown, was impressive for its potential and his powerful voice rather than having a batch of memorable songs or great production.

There were occasions on that first album where Broussard’s voice suggested Al Green, Eddie Kendricks or even Otis Redding. It was obvious he had been listening to all the right people, so why not take it one step further?

The trend towards doing covers or entire albums comprised of covers might say something about the state of modern songwriting but you can hardly be a fan of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones (or most other artists from the ‘60s) and begrudge younger artists exploring their roots. In the case of an old codger like Rod Stewart’s recent albums, the results have been often appalling).

Broussard has, however, chosen a batch of songs that were not all necessarily monster hits in their time and he has picked a list of artists to cover that certainly passes the Is He Really Serious Test. No quibbling here. At times it sounds like imitation but where that happens I prefer to think of it as excellent flattery.

The secret to this album and why I like it so much is that Broussard really does sound as if he loves the songs as much as we do and he connects with them, rather than giving you the feeling that he has merely picked them from some producer’s list. (Please take note Rod Stewart!).

Anyone who covers a Donnie Hathaway song earns big points with me and Broussard’s reading of ‘I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know’ is credible while the version of Bobby Womack’s ‘Harry Hippie’ is amazingly authentic and a reminder of how great that original was. Marvin Gaye’s ‘If I Could Build My Whole World Around You’ features a duet with Toby Lightman (playing his Tammie Terrell very well) and then Broussard tackles ‘Inner City Blues’ – both interpretations showing his vocal versatility (and that of his band).

Luckily, the treatments of Al Green's ‘Love And Happiness’ and Otis Redding's ‘I've Been Loving You Too Long’ are just different enough not to have you trying to make comparisons. There are also Stevie Wonder’s ‘You Met Your Match,’ Rance Allen's ‘Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul’ and The Staple Singers' ‘Respect Yourself.’ Allen Toussaint’s ‘Yes We Can’ (also recorded by the Pointer Sisters) is another song well-worth reviving and it is great to hear it.

Amidst all this sits Broussard’s own ‘Come In  From The Cold,’ holding its own and showing great promise for the future.

This is a tough project to pull off successfully; the weight of legends sits heavily. The fact the Broussard largely succeeds should augur well for his future.

FATS DOMINO

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY: LIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS

SPV

Last month I reviewed the DVD Fats Domino & Friends which featured him in performance with some handy friends in Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis. That show hinted at the number of hits Fats enjoyed in his most productive years and now you can hear an even better example of that with this 1987 recording of a show he put on at the University Of New Orleans. It could have been billed as Music History 101.

Here are just a few of the 26 tracks: ‘I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday,’ ‘I’m Walking,’ ‘Ain’t That A Shame,’ ‘The Fat Man,’ ‘I Wanna Walk You Home,’ ‘Walking To New Orleans,’ ‘Jambalaya,’ ‘Blueberry Hill,’ ‘My Girl Josephine,’ ‘Let The Four Winds Blow.’

The recording quality is excellent and an obviously much younger Fats sounds fantastic, which makes it even more of a pity that some canny producer did not get him the studio to record an album with some special guests in the intervening years. Still, later this year we will have the star-laden tribute. While Fats’ voice is obviously not as flexible as in his heyday his piano playing is every bit as good as he propels the songs at sometimes breakneck speed.

Neil Slaven’s liner notes give a good potted history of Fats’ career but there is no information about the members of the band that seems to me to be an oversight that should have been rectified. One can only assume that the great Dave Bartholomew is there.

GEORGE PORTER JR

IT’S LIFE

CTV

For more than three decades George Porter Jr has been associated with the legendary Meters and he will never escape (and probably does not want to) the tag of being the bass player in one of the greatest funk bands of all time. That also makes him one of the greatest bass players of all time! The influences of The Meters abides and it was fabulous to see him back with the other members for their reunion concert a couple of years ago.

But Porter has had a career outside of that band (and its later offshoot the Funky Meters). He has played on hundreds of sessions and for artists as diverse as Dr John, Robbie Robertson, David Byrne and Robert Palmer (to name just a few).

Perhaps reluctant to stand in the spotlight, it has been over 15 years since Porter’s previous solo album, Runnin’ Pardners, which seems kind of scary because that is when I first started going to Jazz Fest and it makes me reflect.

The other surprising thing about the gap in Porter’s solo career is that when you hear him sing you immediately assume he would have recorded it more often. Nevertheless, his return to solo work is welcome and while you should not expect this album of mainly original compositions to be a pseudo-Meters album if you like Porter’s playing (and who doesn’t) and his voice, you will find plenty to like here.

It’s hardly a surprise to hear that big, fat bass line right up front where it belongs but Porter is ably assisted by an array of fine New Orleans musicians including Ivan Neville, David Torkanowsky, John Gros, Tony Hall, Brian Stoltz, Brint Anderson and June Yamagishi.

Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Here But I’m Gone’ is one of the highlights here as Porter and band stretch out over seven minutes plus. It is beautiful. The version of Seals & Crofts ‘We May Never Pass This Way Again’ is far punchier and more appealing than the original.

There is also ‘Lonesome And Unwanted People,’ written by Meter’s guitarist Leo Nocentelli and The Meters’ ‘Out In The Country.’ The originals also stand up pretty well and ‘All I Do Everyday’ (written with Ziggy Modeliste) is an anthem for the modern age. While he sings ‘it’s time for me to take a break’ let’s hope that George doesn’t wait too long for another solo album.