Oh, My Nola

Gifted pianist, singer, and arranger Harry Connick, Jr. is a New Orleans native and Oh, My Nola honors his beloved hometown and the horrors it has experienced since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Though there are plenty of poignant moments here, overall Connick chooses to celebrate his city and the irrepressible joy it represents by performing a dozen covers that showcase several musical styles associated with New Orleans, including stride piano, Cajun, big band jazz, pop standards, and R&B. He includes songs by such Crescent City luminaries as Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, and Allen Toussaint, and works some spectacular and unexpected magic on the classics “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey?,” “Elijah Rock,” and “Hello Dolly.” Connick also contributes four moving originals that express his sorrow and frustration in a most poetic and personal way; in particular, “All These People” and the title track are superb, and they effectively capture the despair and sadness, as well as a sense of camaraderie, brought about by the hurricane. And as one would expect the music is first-rate — funky, loose, and swinging throughout — making this a heartfelt tribute to the city and its people.