New Orleans Friends and Flavours

For those who assume that New Orleans jazz ceased developing with so-called Dixieland, this album should disabuse them of that notion once and for all. Vocalist Henri Smith has gathered together some of the Crescent City's more active musicians for an album of music decidedly New Orleans, but in a modern vein. The first cut, "Big Chief," has Smith singing with a Cajun-like accent with the congas of Bill Summers laying down a Caribbean beat underneath. Contrast this with the next tune, the blues-inflected Hoagy Carmichael-composed "New Orleans," where the first chorus is taken by Wendell Brunious' flügelhorn before Smith sings a note. In the New Orleans tradition, the tuba of Anthony "Tuba Fats" Lacen lays down the basslines. But the bass comes into play with Roland Guerin as the sole backing for Smith on "Them There Eyes." Guerin takes a slap the bass strings solo on this cut. Smith's rough-and-ready-tinged voice fits in just right with these tunes, as well as others on the play list including "Work Song," which features sax solos by Donald Harrison and Nat Simpkins and a screaming trumpet coda by Kermit Ruffins, and a medium-tempo "Walk on By." One of the album highlights is Smith's version of Buck Owens' country & western tune, "Cryin Time" with Ruffins kicking out with some well-placed backup vocals and commentary, as well as a sobbing trumpet. But neither Smith's voice nor the way he uses it is especially well-suited to the romantic ballad "That Old Black Magic" and why it was included is a mystery. But even with that one misstep, Smith's debut album is a good one and is recommended.