Lovin’ Lucian and ‘Relaxin’ with Nick’

18th November 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

“Love for Lu Benefit and Auction,” is an appropriate title for a fundraising event for Lucien Barbarin as it expresses the music community’s deep affection and admiration for the uniquely talented trombonist. Barbarin, the nephew of the renowned drummer Paul Barbarin and cousin of the great guitarist/banjoist/singer/composer Danny Barker, is fighting cancer and could use help to pay for treatments not covered by his medical insurance. Since his illness, Lucien has been forced to miss some gigs that put a hole in his income that normally would have taken care of living expenses.

In order to give him a hand, organizers are putting on the “Love for Lu Benefit and Auction” on Tuesday, January 19 at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe, the Decatur Street club where Barbarin has played both as a sideman and leader for decades. The Palm Court All-Stars includes trumpeter Mark Braud, trombonist Craig Klein, drummer Gerald French and pianist Meghan Swartz plus guests pianist/vocalist Davell Crawford, trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins and dancer Luke Hawkins. It’s expected that many other musicians will jump on stage to join the band to shout out their support for Barbarin.

Having started his musical journey as a drummer at age six under the tutelage of his great uncle Paul Barbarin, the trombonist has played and/or recorded with “everyone,” including most of the above named musicians and whole list more. After drumming with Barker’s Fairview Baptist Church Brass Band, Barbarin began blowing ‘bone with the Hurricane Brass Band led by trumpeter Leroy Jones. He’s heard on Jones’ fine 1994 album Mo’ Cream From the Crop, Ruffins’ 1991 World on a String and was a decades-long member and hit the studios with pianist/vocalist Harry Connick Jr.’s band. Like the Palm Court, Preservation Hall was a spot you could often catch Barbarin and he recorded with the Hall band on its 2003 release “Shake That Thing.”

In his earlier years, Barbarin spent some five years working on Bourbon and shared stages with the likes of such legends as trumpeters Wallace Davenport, Teddy Riley and Pud Brown and the Humphrey brothers trumpeter Percy and clarinetist Willie.

Working with such veterans, including Barker, links Barbarin’s trombone style to past eras. On stage, Barbarin shares his cousin Barker’s flair for showmanship and humor. “Of course it’s in my genes,” Barbarin once said. “I find myself doing some of the things that he used to do,” he added with a laugh. “I love to have fun with music.” The trombonist was doin’ just that at his October appearance at the Nickel-A-Dance show with a band led by trumpeter Mark Braud.

Admission to “Love for Lu” is $25 – cash only at the door – that includes a light buffet and, of course, the All-Stars’ performance. For $50, a “mystery bag” with three autographed CDs is added. The event at the Palm Court, 1204 Decatur St., is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. during which time the auction will take place. Donations can also be made through a GoFundMe account set up in Barbarin’s name.

Nicholas Payton
Relaxin’ with Nick
(Smoke Sessions Records)

Relaxin’ with Nick perfectly describes the essence of this double album that was recorded live at New York’s intimate Smoke Jazz & Super Club. The opening title cut has Nicholas Payton swinging at the piano paired with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington (not related). It’s rare these days to hear Payton, best known as a fiery and exploratory trumpeter, in such a straight-up, acoustic and mellow setting. He does pick up the horn though he remains in a bebop mode. The audience’s applause shows that they dug it.

Things get funkier on another Payton original, Jazz Is a Four-Letter Word, that he informs the crowd was inspired by the renowned drummer Max Roach whose spoken words, delivered almost scat-like are sampled. Payton again plays the hell out of the acoustic piano with drummer Kenny Washington feeding the energy. Then he’s blowing and trading bars with the stunning bassist Peter Washington. He gets the crowd into the mix when he sings, the lyrics, “Jazz is a four-letter word,” and encourages the folks to repeat them back to him.

Payton definitely keeps things interesting he as swings, hard bops, bebops, sings, gets sentimental, adds a bit of electronics and takes it out throughout the album. For pure loveliness, he offers his composition “Othello,” a romantic ballad that features the warm tone of Peter Washington’s bass and that displays Payton’s complete capabilities as a pianist. He takes his horn on a slow stroll on this number and his breathy vocals are jazz-wise and sincerely delivered.

Payton’s “El Guajiro” offers a change of pace and includes a sampling of Cuban trumpeter Manuel “Guajiro” Maribel’s voice from a song off of Payton’s fine release Afro-Cuban Mixtape. Payton’s Rhodes plays a major role on this selection before the leader’s trumpet burns over the raging drums of Kenny Washington.

In contrast, Payton and the drummer move the music forward in less melodic yet none the less dramatic fashion on “F,” another of the trumpeter/keyboardist’s tunes from his Letters album. Everybody’s up for and in on this creative game. It’s another side of Payton that many folks know and many, undoubtedly, looked forward to hearing.

Relaxin’ with Nick dynamically captures the many musical dimensions of the hugely talented and always intriguing Nicholas Payton. For those who desire him to play straight-up – you got it. Care to go out? He gives that up too. Payton plays jazz in its many forms and yes, it is a four-letter word.

This article originally published in the November 18, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.