Music fills the season and the city!

9th December 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Music whether recorded or performed live brightens the spirit during the holidays and throughout the year. Let it fill your soul this season.

Various Artists
Blues Christmas
(Putumayo)

The eclectic and often “right on” Putumayo label brings together a collaboration of primarily pre-released material to focus on a particular theme or genre of music. Blues Christmas touches on both as it celebrates the season in the world of the blues.

The album begins with who many a rhythm and blues lover would call the “Voice of Christmas,” the great Charles Brown. Here, his mellow vocals and fine delivery are heard on “Christmas Comes But Once a Year” rather than his huge yuletide hits, “Merry Christmas Baby” and “Please Come Home for Christmas.” Some killer piano and vibe playing really set this number from 1994 off.

Next up, is New Orleans born, long-time Baton Rouge resident, singer, guitarist and harmonica player Kenny Neal doing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” from his 2015 album of the same name. Not to be confused with Bing Crosby’s chestnut, this cut is pure Baton Rouge swamp blues. Neal pops up again on Lloyd Glen’s sorrowful though loving “Lonesome Christmas.”

The style remains in southwest Louisiana with an original by accordionist and vocalist Nathan Williams on “I Don’t Want You Just for Christmas.” He’s, of course, backed by his solid band, the Zydeco Cha-Chas, on this groove of a tune that offers a different take on the holiday.

The soulful Sam Myers is the lead vocalist on guitarist Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets’ solidly blues-based “Lonesome Christmas.” Pianist and vocalist Chuck Leavell, once of the Allman Brothers Band, teams with vocalist Lisa Fischer for an appreciated duet on “Please Come Home for Christmas.”

A fine addition to the compilation is by a relatively obscure artist, Jesse Thomas, who was born in Logansport, Louisiana in 1911. As one might anticipate, Thomas delivers his “Merry Christmas” in a very satisfying old school style.

Many fans of the genius of guitarist, vocalist and composer Earl King would probably agree that Putumayo saved the best cut for last. Laughter opens King’s contribution, “Santa, Don’t Let Me Down.” In his own unique, unmistakable vocal style, King begs Santa Claus to “please find my baby, this time please don’t forget.” He backs up that plea with a stinging guitar solo. King’s got an ace band with pianist David Torkanowsky, bassist George Porter, organist Sammy Berfect and drummer Herman Ernest. Wow. Hope this classic gets some well-deserved, multiple plays during the holiday season.

The Putumayo label, which, as usual, includes insights into each cut in its extensive liner notes, puts a big gift under the tree with the release of Blues Christmas. It’s a brightly wrapped present designed for music lovers who enjoy authenticity with a chuckle and a wink, a tear and a sigh and a groove during the season.

Holidays New Orleans Style

The free concerts, presented by the French Quarter Festivals, Inc., at St. Louis Cathedral and St. Augustine Church continue this week and through December 22. The Preservation Hall All-Stars get the week going with a lively beat at the Cathedral on Monday, December 9 with jazz vocalist and rising star Quiana Lynell arriving on December 15. All the shows at the beautiful place of worship begin at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, December 14, old time gospel music can be enjoyed at the historic St. Augustine Catholic Church, the heartbeat of the Treme neighborhood with Audrey Ferguson and the Voices of Distinction. Known for their outstanding harmonies, this family group was founded by Audrey and includes her daughter Dremetericus, better know as Dede Thurmond, her cousin Geraldine Hickerson and her daughter Tasha. The ensemble is noted for its fine arrangement and delivery of Sam Cooke’s moving “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The Saturday evening performance at St. Augustine, the oldest African-American Catholic church in the nation, begin at 4 p.m.

Jazz Now (and Forever)

North Rampart Street’s Jazz & Heritage Center sparkles this week with a very diverse program, called “Jazz Now,” of jazz offerings from local masters. Hey, that’s what New Orleans is all about. On Wednesday, December 11, drummer Ricky Sebastian, a Louisiana native fluent in rhythms from throughout the diaspora, will lead a band in a tribute to the very influential late bassist Jaco Pastorius with whom he performed. The sounds keep coming on Thursday, December 12, with Byron Asher’s Skrontch Music, that has been described as exploring the history and lineage of jazz. The reed player and composer stacks his ensemble with such notables as fellow reed artists like Ricardo Pascal, Aurora Nealand and Reagan Mitchell, cornetist Shaye Cohn, trombonist Emily Frederickson, pianist Oscar Rossignoli, sousaphonist Steve Glenn, bassist James Singleton, and drummer Paul Thibodeaux. Another wow. Saxophonist Clarence Johnson III, who blows with a ton of soul, will present his Holiday Concert on Saturday, December 14.

There are two free shows at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. each night at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, 1225 N. Rampart Street. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

This article originally published in the December 9, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.