The New Orleans music scene with a hint of an international beat

14th November 2016   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans – Revised and Updated
By John Broven
(Pelican Publishing Company)

John Broven presented a great gift to the world of record collectors and fans of this city’s rhythm and blues heydays when in 1974 his book, Walking to New Orleans, was published. At last, there was an in depth and quite intimate view of the musicians, composer, producers as well as recorded labels responsible for creating the music that many consider the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll.

Broven, a native of Great Britain, arrived in the Crescent City, just in time to meet and interview many of the artists who were on the scene and in the studios bringing the world a new sound, a new beat. These interviews, well-placed throughout the book, stood at the core of the work’s authenticity and personal feel. A second edition of the book was published in 1978 as Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans, the name changed, Broven explains, to better suit an American audience. Besides, a Brit couldn’t very well traverse the “great pond” by walking.

As the title of the recently published edition, Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans – Revised and Updated states, Broven expanded the book with interviews held after his first trip to the city. It’s now a heavier tome, stretching some 100 pages that boasts 100 vintage photographs complete with captions identifying the artists. The stylistic essence of the book remains, gratefully, the same as musicians like the wise and witty Earl King and Dr. John and the always humble recording engineer master and studio owner, Cosimo Matassa offer their insights while revealing their personalities.

Several essays by knowledgeable folks from more recent days are included at the end of the book though continuing an interview format might have been more apropos. Appreciated was Ira “Dr. Ike” Padnos’, the founder of the Ponderosa Stomp, mention of the importance of Congo Square where “the beginnings of the beat” came from the drums and dances of the slaves. This element doesn’t receive emphasis in “Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans.” Nowadays there is much more awareness of this historic locale’s influence. In the R&B era, it was, after all, called Beauregard Square, named after a Confederate general. It didn’t officially regain its moniker Congo Square until 2011.

Language and outlooks often changes in time and it will be noticed that many of the artists interviewed refer to what we now call traditional or classic New Orleans jazz as Dixieland jazz.

Some 40 years ago, when “Walking to New Orleans” – named in tribute to legendary Fats Domino’s 1960 hit — was published, only the above mentioned record collectors and some fans could sit down, read a bit of the book, and then listen to the real deal recordings while lovingly look at the colorful labels – the red Imperial label that Domino scored big on and the orange Minit one that was seen spinning Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother-In-Law” on turntables across the nation.

One of the beauties of having the revised edition of Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans come out in the internet age is that people everywhere now have access to the music on YouTube and other sites. They can now, just like people decades ago, read about a tune, listen to it, often check out those bright labels and sometimes see a film of a musician performing a certain song.

Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans – Revised and Updated isn’t necessarily a book that one needs to read cover to cover. It is a book that is best placed close at hand as it stands as a constant resource of the inner workings of New Orleans music in this city’s rhythm and blues heydays that takes a direct path to the music scene today and no doubt tomorrow.

Pedrito Martinez Returns

“Of all the cities in America, New Orleans has the most similarity to Cuba in every way – the music, the culture and the people,” the brilliant Cuban percussionist Martinez said in a 2013 interview in preview to his last appearance in the city. “New Orleans is like Cuba because it’s all about the music; it’s all about having a good time.”

The highly celebrated Pedrito Martinez Group, returns to the Crescent City on Thursday, November 17, as part of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s excellent, ongoing presentations of Cuban musicians.

Pedrito approaches the Afro-Cuban style that he grew up with an exciting freshness and the experiences he’s gained through his years in New York playing with a wide range of musicians including our own trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and drummer Herlin Riley. His band is also unique in many ways. For one, there is no trap set or timbales as part of the instrumentation and also everyone in the band sings. Special too is that the members of the group come from various countries with Pedrito and keyboardist Edgar Pantoja-Aleman hailing from Cuba, Havana and Santiago, respectively. Longtime member and fellow percussionist Jhair Sala is a native of Peru and bassist Avaro Benvidas was born in Venezuela. This makes for an interesting musical perspective as each artist brings a piece of their musical cultures to the ensemble.

Boundaries disappear as cultures, stylist musical eras and attitudes meet and explode as heard on Pedrito’s latest album, Havana Dreams, on the forward-thinking Motema Music label.

There will be two, free shows at 8 pm and 11 p.m. presented at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, 1225 N. Rampart St.

This article originally published in the November 14, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.