The Last Music Company: Dr. John - Ske-Dat-De-Dat, The Spirit Of Satch - New on vinyl

The Last Music Company has released Dr. John's tribute to Louis Armstrong, Ske-Dat-De-Dat, on vinyl on June 5, 2020. I had the opportunity to review this newest release and it's a lot of fun. Opening with What A Wonderful World, Dr John joins up with Nicholas Payton on trumpet and the Blind Boys of Alabama for a Mac stylized version of this Armstrong classic. Payton floats on the melodic rhythm and Mac's vocals are tops. Bonnie Raitt joins on I've Got The World On A String and an easy swing. Both Mac and Raitt seem very comfortable with excellent lead vocals, bluesy guitar riffs, clarinet and full horn backing. Very nice. In traditional Mac/New Orleans Jazz style, Gut Bucket Blues is one of my favorite tracks on the release, again featuring Payton on trumpet and with strong horn backing and some really tasty drumming. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child features Anthony Hamilton on lead vocal with smooth soulful backing and solid horn work. The McCrary Sisters and Ledisi do a totally spiritual version of Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen with powerful rich vocals, organ and strong piano work from Dr. John. Excellent! Mac is back up front on piano and vocal on Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams, joined by The Blind Boys of Alabama and Terrance Blanchard. This is a particularly cool track with Mac's classic New Orleans blues styling, blended with the warm gospel backing of BBA and the cool jazz styling of Blanchard on trumpet. Very cool. More traditional New Orleans style blues on Dippermouth Blues is a great track with Mac on lead vocal and piano and a super new Orleans beat. James 12 Andrews (Trombone Shorty) hits the trumpet on this one and it's another of my favorites. Shemekia Copeland contributes her own lush vocals to Sweet Hunk of Trash, a funky New Orleans number. With cool trombone work and tight drumming, another strong track. Easy jazz ballad, Memories of You features mac on lead vocal and piano but it's the terrific trumpet soloing of Arturo Sandoval that really sails this one. Sandoval plants himself and just wails. Excellent! Wrapping the release is a totally Dirty Dozen-ized When You're Smiling with a great tuba bottom and with excellent, trumpet led, march style jazz. Snappy percussion and mac on piano works really nicely with Mac's lead vocals. It's nice that Last Music has captured this on vinyl. Very cool. 

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Gary Clarke Jr. and Trombone Shorty to headline Russian River Jazz & Blues

Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival

Get ready for the 2 Great Festivals over 1 Great Weekend, voted Best Music Festival in Sonoma County by the readers of the North Bay Bohemian!   The 38th annual RUSSIAN RIVER JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL will take place on Sept 20 & 21 at Johnson's Beach in Guerneville, CA. Music fans can purchase Single Day & Weekend Passes to the festival and enjoy 2 stages of jazz, blues and roots music over 2 days at Johnson’s Beach - a beautiful venue surrounded by California Redwoods.   For the last 38 years, music festivals have been a vital part of the Russian River community. Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville offers a picturesque venue that rests along the beach of the Russian River, only a few miles from over 100 wineries.   Headlining the festival this year will be performers Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Boney James & Larry Graham & Graham Central Station along with Goapele, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, Ana Popovic, Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings, Beso Negro, Davina & The Vagabonds, Mitch Woods and Nicolas Bearde.  Click here for more info and to purchase tickets!

Summertime - Trombone Shorty feat Cyril Neville

Cyril Neville (born in New Orleans, Louisiana, January 10, 1948), is a percussionist and vocalist who first came to prominence as a member of his brother Art Neville's funky New Orleans-based band, The Meters. He joined Art in the prestigious Neville Brothers band upon the dissolution of the Meters.

He has appeared on recordings by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Edie Brickell, Willie Nelson, Dr. John and The New Orleans Social Club (among others.)

Neville wrote an article for the December 16, 2005 edition of CounterPunch, , titled "Why I'm Not Going Back To New Orleans" and was featured in the 2006 film, New Orleans Music in Exile. He currently lives in Austin, TX.

Neville has performed at such venues as the Voodoo Experience and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
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New Verve Release :For True - Trombone Shorty : Review

I just got the new release from Trombone Shorty (Troy Andrews). Wow! This is a great recording! I was first introduced to this type of music on a TV show called Lonesome Pine Special a long time ago. I saw on there a band called the "Rebirth Marching Brass Band" and they were over the top. Little kids mostly playing this foreign blues/jazz/soul/funk music primarily on brass instruments and horns. It was incredible. We those little kids have grown up and we are now seeing the result of the seed that was planted on national television. Trombone Shorty has now put out this second release (his first,"Backatown" was "Grammy®-nominated in 2010)and it is an incredible mix of everything like a gumbo of blues, soul, jazz funk,hip hop and bounce. Andrews wrote or co wrote all 14 tracks on this recording and shows his deep roots and broad knowledge of musical styling. This release is like a non stop party. As on a lot of recordings there are a number of guest artists but the one who stands out in my mind is Jeff Beck.... Yeah...that Jeff Beck. As most of you know, Jeff beck is my main dude and it's hard for him to do any wrong! His playing stood out on Do To Me and it is immediately recognizable as him... but I got to tell you. My favorite of all the terrific tracks on this recording is the soul tune "Then There Was You" (I could swear D'Angelo is hiding in there somewhere).

Yes...you're getting two videos on this admission. The second video soundtrack does have Jeff's guitar solo but Jeff didn't show up for the video recording.
This is really great to listen to and you're missing out if you don't pick up a copy!


Really!!
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On Tour:
11/3 Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theater
11/4 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
11/5 Virginia Beach, VA @ The Jewish Mother
11/6 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
11/8 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rex Theater
11/9 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/10 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/11 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
11/12 Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
11/13 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11/15 Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
11/16 Bridgeport, CT @ The Klein Memorial Auditorium
11/17 Toronto, Ontario, CA @ Opera House
11/18 Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrews Hall
11/19 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
11/20 Phoenix, AZ @ JW Desert Ridge Blues Festival
12/23 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
12/27 Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House
12/28 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
12/29 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
1/9-1/14 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Jam Cruise 10