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Heritage Hall Jazz Band: Live at the American Theatre
ByThe crème de la crème of the Big Easy's jazz stars converged for an out-of-area homecoming of sorts, where the spirit of its birthright reconvened with an exhilarating and unrelenting reprisal. Trumpeter Greg Stafford, guitarist Steve Blailock and other renowned artists redirected dour circumstances into a noteworthy transformation marked by soaring lines, Fred Lonzo's gutsy trombone solos and Stafford's innocuous Doc Cheatham-like vocals. It becomes quite easy to discern that the joint was jumping.
Pianist Mari Watanabe's strutting and shuffling piano voicings abet the rhythm section's largely foot-stomping swing vamps, while Stafford's trills and emotive use of vibratoin concert with Lonzo's wah-wah-drenched trombone linesinstill ardor and compassion on "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?
The band trades vivacious fours with lighthearted appeal and forthright intentions throughout. Legendary vocalist Jewell Brown (who was Louis Armstrong's featured vocalist for seven years) joins the set, starting on the beloved standard "All of Me. With a charismatic stage presence and a dynamic delivery, Brown's audience-pleasing persona glistens radiantly. She kicks the band into high gear during "Love Come Back to Me, while digging a knock-down, drag-out blues groove on "Good Morning Blues. On the latter, we hear the horn players' triumphantly climactic choruses appending emphasis to Blailock's fusion of jazz and Mississippi blues-style licks. Sparks were flying that night as Brown and the band emerged as merchants of good cheer. In sum, the spirit of New Orleans' cherished musical heritage is renewed with a prevailing sense of immortality here. Zealously recommended.
Track Listing
Just a Little While to Stay Here; Some of these Days; Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?; St. Louis Blues; Fidgety Feet; All of Me; Lover Come Back to Me; You
Personnel
Mari Watanabe: piano; Mitchell Player: bass; Shannon Powell: drums; Steve Blailock: guitar; Jewel Brown: vocals; Gregg Stafford: leader, trumpet, vocals; Roderick Paulin: tenor saxophone; Fred Lonzo: trombone.
Album information
Title: Live at the American Theatre | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Heritage Hall Productions
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