Betsy Braud: Do You Want To Be Healed

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: February 1, 2000

The Jazz Nurse. Betsy Braud is a busy woman. Her curriculum vitae includes university-trained musician (she studied with Alvin Batiste) and performs regularly in southern Louisiana. She is a registered nurse (practicing the most demanding nursing— home health). And she is a mother of three. Drawing from all aspects, Ms. Braud has formulated a prescription for the spirit: complex music well played.

Creole Gumbo The music of Betsy Braud is well trained and unique. The recipe sounds like a single part each of Monk, Bechet, and Professor Longhair. Braud seems to play one part soprano saxophone, one part flute and one part piano. She is joined by a young rhythm section of apparently talent local to her in South Louisiana. Her songs are upbeat piquant, with just that filé of Louisiana— a hint of the swamp. Check out the fractured blues of “3 a.m.” and the thoughtful “Wayfarin’ Stranger”.

Track Listing: 3 a.m.; Estou Buscando; Balewa; Indoor China; Sita Pigana Na Wewe; A Walk At Twilight; Mes Trois Filles; Wayfarin

Personnel: Betsy Braud: Flute, Piano; Soprano saxophone; Matt Ashman: Bass; Daniel Hotard: Guitar; gary Roberts: Drums; Michael Skinkus: Percussion.

Record Label: OWO
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream