New Orleans is one of the greatest cultural conglomerations on the face
of the earth. From the remains of past conquerors like Spain and France,
to leftovers from the thousands of international expatriates who gather for
the Crescent City’s festivals and endless parties, it remains a gumbo
within the American melting pot.
On his latest CD, Nawlins horn man Kermit Ruffins dips in a big ladle
and comes up with a tasty menu of multi-ethnic flavors that range from his
own roots in jazz to tinges of reggae to rock. From the opening Dixieland
theme song "Tiger Rag" and the easy-going swing of "Basin Street
Blues," to such second liners as "When I Die" and the butt-shaking "Palm
Court Strut," it is evident that Ruffins has his hometown well in hand when
he lays it on his horn. Through the musical march of the subtly but
noticeably rearranged "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and the Latin
spice of "The World is a Ghetto," Ruffins also shows other sides of his
jazz repertoire; a mode he escapes with the Wyclef-ian jam "One Life."
Along the way, Ruffins also returns to his childhood with the juvenile
family affair "Breakfast Lunch and Dinner" and then to one of his personal
favorites with a second mix of "Skokian" that closes the album with all the
energy and flavor of the broadly talented performer and the wonderfully
diverse city he calls home.
Kermit Ruffins at All About Jazz.
Visit Kermit Ruffins on the web.
Track listing: 1. Tiger Rag
2. Skokiaan
3. When I Die (You Better Second Line)
4. Wake Up Neesie
5. Palm Court Strut
6. Stardust
7. On the Sunny Side of the Street
8. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
9. Big Easy
10. World Is a Ghetto
11. Basin Street Blues
12. One Life
13. Skokiaan [Remix]
Style: Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool
Published: January 17, 2003
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New Orleans is one of the greatest cultural conglomerations on the face
of the earth. From the remains of past conquerors like Spain and France,
to leftovers from the thousands of international expatriates who gather for
the Crescent City’s festivals and endless parties, it remains a gumbo
within the American melting pot.
