Jazz Articles

Allen Toussaint & Friends: A New Orleans Christmas

by Jim Santella
October 1, 1998

The various artists that appear on this 1997 Christmas album make it a cross-genre collection of R&B, C&W, pop/rock, blues, and jazz items suitable for infusing that annual Christmas spirit. Lead vocalists for the lyric-oriented Yuletide favorites include Raymond Myles, Larry Hamilton, Tricia Boutte, Grace Darling, Wallace Johnson, and James Andrews.

With Allen Toussaint’s spirited piano accompaniment and a Satchmo-inspired trumpet introduction, James Andrews sings “Christmas in New Orleans." Andrews’ bright trumpet melodies and lively vocalizing warm the room, as ...

Grace Darling: Imaginary Lover

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

Grace Darling is your standard tenor sax-playing vocalist, and Imaginary Lover is just another one of those discs where the leader plays tenor sax and sings in front of New Orleans funk-gospel backbeats. Seriously, that this accomplished singer plays sax at all (or should that be “that this accomplished saxophonist sings at all"?) is intriguing; the fact that she does both quite well makes this a superb funk-jazz recording.

Darling's vocals are stylistically more pop- than jazz-oriented, but check out ...

Allen Toussaint: Connected

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

Allen Toussaint is back. Let the world know. Connected is his first full-length national release in nearly twenty years, and it is a full resume of the New Orleans institution's many talents. His funky R&B piano is the centerpiece of this disc, which features a host of New Orleans luminaries including Dave Bartholomew on trumpet, Leo Nocentelli on guitar, Russell Batiste on drums, and Amadee Castenell on tenor. In addition to these guest appearances, the tracks feature a cast of ...

The New Birth Brass Band: D-Boy

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

This disc is a wonderful treat from the young (no one is over 31) New Orleans sextet that is reviving the brass band sound that came out of New Orleans and swept the country in the early years of this century. But the New Birth Brass Band is by no means a tired trad group reviving ancient licks. Each member of the ensemble plays with contagious enthusiasm and a delightfully ramshackle precision. Their solos are relatively brief, in the manner ...

Amadee Castenell: Amadee

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

More groove-laden contemporary jazz from Allen Toussaint's NYNO. Amadee Castenell plays a gritty R&B tenor (and flute on “Angels"), backed by a funky ensemble consisting of Toussaint's piano on four tracks, pianist Chuck (not Charlie) Chaplin on three others (he also plays Fender Rhodes on one), the smooth synthesizers of Larry Sieberth, Scott Goudeau on guitar, David Barard on bass (seven tracks), Chris Severin on bass (the other five tracks), Russell Batiste on drums (five tracks), Bernard “Bunchy" Johnson on ...

Allen Toussaint and Friends: A New Orleans Christmas

by Robert Spencer
August 1, 1998

Allen Toussaint appears on piano and / or keyboards on ten of these thirteen tracks, which are a good representative sampler of the current New Orleans sound. If that doesn't mean anything to you, think of “The Man who Sang with Linda Ronstadt" a few years back. He, of course, doesn't appear here, but the folks who do have the same sound: Heavy danceable grooves with backing vocals behind soulful melisma-laden leads. Raymond Myles' funky “We Three Kings" is a ...

Grace Darling: Imaginary Lover

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1998

New Orleans supplies the rhythms, Al Kooper supplies the title track, and Grace Darling supplies the pop vocals. Loose and expressive, the singer works with a strong band and capable male backup vocalists. Darling adds her lucid tenor saxophone on seven tracks for color and variety. In her hands, the instrument sings out clear and strong, but it is used merely to reinforce and embellish the melodies. With its emphasis on backbeats and lyrics, this session employs the ensemble as ...

Amadee Castenell: Amadee

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1998

Tenor saxophonist Amadee Castenell plays smooth jazz with support from electric bass & guitar, keyboards & synths, and a drummer's back beat rhythms. Melodic, with acoustic piano fills and guitar doubling, Castenell's tenor takes center stage throughout the session. The leader has recorded with Lee Dorsey, The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, and Johnny Adams; her reverence of the melody is no surprise. Castenell's tone is full and bright; the emphasis on a melody is quite appropriate.

Bill Summers supplies a ...

Allen Toussaint: Connected

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1998

With roots in both Gospel and Ragtime, New Orleans singer-pianist Allen Toussaint has assembled an enjoyable session that appeals to a broad audience. From an outsider's point-of-view, Toussaint's ensemble shares that “Crescent City mystique" espoused by Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, The Dirty Dozen & New Birth Brass Bands, and others. While this session combines folk, funk, calypso and rock into one entity, Toussaint's compositions each contain some amount of blues feeling and imagery.

Updating blues double-entendre, Toussaint begins “Computer ...

James Andrews: Satchmo Of The Ghetto

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1998

With Allen Toussaint and Dr. John backing him on organ and piano, James Andrews presents the kind of fun-loving music that takes place in Preservation Hall. Not one to employ etude drills or carefully-articulated tonguing exercises, the trumpeter remains loose and lyrical. Similarly, his singing has roots in blues and trad jazz; it's music intended to entertain an audience with good old-fashioned down-home charm. The supporting ensemble is stellar; besides the keyboard leadership, the band includes drummer Bernard “Bunchy" Johnson, ...