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Harry Connick Jr.: Chanson du Vieux Carre
ByConceived as a companion to the vocal album Oh, My Nola (Sony, 2007), Chanson is the third release in Marsalis Music's Connick on Piano series. It focuses as much on Connick's skills as an arranger as his piano chops. The album presents twelve big band tracks, including three penned by Connick, that effectively explore the diverse tapestry of New Orleans' native music. Included are de rigueur tunes by Armstrong ("Someday You'll be Sorry ), Bechet ("Petite Fleur ) and Professor Longhair ("Mardis Gras in New Orleans ), all of which receive appropriately respectful and clever treatments.
The highlights, however, are an uplifting take on "Bourbon Street Parade, replete with jaunty rhythm, swinging vocals and a superb trombone solo; Connick's slinky "Luscious and intriguingly arranged "Ash Wednesday ; and Hoagy Carmichael's sentimental excursion "New Orleans, with its luxuriant tempo, lopping horns, and sensual piano.
Excellently performed by a tight-knit cadre of musicians, Chanson delivers a reminder of the numerous contributions the great city of New Orleans has made to American culture by freezing in time a native artist's vision of its rich musical character at a time before the levees broke. (Appropriately, a portion of all proceeds from the album will be donated to New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village, a project established by Connick and Branford Marsalis to provide affordable housing for displaced musicians and other families.)
Track Listing
Someday You
Personnel
Harry Connick, Jr.
pianoHarry Connick Jr.: piano; Neal Caine: bass; Arthur Latin: drums; Charles
Album information
Title: Chanson du Vieux Carre | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Marsalis Music
Comments
About Harry Connick, Jr.
Instrument: Piano
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