Jon Cleary: The Bywater Sessions

Interviewed on WWNO in New Orleans, when asked what has inspired his The Bywater Sessions album (and it is an album as the traditional vinyl format is available), the response was simple. Musicians from New Orleans thrive on live performances and, too often for one reason or another, the CDs sold at gigs do not reflect the one-off ambiance of a live performance that, by its very nature, immediately disappears into the ether. Cleary's goal was to produce a recording "with everybody in the same room playing." Recorded "live" in the comfortable confines of his home studio in the Bywater, allowed him and co-producer, John Porter, to clean up the occasional wayward detail and, in this case, add some horns and backup vocals.

The album consists of ten songs culled from the twenty recorded in what must have been a rather intensive two-day blitz of activity with his longtime band, The Absolute Monster Gentlemen. As the musicians had already been performing the material live, rehearsals were unnecessary allowing them to just go after it with vigor

Though the recording sessions were intense, the tough work involved deciding what to release now and what was to remain in the can as a vinyl release could not accommodate everything. Given the decidedly upbeat atmosphere, the fan base, both in New Orleans and around the world, will undoubtedly be interested to hear what was left out at some point in the future.

Of course that must wait, as Cleary decided on a rather inspired set list for the project, opening with "So Damn Good," a song that sets the appropriate mood. It is party time and it surely does feel so damn good, whether you're at the Chickie Wah Wah (a popular club in New Orleans) or streaming the music at high volume.

Upbeat fun was apparently the objective with the recording session, and the original compositions reveal both Cleary's sense of humor and way with words. He not only writes songs that entertain but is a compelling contributor to Substack as well. The lyrics to "Zulu Coconuts," with the double entendre of "take your hands off my nuts," is undeniably good fun. Of course, the Zulu coconuts are traditionally coveted by Mardi Gras parade-goers, thrown to the adoring crowds lining the streets by the renowned Krewe of Zulu in New Orleans.

"Fessa Longhair Boogaloo" pays homage to arguably the best-known pianist of the many who have called New Orleans home. Using the melody to "Tipitina's," a Fess classic, he revisits the syncopated energy of the original with a well-placed accompaniment of horns followed by guitar highlights, recalling the revelry of Professor Longhair's original recording and final album. Interestingly, it includes a brief interlude simulating a hot Cuban nightclub ensemble as if playing for an enthralled audience in Havana. And recently in Cuba to perform, the audience went crazy upon hearing it.

"Uptown Downtown," another upbeat, toe-tapping and a potential anthem in the making, covers the breadth of the neighborhood music traditions, with faint but distinct undertones from deep in the Quarter with Preservation Hall to a classic New Orleans r&b sound to a spacy contemporary conclusion.

"Bin a Lil' Minit" is another rollicking tune right out of the New Orleans R&B tradition with backup singers echoing Cleary's lead. He adds a delicate tickling of the ivories of his right hand with a performance that can leave one breathless if dancing comes into the picture, And why not dance as, after all. It is a live performance.

The pace changes dramatically with homage to The Meters, an unexpected opportunity to relax? Cleary's take on "Just Kiss My Baby" is one Art Neville once wistfully admired, wishing The Meters had included the subtle variations and inventions to complement what is now considered a timeless standard in New Orleans.

With no rest for the weary, the next track, "Boneyard," returns to the original intent of this album, turning up the volume once again. Somehow appropriate for a town with shows often scheduled to begin well after midnight, late night revelry is a staple among those who flock to the city for festival season, and Cleary's fortitude for a good party remains intact.

"Lottie Mo" sounds more like a traditional New Orleans song that not only displays his prowess at the piano but also for his band, too, with the R&B sound of horns sprinkled in as his keyboard creates the musical flow. The next to final track, "Pickle for a Tickle," provides an opportunity to relax a bit, beginning with a jazz vocal, reminiscent of traditional music once heard echoing through narrow lanes in the French Quarter. But do not get too comfortable, as it takes a sudden musical turn, and cuts loose with an unmistakable, irresistibly energetic Caribbean / Habañera sound to which all New Orleans musicians owe so much.

"Unnecessarily Mercenary," with an uncharacteristically serious message, decries an uncomfortably pervasive theme of these much too modern times in which we live: "You're a gun for hire when a war breaks out, Loving on the front line 'til the money runs out. Finger on the trigger, baby pull it and see if your mercenary tactic's gonna work on me."

Sharp commentary is seldom voiced in New Orleans good time music, but this was mindfully chosen for the final track.

An unpretentious musical effort with no hint of self-consciousness, it is unabashedly good, clean fun as Cleary tastefully, at times subtly, pays proper tribute to the past with a fresh and inimitable style.

In both a musical and lyrical sense, it may be his most complete album, perhaps a testament to a musician achieving inevitable maturity over time. Fun music, best heard at high volume, Cleary seems to have reached another level with this latest release. Rather than merely dazzling with technique, he is smiling, and clearly having lots of fun creating joyful music.

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