New Orleans Delight
featuring

Just Jazz, December 2005

CD REVIEW
by Bert Thompson

In 2004. New Orleans Delight, the six-piece Danish/Swedish jazz band that uses guest trumpet players, for a European tour brought over Gregg Stafford from New Orleans to occupy the trumpet chair and Brian Towers (ex-U.K.) from Canada to fill the temporarily vacant trombone spot. Both are featured on this CD, the band's latest release, In New Orleans, Stafford plays with, and leads, the Young Tuxedo Brass Band, as well as the former Kid Sheik Cola band; in Toronto, Canada, Towers leads his own group, the Hot Five Jazzmakers. Stafford has made several appearances in Europe since his first in 1977, and Towers likewise has toured several countries with his own band prior to this solo visit.

As Marcel Joly says in his liner notes, both men dovetail seamlessly with the rest of the New Orleans Delight band members, sounding as if they have been doing this together for years. That is the mark of a good jazzman - he is a good listener and can "fit in" once he hears the other band members and the style played. And it says something for New Orleans Delight's Kjeld Brandt, who can choose guests that prove so congenial, and for the rest of the band who can accommodate such guests.

The proceedings get off to a good start with Second Line March, Lindhardt laying down a nice New Orleans street beat which is maintained throughout the tune, including a fitting drum solo. Stafford takes the vocal, his voice being easy on the ear. If you enjoy vocals by musicians, you will not be disappointed with this CD as some 50% of the selections are sung by Stafford. However, with What a Wonderful World (a tune - or at least the lyrics of which - most people seem to love or hate) he falls prey to the seemingly irresistible urge so many singers have to do a gravely Louis imitation, this one being mercifully short as it is only a couple of lines taking the song out. While on the subject of vocals, I should mention that the closing number, or at least the vocal on it, is actually a medley of When the Saints Go Marching In and I'll be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You, although such is not mentioned on the tray insert.

Stafford's trumpet playing displays a more modern sound than that of players of the previous generation, as he frequently uses a plethora of notes (as compared to the economical output of, say, Kid Thomas) and ascending and descending runs, as well as tending to explore the upper reaches of the high register, for instance his solo on St. Louis Blues or the coda on Hindustan. Now he can and does play a forceful, authoritative horn, and he is certainly in command of his instrument, but he resorts occasionally to some grandstanding that doesn't add a great deal to the music, such as the long, sustained note he holds on Fidgety Feet or Milneburg Joys—more a demonstration of endurance than a musical contribution, as far as I am concerned. So I have mixed feelings about Stafford's trumpet playing. Marcel Joly says, Stafford "ha[s] his own individual style rooted in the old tradition of the city," so we will just leave it at that.

The other guest, Brian Towers, exhibits some nice mute work on Some of These Days and, along with Brandt, provides sensitive backing to Stafford's lead on What a Friend We Have in Jesus. He also displays this quality, as well as his tastefulness, as he plays behind Brandt on Just a Little While to Stay Here. But he can and does play robustly as well - he is a versatile trombonist.

On the subject of backing, I wish there had been a bit more ensemble playing, the hallmark of the New Orleans style, particularly behind solos by the front line members, rather than the its being left so often to just the rhythm section, fine as it is.

All in all, however, what we have here is another very good disc in an increasingly long line of same from New Orleans Delight. As well as good music, they provide some exposure of the musicians who guest with the band to those who might not be familiar with their work. By all means add this disc to your library.

Like other Music Mecca CD's, this one can be ordered on-line at the following internet websites: www.cdjazz.com (e-mail ambia@cdjazz.com) or www.jazznblues.co.uk (e-mail jazzjerry@aol.com).