Vol. 11 No. 6. 2004.
Subscriptions: Louis Lince, 13 Carlton Avenue, Romiley, Stockport SK6 4EG, England
Phone +44 161 494 9899. Mail: louislince@neworleansmusic.demon.co.uk
(Music Mecca CD4024-2)
Algiers Strut; San Antonio Rose; Winin’ Boy Blues; Highways Are Happy Ways; John B Calypso; Gloryland; Blueberry Hill; Big Mamou; Last Mile of the Way; Joe Avery’s Piece/Dippermouth Medley; A Thousand Goodnights.
Reviewed by Mike Pointon
This CD offers a tribute to two wellrespected musicians who died recently and are the two featured guests with New Orleans Delight, a band that does a sterling job flying the flag for New Orleans music in Denmark. Cliff Bastien first visited New Orleans in 1957 and met Kid Thomas, whose playing left an indelible impression upon him which can be felt in every bar heard on this album. He eventually emigrated to Canada and George Berry joined him in Toronto in the 70s. Their style are readily compatatible as Berry’s tenor sound is clearly based on Emanuel Paul and, with sympathetic backing from the Danes, the end result is a true down-home dance hall sound.
Marcel Joly’s affectionate notes fill in the background and give in-depth information about some of the more unusual pieces in the band’s repertoire.He reminds us that Algiers Strut is ‘based on the popular song You Are All I Want For Christmas’ (in fact it’s the self-same melody!) and the version is a lively opener.
The long Winin’ Boy (10.15) features a warm vocal from Bastien and some melodic tenor and fluent clarinet underpinned by supportive but unobtrusive drums. John B Calypso (known here as I Wanna Go Home and a hit for Lonnie Donegan) suits the band’s style well and allows Bengt Hansson to evoke shades of Louis Nelson making one feel it would have been an ideal vehicle for the Thomas band.
Big Mamou gives a salute to DeDe Pierce well in keeping with the proceedings and has a boisterous vocal from Bastien, breaking into patois, with booting tenor propelling things along nicely. Highways Are Happy Ways, again, is just the sort of homely material one might have heard at, say, the Westwego Firemen’s Hall (where Bastien heard Thomas for the first time) as is San Antonio Rose, although the band doesn’t seem too at home with the latter, having seemingly truncated the sequence.
The poignant Last Mile Of The Way and the charming but neglected A Thousand Goodnights, by the prolific Walter Donaldson, almost evoking a Ted Lewis mood with its reflective vocal, provide an appropriate farwell to two dedicated musicians.
All in all, a honest, workmanlike album. Well worth a listen.
Lear more at www.cdjazz.com, and www.new-orleans-delight.dk