Walking though the French Quarter last weekend, I was blown away by the sweet sounds of old-timey jazz and blues from a group of buskers called Tuba Skinny. The band mates met playing in the streets five years ago, and became Tuba Skinny in spring 2009. I imagine the name is a play on New Orleans musicians Trombone Shorty and Tuba Fats.
The quality of Tuba Skinny's playing gave me the sense that they were channeling musicians from the 1920's and 30's. Each individual player had the look of a young urban hipster, however they are clearly old souls with exceptional musical abilities. Their desire to immerse themselves in early jazz made me fall in love with them.
The jazz tradition is alive and well. And don't forget to tip big!
There's nothing like a great song to get the Funky Trunk blog back up and running. After taking time to listen Mavis Staples' new album, You Are Not Alone, from beginning to end I realize that I haven't enjoyed a full album from "cover to cover" in years. I'll listen to a few tracks, jump around or get distracted and hit pause.
Mavis has my full attention. Paired with producer Jeff Tweedy, Ms. Mavis has a collection of traditional gospel tracks, songs from the Staple Singers, Randy Newman, Allen Toussaint and new tunes by Tweedy that range from soulful blusey to Wilco-y rock.
Her cover of Toussaint's 1975 release Last Train is the one that brought the Funky Trunk blog back from semi-retirement.
Oh, and if that's not enough for you...Here's a great video of Ms. Mavis and Jeff Tweedy singing Wrote a Song for Everyone written by John Fogerty. Another reason to love these two artists...
This Ash Wednesday marks Irma Thomas' 69th birthday. Here's the Soul Queen of New Orleans singing "You Can Have My Husband" with B.B. King. Originally recorded in 1960, it still rocks today.
Professor Longhair with The Meters...soundin' good!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Oh When the Sun Begins to Shine
It's four days after the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl, and I'm still feeling the afterglow.
This video by documentary filmmakers Rebecca and Jason Ferris was shot on Magazine Street in New Orleans just moments after the Saints won the Super Bowl and the sums up the feeling of Saints fans world over.
It's set to Fats Domino's version of "Oh When the Saints," an old gospel hymn that is traditionally sung at jazz funerals. As the procession of mourners winds its way to the church the song is played as a dirge. After the body has been buried and is deceased safe in the hands of the lord, "Oh When the Saints" picks up tempo and leads a "second line" procession of dancing and joy. "Second line" refers to the second line of people (usually strangers) who follow the actual funeral party.
"Oh When the Saints" has become synonymous with the New Orleans Saints. The long suffering team has never made it to the Super Bowl and was generally regarded as the laughing stock of the NFL. Its home, the Superdome, became the fated and decrepit refuge for those trapped by Hurricane Katrina.
Now, 43 years after the team's inception and 4 1/2 years post-Katrina the Saints are world champions and the second line has cause to celebrate.
We've died and gone to heaven.
"Oh, how I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in."
There are songs out there that kill me when I hear them. I have to listen over and over...and the song keeps sounding better and better. Galactic's cut from their new album YA-KA-MAY is one of them. It features the Soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas. This is Galactic's second collaborative album, the first being From the Corner to the Block, which was loaded with hip-hop artists. It had an amazing sound, and YA-KA-MAY (from the 2 tracks I've heard) proves to be an even more exciting mixing old with new.
I have had the pleasure of hosting Funky Trunk on Utah Free Media, www.utahfm.org since the station's inception in May 2008. Look for music posts on funk, blues, R&B, soul and anything groovy.
I've got a trunk full of funk, and I'm happy to share with you.
