New Orleans was once a musical oasis, seemingly unnoticed by the world outside. This year, two of our Top 10 albums of the year received Grammy nominations—Rebirth Brass Band, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys—and four of the artists record for companies based somewhere outside Louisiana. Trombone Shorty and Curren$y record for major labels, GIVERS’ In Light was released by a significant boutique label, and Nicholas Payton’s controversial Bitches was recorded for Concord, then released by the German label In+Out. That doesn’t mean the city has lost its soul and joined the quest to be the Next Big Thing, though. Two of our top albums of 2011 are traditional jazz albums, while Quintron and Helen Gillet are the sort of artists who have always flourished here, distinctive artistic voices that are nonetheless firmly rooted in their communities.
—John Swenson
The Top 20
1. Trombone Shorty: For True (Verve) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“Shorty has peppered For True with showcases in exactly the manner hip-hop’s major artists do it, being generous with the limelight but in charge and aware of the flow.”—reviewed September 2011 by John Swenson
2. GIVERS: In Light (Glassnote) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“The palpable enthusiasm in the tracks obscures the sonic depth of In Light. It has as much atmosphere as energy.”—reviewed August 2011 by Alex Rawls
3. Quintron: Sucre du Sauvage (Goner) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“In a sense, Sucre du Sauvage is Quintron’s Low.”—reviewed May 2011 by Alex Rawls
4. Helen Gillet: Running of the Bells (Independent) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes]
“There is a contemporary classical vibe to this as well as a jazz sensibility and an avant-garde edge.”—reviewed July 2011 by David Kunian
5. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys: Grand Isle (Independent) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“The group still crafts smart songs with infectious melodies.”—reviewed March 2011 by Dan Willging
6. Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses: A Tribute to Sidney Bechet: Live in New Orleans (Independent) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“It’s hard to put new life into some of these trad jazz warhorses, but the exuberance of the band in the confines of Preservation Hall makes these songs sound contemporary.”—reviewed August 2011 by David Kunian
7. Curren$y: Weekend at Burnie’s (Warner Bros) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“Spitta offers an album full of his standard weed, women and clothes that made him the cult icon and fan favorite he is now.”—reviewed September 2011 by David Dennis
8. Dr. Michael White: Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Volume 1 (Basin Street) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“It’s masterful in its craft and maturity, a stunning display of restraint, discipline, craft, and pure emotion.”—reviewed July 2011 by Roger Hahn
9. Nicholas Payton: Bitches (In + Out Records) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes]
“This record is very different from Payton’s better-known jazz work, but it gets better with every listen.”—reviewed March 2011 by David Kunian
10. Rebirth Brass Band: Rebirth of New Orleans (Basin Street) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“As this record attests, the Rebirth still blows doors off quite nicely.”—reviewed April 2011 by Brian Boyles
11. Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole: Le Soleil Est Levé (Lache Pas) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes]
“Watson has created a mature representation of both his musical vision and the development of his musical talent.”—reviewed December 2011 by Roger Hahn
12. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band: American Legacies (McCoury Music) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“The evolution of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band into a conveyer of hip is one of the musical successes of post-K culture.”—reviewed April 2011 by Brian Boyles
13. George Porter, Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners: Can’t Beat the Funk! (Independent) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“With Can’t Beat the Funk!, Porter reminds us that there’s more to the Meters than its canonical works.”—reviewed November 2011 by Alex Rawls
14. Camile Baudoin and the Living Rumors: Old Bayou Blues (Threadhead) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes]
“Baudoin and BeauSoleil’s David Doucet are obviously enjoying playing acoustic guitars together and do so without redundancy.”—reviewed December 2011 by Alex Rawls
15. Delfeayo Marsalis: Sweet Thunder (Troubadour Jass) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“Marsalis achieves the remarkable feat of maintaining fidelity to Ellington’s creation while altering it in subtle and wonderful ways.”—reviewed April 2011 by John Swenson
16. Johnny Sansone: The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too (Shortstack) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes]
“The results are lean, hard and haunted, defined by Sansone’s barking, preaching vocals and his overdriven harmonica.”—reviewed July 2011 by Alex Rawls
17. Dee-1: I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 2 (mixtape) [stream/download]
“Dee-1 has mastered his craft and can create a fully developed project that is his launching pad to mainstream success.”—reviewed May 2011 by David Dennis
18. Big Freedia: Scion A/V Presents Big Freedia (Scion A/V) [stream]
“Bounce is slagged for being repetitive and simplistic, but Freedia’s producers are stretching the genre’s sonic palette nicely.”—reviewed June 2011 by Sam Levine
19. Davis Rogan: The Real Davis (Sousaphonk) [buy on Amazon]
“Most of all, The Real Davis is about the music, which Davis takes very seriously.”—reviewed July 2011 by John Swenson
20. Shannon McNally: Western Ballad (Sacred Sumac) [buy on Amazon] [buy on iTunes] [listen on Spotify]
“McNally and Bingham have made an album that reaches more boldly and illuminates her thoughts more clearly than ever.”—reviewed February 2011 by Alex Rawls
The Next 20
(in alphabetical order)
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux: Won’t Bow Down (f.Boo Music)
C.J. Chenier: Can’t Sit Down (World Village)
Creole String Beans: Shrimp Boots and Vintage Suits (Threadhead)
Galactic: The Other Side of Midnight (Anti-)
Yvette Landry: Should Have Known (Independent)
Tim Laughlin featuring Connie Jones: If Dreams Come True (Gentilly)
Eric Lindell: West County Drifter (M.C. Records)
Lyrikill: More Heart More Sole (Elevated Minds)
Sasha Masakowski and Musical Playground: Wishes (Hypersoul)
Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher: Almost Native (Threadhead)
My Graveyard Jaw: Coming Winds (Independent)
New Orleans Moonshiners: Frenchmen St. Parade (Independent)
Panorama Brass Band: 17 Days (Independent)
Papa Grows Funk: Needle in the Groove (Funky Krewe)
Sun Hotel: Coast (Independent)
Supagroup: Hail! Hail! (Foodchain)
Tab Benoit: Medicine (Telarc)
Wayne Toups, Steve Riley, Wilson Savoy: The Band Courtbouillon (Valcour)
Various Artists: Colman deKay & Paul Sanchez’s Nine Lives, A Musical Adaption, Volume 1 (Mystery Street)
