Outside of the original Mardi Gras in New Orleans that appeared in the mid-1970s and 2000’s Mardi Gras Essentials, this CD is no better but no worse than the plethora of Mardi Gras CDs currently available. What does set Meet Me at Mardi Gras apart is that it probably has the longest time span of any of the compilations on the market, including tracks from the early 1950s to the almost-present day.

The earliest track, “Goin’ Back to New Orleans,” was recorded by a West Coast artist, Roy Milton, and it’s been a favorite of many for over a half-century. The most recent tracks, the Nightcrawlers’ “Funky Lisa” and The Soul Rebels’ “Say Na Hey,” are marginally Carnival songs, but they definitely flaunt the New Orleans second-line street beat. A couple of Cajun offerings are included here as Zachary Richard and Steve Riley join the party. So does Marcia Ball with “Big Shot.” Of the vintage material, Larry Williams contributes “Jockamo,” and while it doesn’t surpass Sugarboy’s original, it’s an A-1 rendering. Not surprisingly, there are a couple of Carnival classics in the mix—Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time” and Professor Longhair’s classic “Go to the Mardi Gras.” As great as it is to hear the latter, I’ve always wondered why the original Longhair version of this song has never made it onto a Mardi Gras CD, nor has Fats Domino’s mid-’50s classic cover, which is combination of New Orleans R&B and ska.

There’s really not a bad track on here, so if you’re looking for something different to listen to for this year’s Carnival, this should fit the bill.

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Other than reissues, true gutbucket blues CDs have been a rarity for more than a decade. Enter Exhibit A—Evening. One of the better harp players on the scene today, Sugar Ray Norcia gets a smoky, vintage sound by playing period instruments through tube amps. The sound is enhanced dramatically by Norcia not singing through the studio board, but rather through an amp (likely his harp amp). If one were to compare him to one of the old-school blues legends, Sonny Boy Williamson might well come to mind. His treatment of Otis Rush’s minor-keyed “You Know My Love” and Johnny Young’s hard-driving “I’m Having a Ball” are exemplary. “I Like What You Got” and “Hard to Get Along With” are originals, but very much influenced by Sonny Boy. “(That’s Not Yet) One of My Blues” and “Too Many Rules and Regulations” have modern themes, but the sound is from the Chess studio circa 1955. The title track “Evening,” is especially attractive. Associated with T-Bone Walker,” it’s also in a minor key, but when it switches tempo at the break it is especially riveting. Backing here is superb throughout.

If you like authentic harp-driven blues, this just might be the ticket. Sugar don’t get this sweet for blues lovers.

Buy Sugar Ray and the Bluetones’ Evening on iTunes

Larry Hamilton (1951-2011). Photo by Rick Olivier.

Larry Hamilton, a singer/songwriter who might be best known for a self-titled 1997 NYNO CD produced by Allen Toussaint, died December 28, 2011. Born in Galveston, Texas, March 23, 1951, he moved to New Orleans as a youth. At the age of seven, he began taking piano lessons with Ray Charles as his major influence. In 1965, he joined the Gladiators as vocalist often going on the road with the likes of B.B. King and Z.Z Hill.

In 1971, Hamilton cut his first single, “Gossip”, on Pelican Records produced by Wardell Quezergue. Around this time, his friend King Floyd was hot with “Groove Me,” and Floyd’s then-manager Elijah Walker signed Hamilton to a writer’s contract. In return, Hamilton wrote the minor hits “Feel Like Dynamite” and “Let Us Be” for King Floyd. He also wrote songs for Irma Thomas, Jean Knight and Johnny Adams.

Hamilton recorded a few songs at the Sea-Saint Recording Studio, but when he didn’t want to sign the contract he was offered, his voice was removed from the tracks and replaced with Johnny Adams’ vocals. Those tracks, a cover of Smokey Robinson’s “My Daughter’s Having a Baby” and his own “Stay with Me and Stay in Love,” appeared on Adams’ 1978 album, After All the Good is Gone.

Songwriting royalties didn’t quite pay all the bills, so Hamilton supplemented his income selling cars and clothing. The Larry Hamilton CD was part of an ambitious kick off to the NYNO label and garnered favorable reviews. NYNO’s existence was short-lived, so Hamilton took matters into his own hands and released Love Is? on his own label. Hamilton was a regular at the annual WWOZ Piano Night, but in recent years he began singing gospel. Hamilton is survived by a wife, Juanita, four children, and four grandchildren.

This is an all-star CD, and most all-star CDs are disappointing. Nevertheless, I couldn’t wait to hear this one. With B.B. King, Sharon Jones, Delbert McClinton, Bettye LaVette on board, among others, there’s not much disappointing here.

Dedicated is a salute to the fabulous Five Royales. Before James Brown, Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke, Smokey Robinson and Otis Redding, the Five Royales were the incubators of soul. In the words of Dr. John, “You ain’t never lived unless you saw the Five Royales.” This CD features the long-time Stax guitarist paying a debt as the Five Royales’ guitarist, the sensational showman Lowman Pauling, was his major influence.

Dedicated gets off to a powerful start with Steve Winwood taking the vocals on the mind-boggling romp, “Thirty Second Lover.” Bettye LaVette and Willie Jones follow with a spirited duet on the pleading “Don’t Be Ashamed.” Other highlights including John Popper guesting on “My Sugar Sugar,” Delbert McClinton’s racy take on “Right Around the Corner,” Sharon Jones’ grooving on “Messin’ Up,” and Buddy Miller’s telling take on “The Slummer the Slum.” Cropper is in spectacular form throughout, and he is instrumentally spotlighted on the soulful “Think” and “Help Me Somebody.” Lucinda Williams guests on a couple of tracks but her depressing voice makes these songs the low point of the CD.

Despite the occasional slip, this one comes with the highest recommendation. Dedicated will also make one search out the original Five Royales recordings, which upon listening, will enhance anyone’s life.

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Billy Diamond, who was instrumental in the launch of Fats Domino’s career, passed away in Los Angeles, October 20 from natural causes. He was 95.

Diamond was born in New Orleans on October 5, 1916, and grew up on Louisiana Avenue. “Louis Armstrong actually gave me a trumpet in 1930, but I never learned to play it,” recalled Diamond in 1999. “I used to make guitars out of screen wire and basses out of old inner tubes tied to washtubs. That’s how I learned to play bass. Later I got a Kay bass and learned from Tom Copelin and Marvin Kimble. They were Dixieland players.”

Diamond served in the military during World War II. When the war ended, he made music his profession.

“My first band was Billy Diamond and the Mellow Riff Trio,” he said. “We worked a lot around the Ninth Ward. I was pretty good about selling the band.”

Diamond’s first break occurred in 1947 when the band became part of the “Dawn Patrol,” a WWEZ radio program sponsored by Jax beer. That same year, he formed a new band that, beside himself, consisted of Frank Parker, Harrison Verret and an untested piano player, Antoine Domino.

“I knew Fats from hanging out at a grocery store. He reminded me of Fats Waller and Fats Pichon. Those guys were big names and Antoine—that’s what everybody called him then—had just got married and gained weight. I started calling him ‘Fats’ and it stuck.”

“Dave [Bartholomew] heard about us at the Hideaway, and one night he brought Lew Chudd [owner of Imperial Records] down there. Obviously, they liked what they heard because they signed Fats.”
Bartholomew used his own band on Domino’s recordings, but Diamond’s Solid Senders backed Fats in concert. Diamond also served as road manager, and when Domino’s career began to skyrocket in the mid-1950s, he put the bass down and became Domino’s full-time road manager.

Diamond worked with Domino until 1962, when he opted for a career change. When in Los Angeles, Domino played at the 5/4 Ballroom. Diamond befriended the owner and was hired to manage the club. He did so until 1969, and then got into the record promotion business. However, Diamond never forgot his New Orleans roots and visited often, rekindling old friendships.

Diamond is survived by a wife and two daughters.

Former Brinsley Schwarz/Rumour keyboardist Bob Andrews has immersed himself in New Orleans piano since moving to the city. On this self-produced album, he largely and agreeably leans toward the R&B that was cool currency during pub rock days. The title track is a well-chosen cover of Ronnie Love’s 1961 hit, and it creeps along at a haunting but attractive pace. Andrews samples Dave Bartholomew’s catalog with “Down the Road” and “Before I Grow Too Old,” along with a solid rendering of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.”

No slouch of a tunesmith, Andrews has several originals included here. While “The Trial” is a noodly instrumental, “Precious Time” and “Ready to Go” swing and have a lot to offer. People from this part of the world will associate with “This Part of the World,” as it deals with our obsession with watching Margaret Orr, Bob Breck and Dawn Brown on television during hurricane season.

While this 10-song CD maxes out at a little over 30 minutes, there’s plenty of interesting and enjoyable music packed in here.

Buy Bob Andrews’ Chills and Fever on iTunes

When blues pianist Henry Gray released Lucky Man in 1990, it was his first solo American album despite years of recording and playing with Howlin’ Wolf. This release is the reissue of the original vinyl LP. Outside of a cover of Fats Domino’s “My Girl Josephine,” Lucky Man is straight-up Windy City blues. For the most part, Gray cherry picks the songbooks of Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, J.B. Lenoir and Big Maceo, all artists he backed at one point. Rogers’ mournful “Out on the Road” is especially effective, as is Jimmy Reed’s witty “Boogie in the Dark.”

There are a smattering of Gray originals throughout, including the title track, a tale about a guy who can’t lose at love or gambling (that is a lucky man!). “Cold Chills” is an exemplary slow blues where Gray really gives the treble end of the keyboard a workout, and “It Ain’t No Use” is an attractive slowish blues that Gray takes credit for, but he “borrowed” it from Swamp Dogg via Z.Z. Hill.

Backed by several noted Chicago sidemen and recorded in that city, one gets the feeling Gray knocked this album out in about three or four hours. But that’s something pros can do.

Buy Henry Gray’s Lucky Man on iTunes

These were Miss Peaches’ first recordings from the mid-1950s, recorded for the legendary Los Angeles label. Discovered by bandleader Johnny Otis as a teenager, originally, James had mixed success cutting “answer records” for Hank Ballard “Annie” hits with releases like “The Wall Flower” and “Hey! Henry”. When that ran its course, she responded to Bo Diddley’s “I’m A Man” with “W-O-M-A-N”.

When she did get her thing together, despite her youthfulness, James could really worry a song. Case in point is “Crazy Feeling,” which is done in the tradition of labelmate Johnny “Guitar” Watson. She was also capable of rocking awhile, as “That’s All,” “Shortin’ Bread Rock” and “Tough Lover” demonstrate very well. Unbeknownst to many, James lived in New Orleans briefly, and during her stay, waxed a session down at Cosimo Matassa’s Studio. The sound is a rapid departure from the West Coast sound she promoted previously. The highlights of the New Orleans sessions were the brilliant Harold Battiste/Eddie Bo-penned “The Pickup,” where James duets with Plas Johnson’s saxophone. “The Marketplace” is also memorable, as it’s got the unique New Orleans Spanish tinge. Interestingly, this was one of the first sessions Allen Toussaint played on.

Sadly, there are no liner notes, and the photos in the booklet were taken nearly a decade after these sides were recorded. Still, as they used to say “it’s what’s in the groove that counts.” This one’s definitely got that.

Buy Etta James’s The Essential Modern Recordings on iTunes

A couple of issues ago, we reviewed the first two volumes in this important series, both of which had a New Orleans rock ’n’ roll slant. This one does too, but it also includes some pretty tough blues sides as lagniappe.

Include Jerry McCain’s often-covered “She’s Tough” in the latter column, as well as his blistering instrumental “Steady.” Two other blues sides here that will raise the hair on back of your neck are Mercy Baby’s “Marked Deck” and “Rock and Roll Baby.” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Boppin’ with Sonny” and Frankie Lee Sims’ “What Will Lucy Do” completes a stellar inclusion of classic blues.

Lots of familiar New Orleans names are in the mix here, including Huey “Piano” Smith, Bobby Marchan, Earl King, Frankie Ford, Mac Rebennack and Red Tyler. Of particular special interest is the inclusion of the Marchan/Smith collaboration “Loberta,” which was eventually transformed into the flipside of Frankie Ford’s hit “Sea Cruise”—albeit renamed “Roberta.” So too is Earl King’s “Darlin’ Honey Angel Child,” a primitive version of his frequently- covered hit, “Come On.”

Several obscurities are included as well. The Emeralds’ “I Kneel at Your Throne” and the Supremes’ (not the Diana Ross group) “Don’t Leave Me Here to Cry” have long been revered by doo-wop collectors, and this album shows the reasons why.

Superb sound quality, copious and informative notes, plus vintage photos and label pics makes this one to look out for—particularly if you enjoyed the first two volumes.

Benny Spellman, who accounted for the wonderful two-sided 1962 national hit “Lipstick Traces” b/w “Fortune Teller,” and supplied the baritone interjections on Ernie K-Doe’s number one hit “Mother- In-Law,” died June 3 at an assisted living facility in Pensacola, Florida, of respiratory failure. He was 79.

“Benny was a great entertainer,” confirms Irma Thomas, who recorded at Minit Records with Spellman and performed at several of the same venues with him. “Outgoing, gregarious, always upbeat—that was Benny. He was constantly in motion—he wasn’t the kind of guy to stand still on stage.

“I really got to know Benny when we did rehearsals [for recording sessions] at Allen [Toussaint]’s house on Earhart Boulevard. Benny and I did a lot of backup singing on sessions for Allen. We got $18, $20 a session. We played a lot of the same places, especially Fraternity Row on Broadway. The fraternity would book a local band and all the bands knew our material. Normally on a job like that, there would be three local artists. Often it was me, Benny and somebody else.”

Born in Pensacola on December, 11, 1931, Spellman loved sports first, and he earned a football scholarship to Southern University at Baton Rouge. While there, he exercised another interest—singing. Spellman sat in with several local jazz and R&B groups and won several talent contests. After graduation, Spellman was drafted and spent two years in the army.

When his army hitch ended in 1959, he returned to Pensacola. By chance, he ran into Huey Smith and the Clowns, who had just wrecked their bus and were stranded. Spellman gave the group a lift to New Orleans, but rather than return to Florida immediately, he decided to stick around New Orleans awhile and got involved in the music scene. He soon became a regular at the Dew Drop Inn, often sitting in with the Dew Drop house band, Edgar Blanchard and the Gondoliers. In 1960, Spellman auditioned for the fledgling Minit label (the same audition that produced Aaron Neville, Lee Diamond, Jessie Hill and Willie Harper) and was signed by Joe Banashak and Larry McKinley, who headed up the label.

“Benny was by far the most popular rhythm and blues artist in New Orleans [at the time],” said the late Joe Banashak in 1984. “He was always working, even when nobody else could find a job. He had those teenagers mesmerized. He would shot boogers at them and they’d still eat him up. Benny would have two or three gigs a night and he’d go from gig to gig on the NOPSI bus.”

Spellman was also valuable around the studio.

“He was always willing to help out,” added Banashak. “He would sing backup vocals when he wasn’t scheduled for his own session. I remember breaking up a fight because he and K-Doe were arguing over who was responsible for making “Mother-In-Law” a hit. (Ironically, Spellman died 50 years to the week “Mother-In-Law” reached the top of the charts.) But most of the time things were pretty professional.”

Spellman was paired with Allen Toussaint, who was Minit’s house producer. His first first two singles stalled, but Spellman, Toussaint and Banashak’s perseverance paid off when “Fortune Teller” and “Lipstick Traces” rose to No. 80 on the national pop charts and number 28 in the R&B charts. Musicologists have theorized that Minit might have realized higher sales figures had the songs been issued separately, but over two decades later, Banashak still never had any second thoughts about pairing the two classics. Spellman followed his hit with “Every Now and Then,” which was very much styled after “Mother-In-Law,” but he didn’t have the same success.

When Minit folded in 1963, Spellman had a brief stint at Watch Records, where he recorded the memorable “Slow Down Baby (Don’t Drive So Fast).” When Toussaint got back from the army, he convinced Spellman to sign with ALON Records (owned by Banashak), where they had local success with “Word Game.” Atlantic leased the single, but it narrowly missed the national charts. Spellman continued to perform and record sporadically on a handful of local labels, but by 1968, the local R&B scene was on life support. Gigs were hard to find, so Spellman took a job working for the local Miller beer distributor. He remained semi-active as an entertainer, though, and performed annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Spellman returned to Pensacola in the 1980s during a period when his recordings were being reissued on both sides of the ocean. The following decade, he was back in New Orleans. Spellman often sat in with the Iguanas, who recorded a slowed-down, haunting version of “Fortune Teller” in 1993 and “Benny’s Cadillac,” a new song that tells the story of the wheels being stolen off of his car while it was parked outside the Maple Leaf.

Sadly, a stroke felled Spellman around 1996 and he was placed in an assisted living home. Spellman was elected to the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009, an honor which he deeply appreciated. Benny Spellman is buried in his hometown of Pensacola.