Mem Shannon, whose latest CD hits the proverbial streets on May 8, is a New Orleans blues fixture. Until the Old Absinthe House in the French Quarter closed a few years ago, he was the “other” house band, along with Bryan Lee.

Mem played the early shift, before Lee came on, and always served up an interesting mix of blues, R&B, and original tunes, all of it flavored with just the right amount of funk. Mem split his time playin...