Music
Dave Jordan, Keep Going (Independent)
Singer songwriter Dave Jordan is back with another collection of stellar songs, which clearly establish him—for those who ever doubted—as one of the best lyricists on the scene today.
Meschiya Lake and the New Movement, Looking the World Over (Sungroove Records and Syncopation Society)
Instrumentalists are often praised for wearing many musical hats. Vocalists? Not so much. But over her many years in New Orleans, Meschiya Lake has played the chanteuse in duets with pianist Tom McDermott, led her own jumping trad jazz band, the Little Big Horns, sang harmonies with Tuba Skinny vocalist Erika Lewis in Magnolia Beacon and even ripped rock ’n’ roll as a backing vocalist with the Rough 7.
Dr. John, Things Happen That Way (Rounder Records)
Listening to Dr. John’s final, posthumously released studio album, Things Happen That Way, is a bittersweet experience. You get to hear more of his idiosyncratic voice and vocal phrasings as […]
The New Mastersounds, The Deplar Effect (Color Red)
The New Mastersounds open their 17th studio album, like the others before it, with a tune mined from their oldest and deepest influence, The Meters. It’s a tradition the band […]
Andy J. Forest, I Don’t Wanna Work – Modern Vintage Blues (Appaloosa Records)
Andy J. Forest has been around for as long as I can remember, playing his idiosyncratic blend of harmonica blues and boogie-woogie. His first album came out in 1979. Twenty-two […]
A Spike Perkins Connection, Up in Carrollton (Independent)
Spike Perkins is a journeyman bass player and has remained active on the scene in New Orleans for decades. He is adept in a variety of styles and showcases several […]
The Dirty Rain Revelers, Live From the Porch (Independent)
When I described one of last month’s reviews as being one of the first pandemic-inspired records that had crossed my desk, I hadn’t heard the Dirty Rain Revelers latest, Live […]
Old Barstools, Wishing (Independent)
I really like the chords that the Old Barstools use to create their appealing blend of country and rock ’n’ roll. You might think you’ve heard these songs before until […]
Tommy McLain, I Ran Down Every Dream (Yep Roc Records)
Tommy McLain is 82 years old. He had his first hit, “Sweet Dreams,” in 1966. He is a swamp pop legend who is best known in recent years for his […]
Kevin & the Blues Groovers, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed (Basin Street Records)
Piano player and singer Kevin Gullage has a vast resume for a 23-year-old, which may explain why his first full-length album appears on the New Orleans-based Grammy Award-winning label Basin […]
