Music
The Mercy Brothers, Holy Ghost Power! (Sockmo Music)
Holy Ghost Power! the debut disc from Lafayette’s Mercy Brothers, is a gospel-rocking retro set of strong originals from veteran singer-songwriters Kevin Sekhani and Mark Meaux. Initially I couldn’t decide […]
Carl LeBlanc, Those Who Have Ears (Independent)
Carl LeBlanc is another of the great, unsung musicians in New Orleans. His guitar and banjo skills have graced stages and recording with everyone from Preservation Hall to the Cosmic […]
Stephanie Jordan: Respect, Maturity and Verve
Stephanie Jordan assembled a top-notch group of long-time collaborators to record her debut album. The vocalist hand-picked such notables as pianist and arranger Mike Esnault, saxophonist Roderick Paulin, bassist Chris […]
Andy J. Forest, Other Rooms (Slang Records)
Other Rooms, the 18th album from New Orleans-based songwriter Andy J Forest, adds another chapter to his portfolio, which he’s quietly built into one of the most impressive songwriting catalogs […]
The Valparaiso Men’s Chorus, The Straits of St. Claude (Independent)
Whatever traumas he suffered during his stint as Disney Japan’s resident minstrel “Cap’n Sandy,” Alex McMurray did not misspend his stay. With its second recording of sea shanties, McMurray’s Valparaiso […]
T’Monde, Making Believe (Swallow Records)
T’Monde translates as “little world.” Yet, there’s nothing little about this traditional Cajun trio that consists of Pine Leaf Boys‘ Drew Simon (accordion) and Les Bassettes’ Kelli Jones (fiddle) and […]
Luke Winslow-King, The Coming Tide (Independent)
Most people don’t realize that New Orleans is the tail end of the Mississippi River Delta, so “delta” blues has always fit in here with the rest of the great […]
Zazou City, The Man Who Couldn’t Dream (Jumping Man Records)
Gypsy jazz music, the style pioneered by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in 1930s Paris, has proven to be both enduring and palatable to a widespread audience. Given New Orleans’ […]
Kid Merv, Body and Soul (Kid’s World Records)
Kid Merv’s voice doesn’t so much recharge jazz standards as refocus them on their reasons for being, whether it be love, summer, or mourning. While most selections on his new […]
Christian Scott, Christian aTunde Adjuah (Concord Jazz Records)
The trumpet makes warriors out of its young princes, infusing their gifts with aspirations to conquer the sitting king after burning his land. Christian Scott hasn’t shied from a fight […]
