Tornado rips across East Houma street
January 2, 2008Brian Champange
January 7, 2008Looking for a post-Christmas pick-me-up?
Look no further than next month’s list of New Orleans Grammy-award nominees.
The Recording Academy named its favorites from 2007, and the list is diverse, to say the least. It’s lean; too, music connoisseurs may argue, given the abundance of talent and long list of worthy works that came out of the Big Easy last year.
But, that point forgiven, there are some equally notable artists among this year’s nominees. And when the music world gathers Feb. 11 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Gumbo staff will be rooting for the home team.
Who are they, you might ask. New Orleans trumpeter Terrence Blanchard, hometown favorite Harry Connick Jr., comic/actor/singer Harry Shearer, zydeco’s Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie and Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience.
Blanchard received his nod for the solo “Levees,” which appears on the ensemble CD “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem For Katrina).
Recorded on Blue Note Records, “Levees” revisits the pieces he contributed on filmmaker Spike Lee’s epic HBO documentary “When the Levees Broke.” Teamed with a 40-piece orchestra, Blanchard and his quartet deliver a haunting modern jazz meditation on Hurricane Katrina and her aftermath.
The piece delicately weaves the emotions of our nation’s worst disaster around a core melody recognized as “Wading Through.”
Blanchard’s trumpet playing on Lee’s documentary earned him deserved attention, as should his work on “Levees.” It is the heart-felt emotion of one who is attempting to remember and rebuild set to music and deserved of a Grammy nod.
Connick released two works in 2007: “Oh, My NOLA” and “Chanson Du Vieux Carre.” It is the instrumental arrangement on a piece off the second release, “Ash Wednesday,” that caught the Recording Academy’s ear.
Recorded on the Marsalis Music label’s series, the CD is a tribute to the New Orleans and its people. In fact, a portion of the royalties from both discs benefits the New Orleans Habitat Musician’s Village, a project conceived by Connick and Marsalis Music founder Branford Marsalis. Its mission is to provide affordable housing in the Ninth Ward to displaced musicians.
“Ash Wednesday” mixes moods and time signatures, reminding listeners of New Orleans’ of the dark urgency and drama that befell the city on Aug. 29, 2005.
It’s a fitting tribute, and makes a worthy addition to any New Orleans music collection.
Comedian Shearer has emerged as an unlikely voice of reason in the Big Easy. Probably better known for his role in “This is Spinal Tap” and his voice in “The Simpsons,” Shearer hits his mark with his latest comedy album, “Songs Pointed & Pointless.”
Backed by some of New Orleans’ heavyweights, Shearer takes on the Bush Administration and a number of others in this musical romp.
Rounding out the nominee list for best zydeco or Cajun music album are New Orleans notables Le Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie for “Cowboy Creole,” and Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience for “Live! Worldwide.”
