DR MICHAEL WHITE: Blue Crescent
Basin Street, 2008

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ – Unlike many other post-Katrina CDs, this one stays largely upbeat, focusing on the city’s positive sprit rather than what has been lost (although White, a leading clarinetist and educator, lost a lot in the storm). Most of the tracks are originals, played beautifully and full of life, with some nice gospel tunes mixed in.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

1. 3:50 – merry tune; low-key vox in French; good-time piano, trumpet, clarinet
2. 4:19 – slow-dance ballad: clarinet plays sweet ‘n’ low, pretty & charming
3. 4:15 – St. Louis Blues as tough li’l march: growling trumpet, wailing clarinet
4. 4:16 – cute calypso melody, bounces lightly; bright horn interplay
5. 7:50 – slow funeral march, expressive but not melodramatic; horns trade solos around like men commiserating by passing a bottle
6. 3:16 – jaunty gospel tune; gruff but happy vocal
7. 5:42 – low creep, very cool: clarinet slinks & slides; conspiratorial piano
8. 4:00 – upbeat vocal tribute to late bandleader “Doc” Paulin (1907-2007)
9. 3:49 – gospel tune in slow waltz time: nice vocal, good use of banjo
10. 2:57 – twisty clarinet melody over good-time barrelhouse stomp
11. 5:22 – sweet bluesy drag: great “talking” trumpet & clarinet solos
12. 5:17 – exotic intro, then a relaxed lilting Mediterranean melody/stomp
13. 6:05 – perky tune chugs along with a loose jam feel and nice drumming
14. 2:29 – street parade classic, full of joy

[ Fo ] 27-Jul-08