Livin' A Tremé Life

Jazz | May 2009

Reviews

Fo
Reviewed 2009-06-27
KERMIT RUFFINS: Living a Tremé Life
Basin Street, 2009

NEW ORLEANS – As he has so many times before, trumpeter/singer Ruffins delivers yet another good-natured, funny and heartfelt love letter to his city. Don’t look for serious jazz here; this is feel-good music, often borderline pop. Light and fluffy, yes, but always sincere.

* * * | Fo’s Picks: 1, 6, 8, 9

1. 5:50 – traditional funeral celebration march; upbeat and shining
2. 5:22 – upbeat stomp, laid-back vocals, silly rhymes, round of short solos
3. 3:33 – relaxed sweet-swinging ditty, with background chorus, scat break
4. 3:14 – midtempo: goofy Allen Toussaint song, chummy 1970s feel
5. 3:53 – cutesy love/party song, a bit naughty with a happy bounce
6. 3:12 – relaxed second-line groove, good drums and fun lyrics
7. 7:23 – warm, optimistic version of 1970s pop hit; better than you’d think
8. 4:10 – classic New Orleans stomp with a “Sesame Street” vamp
9. 4:46 – snappy little groove, silly lyric but gets into some fine soloing
10. 4:15 – soulful version of a jazz standard, including the rarely-used lyrics
11. 4:59 – Isley Brothers smooth soul glide, muted trumpet lead
12. 5:05 – [FCC: “shit”] Mardi Gras jam with his ‘n’ hers rap breaks

[ Fo ] 06/27/09

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Charting

2009-07-05 — 2009-09-06 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Sep 6 1
Aug 30 1
Aug 23 1
Aug 16 1
Aug 2 2
Jul 26 2
Jul 19 1
Jul 12 1

Track listing

1. Didn't He Ramble
2. I Ate Up The Apple Tree
3. Good Morning New Orleans
4. Holy Cow
5. Hey Naa
6. I Got Mine
7. I Can See Clearly Now
8. High Heel Sneakers
9. Hello Good Evening
10. Song For My Father
11. For The Love Of You
12. Treme Mardi Gras