COLL: New Orleans Nightingale Revue Label: American Brat Collaboration

This album is a love letter to the city of New Orleans. The New Orleans Nightingale Revue is a collective of around 20 women in the city, organized in 2012 by bandleader Ingrid Lucia. Their goal is to bring together talented female singers who represent the early musical traditions of New Orleans. The result is this amazing CD of all original songs that essentially captures decades of historic music.

I saw the Nightingales' live performance on the opening day of the French Quarter Festival (April 13, 2013), and Ingrid Lucia personally gave KZSU this CD to play. It was simply amazing to see multiple generations of women singing vintage jazz, swing, and blues, on stage out in front of Jackson Square. And the packed crowd loved every bit of it - every teasing wink, every sultry va-va-voom hipswing. The Nightingales literally had the entire French Quarter in the palm of their hands that day.

The Nightingales themselves are a talented mix of singers from various backgrounds and pedigrees, including the daughter of legend Louis Prima, and the niece of legend John Boutte. The songs on the album are mostly vintage-era jazz & swing, but there's plenty of blues and even a bit of folk & country too. My favorite songs were the vintage jazzy songs that literally transport you back to a 1920s parlor, maybe a 1940s cafe, or to a smoky little burlesque dive somewhere in New Orleans. I urge you to try them all.

My Favorites: #1 thru #7, #11, #14, #16, #17, #19

1. Vibrant and sexy with a funky little strut on this catchy opening song by bandleader Lucia.
2. Sweet & charming youthful voice on this playful & romantic tune. Instantly lovable.
3. Amazing! So much range on this bluesy jazz piece that is sultry, sexy, playful all at once.
4. Catchy & charming, the essence of vintage Louisiana jazz - named after the singer's grandma.
5. French cafe jazz - Paris + New Orleans style - with great horns in the middle.
6. Sexy bluesy swinger that you sway a hip & throw a wink to. Wonderful smoky voice.
7. Totally vintage! Sounds like Roaring 20's era Cotton-Club swinger. Fantastic!
8. Louis Prima's daughter sings this catchy uptempo pop-jazz number.
9. Folksy down-home song that's warm and comforting; acoustic guitar is nice.
10. Plaintive ballad; melancholia. The tearful side of New Orleans…
11. Groanin' & moanin', slow & sexy bluesy number with a bassline that gets you down & dirty.
12. Indie pop with a slightly bluesy Southern rock down-home feel.
13. Swinging honkytonk ballad with electric guitars & soulful vocals.
14. Sultry & Steamy! Back to that vintage jazz sound with some cha-cha congas.
15. Solo piano-based bluesy ballad with great vocals. Excellent piano solo.
16. Another entry in the Sultry & Steamy category! Vintage jazz working the sexy angle.
17. Bluesy midtempo funk. Soul-food cookin' - oh yeah!
18. A dramatic, plaintive ballad - the orchestral backing gives a theatrical sound.
19. Swingin' Latin-jazz that adds mucho fire to the New Orleans Cajun sound. A great closer.