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Kermit Ruffins new CD, Livin' a Treme Life is no doubt his best yet. And he's made some pretty good records. But this one has a groove and a feel that is hitting on all cylinders from the first cut all the way through to the end. Kermit's development as a world class artist is evident from the first cut, "Didn't he Ramble", which by the way, better be played at my own jazz funeral. Now, Lee Dorsey was a New Orleans icon, and a national sensation to boot, and Kermit's version of one of Lee's signature songs, written by Allen Toussaint, "Holy Cow" is tight and while it stays true to the original feel, Kermit puts his signature vocal style on it to great effect. Troy Andrews, Mark Mullins, and Eric Traub make a great horn section, and with the rhythm section of George Porter, Jr. and Herlin Riley, you just can't lose. If you don't know what instruments these guys play, you need to look 'em up. June Yamagishi on Guitar plays his grooving and simple part beautifully, locking in the whole band.
The new CD by the New Orleans soul-jazz and funk outfit, Sweet Spot, has a good mellow vibe that brings the listener to a peaceful place. The opening track, "Calling All Cars", features a solo by guitarist Ray Busche in which he scats along with his guitar lines, bringing an organic, lyrical feel to the tune.Jason Sellers plays his tenor saxophone with feeling throughout the record. On the second tune, "Little Ms. Sunshine", he actually adds, through multitrack recording, other saxophone parts to harmonize with his melody parts. It is a technique that works well, and the band plays a groove that fits the title of the tune perfectly.
Drummer Andreas Agenti first made his mark in New Orleans with the band Smilin' Myron, the band that kicked off the funk revival of the early 1990's. His time is perfect here, and he supports the band throughout the record with tasteful fills and solid beats.
On keyboards, the ever present Evan "Double E" Ehrhardt brings a wealth of sounds and textures to the band, switching from organ to electric piano at he crucial spots to keep me listening for what will come next.
Overall, this is a good band with a groove that will keep many a party going well into the morning for years to come.
Ahmad Jamal's newest CD, It's Magic, is one of his best since the classic record, But Not For Me, of 1958 on which he gave us his most famous offering, "Poinciana".This CD features some incredible musicians, and in keeping with his usual practice, Mr. Jamal has a New Orleans drummer in his rhythm section. Idris Muhammad holds down the groove with his sensitivity, loose soul-jazz interpretation and creative textures on the drumset. On the bass, James Cammack is solid and provides a full sound upon which the other instruments float like ships on a vast sea. These two musicians are the usual trio with which Mr. Jamal plays, but on this CD, he adds a percussionist, Manolo Badrena. Badrena is a master of timing and texture, adding a fresh sound to the mix and choosing his constantly changing percussion instruments intelligently.
I have seen Mr. Jamal's trio, with the line up of Idris Muhammad and James Cammack, twice in the last few years; once in Peruggia, Italy at a 300 year old opera theater, and once at New York City's famed Blue Note Jazz Club. Both of these performances gave me an insight into the unlimited possibilities of the trio setting. Using a system of hand signals and body language, Mr Jamal guides the trio through the different sections of the tunes, that he arranges on the spot. It is a fascinating thing to watch, and a beautiful thing to hear. This record brings me back to those amazing nights of music, and with the addition of the percussionist, gives me a new texture to enjoy in his musical interpretations.
This is one of those records that proves to the world that the city where jazz was born can still produce it. Trumpeter extraordinaire Irvin Mayfield and incomparable pianist and mentor Ellis Marsalis combine their talents on this 14-track CD with creative, imaginative interpretations of some of the greatest musical standards from the 1930s right up through the present. Classics like Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight,” Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” and Harold Arlen’s “Come Rain or Shine” are right up there with Lennon & McCartney’s “Yesterday,” Stevie Wonder’s “Blame it on the Sun” and “You and I” and Burt Bacharach’s “A House is Not a Home.” Backed by Jaz Sawyer on drums, Neal Caine on bass and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra on three of the tracks, Mayfield and Marsalis make their instruments literally sing the lyrics to familiar melodies, running the full range of the musical scale, eliciting the moods the songs were originally intended to convey. “Yesterday” is included twice, on the opening track with just the quartet, then on the closer with full orchestration; both equally mellow and smooth. This was a dream collaboration between two of New Orleans’ finest musical maestros: hopefully there will be more.
John Scofield's newest solo record, Piety Street, was made here in New Orleans at Mark Bingham's studio on the street of the same name. The songs come from the old time gospel repertoire, and they are done with respect to the tradition, but with a new contemporary jazz twist. All of the musicians on this record are stellar, and their individual voices come through while still maintaining an ensemble sound. 
This CD, notably produced by New Orleanian Christian Scott, begins with the classic Nancy Wilson masterpiece, "Save your Love for Me". It is a tall order to do this tune in an original way, but they do succeed. The introduction is a deconstructed rearrangement of the original, and they stick to the classic version, paying due respect, but make changes to keep it interesting to someone like me who has listened to the original enough to know every nuance in the song. Her voice is sultry, yet cool and confident. She has a great tone, relaxed and smooth. Her band is swinging. Hard swinging. West coast cats. They sound great, and Christian Scott, who is Donald Harrison's nephew, blows some very nice trumpet solos. 
This CD of tough blues and gospel inspired R&B features the last recorded performance of recently departed drummer Wilbert "Junkyard Dog" Arnold. The grooves are tight and funky, with Jack Cruz on bass and Marc Adams on keys filling out the rhythm section. Brother Tyrone's vocal delivery is gritty, smoky, and real, giving the original tunes a lived in feeling. The producer of the record, Everette Eaglin, plays guitar and directs the background singers, from The Gospel Stars, Reverend Mark Sandifer and Elijah Ott. The CD was recorded at Piety St. Studios, which by now has the reputation of being the best studio in town, and its owner, Mark Bingham, plays the role of engineer on this record. He gets a clear representation of the musicians and their sound onto the disc. The guest appearances by Tricky Dick Dixon and Sean C. are nice additions, creating vocal interplay and harmony that give the tunes they appear on something extra special to check out. A great, fun listen, this disc is recommended for all fans of blues and R&B.
This CD of raw country blues by slide guitarist Colin Lake features simple, stark arrangements of original blues music. Lake is a newcomer to New Orleans, originally hailing from the Portland, Oregon. He has been playing on the street around Jackson Square, but I am sure he will move on to the well known music venues soon. The first track has drummer Paul Ansotegui playing with brushes on a train style groove. The tune, called "Best of Me" features Lake's intense, booming voice and his soulful lap slide playing, eventually breaking down to just the drums, leaving the listener with the feeling of loss that the song portrays. Most of the tunes here are originals, with Lake choosing three covers, Bukka White's "Fixin' to Die", the traditional "Boomer's Story", and the Chris Whitley composition, "Big Sky Country". All are excellent selections; the heart of this music is true and pure. Recommended to fans of acoustic blues and slide guitar.
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