Armand St. Martin and his Bayou Bohemian All-Stars - Katrina Anthem

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Written by Dean M. Shapiro Wednesday, 18 February 2009 14:45

CD Reviews

My first instinct on seeing the title of this CD was to brace myself for another mournful dirge to the disaster that struck us on August 29, 2005. Yet another compilation of slow, sad compositions attempting to capture the somber mood of the tragic occasion. Thankfully and happily that was not the case here. On this outing, Armand St. Martin’s most ambitious to date, the mood is 180 degrees to the opposite.

Backed by more than a dozen other incredibly talented musicians and background vocalists, this CD is a jumpin’, rockin’ conglomeration of multiple genres, infused with elements of jazz, rock, country, classical, zydeco, swamp pop, blues, gospel and – best of all an electrified version of Cajun, which we are so used to hearing only in its acoustic incarnation. Keyboard wizard St. Martin leads his pack with a spirited, inspiring performance on the 88s, enhanced by a rich baritone voice that accelerates effortlessly into the tenor range when the occasion calls for it. The complex orchestration backing him is almost too mind-boggling to absorb at one time, requiring multiple listenings to fully filter through and appreciate the mix. There are only seven tracks, all originals, and all between just three and four minutes. But, within those short spans of time are bursts of incredible musical power and symbolism; a Hallelujah celebration of everything that is Louisiana, including a fierce determination to survive and triumph over adversity. A stellar effort in every category on the reviewer’s scorecard!

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written by Patty, May 31, 2009

Dean Shapiro did a stellar review on a stellar CD! smilies/kiss.gif

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