What a fun night. Thanks so much for the stories, shenanigans, and spontaneous songwriting/performance opportunities, Judy Hill, James Andrews, Darrell, Diane, and Pizza Mike! And for making me laugh so hard I feel like I can pretend I have abs again, for a minute. The icing on the cake was when Pizza had to wash his shoes in Bayou St. John.
The ostensible theme of this week’s playlist was “local bands I love to go see live that I haven’t yet played” (sub-theme, for this week only: “what is available on Spotify?”) But if you’ve seen me stalking around your gigs and you’re not on here, it’s probably because said list is about four times as long as one show, TBC.
Deets–
1. Jessie Hill – “Ooh Poo Pah Doo, Pts 1 & 2″. Judy’s father’s great hit, for which her bar on Orleans is named.
2. James Andrews feat. Cyril Neville – “Keep That Music Playin’”. Too many great Andrews tunes to choose from.
3. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue – “The Cure”. Awesome heavy-metal-inflected track.
4. King James & The Special Men – “Special Man Boogie”. One of the most fun bands to see live. Catch them at Saturn Bar every Monday.
5. Dick Deluxe – “Baby Tells Me So”. Off his recently re-released “Don’t Borax the Borax Man” album (one of my favorite record titles…)
6. Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses – “T’ain’t Nobody’s Business”, famous blues number performed by the first New Orleans band I got into when I moved here, still one of my all-time favorites. I need to print out these lyrics and get them tattooed onto the backs of my eyes. Had the pleasure of interviewing Royal Roses trumpeter David Boswell recently, check it out here: http://www.offbeat.com/art…/dave-boswell-trumpeter-vocalist/.
7. Honey Island Swamp Band – “Josephine”. Song makes me want to go on a country roadtrip. (In fact, I might. Today.) Also got a chance to talk to Honey Island bassist Sam Price for Offbeat: http://www.offbeat.com/articles/sam-price-true-believers/
8. Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue – “South of I-12”. One of my most-frequented live bands, with good reason.
9. Preservation Hall Jazz Band & The New Orleans Bingo! Show – “Complicated Life”. Happy birthday Brandy Roden! (Awesome youtube vid to this song.)
10. Cole Williams Band – “Little Me”. Catch Cole at One Eyed Jack’s on Dec. 9 for HAMPfest! An evening of live music to raise money for our independent radio station and spread HIV awareness, sponsored in part by OffBeat Magazine.
11. Shawn Williams Music – “What if I Stayed?” Great track, early release off debut album, out soon!
12. Helen Gillet – “Ride Into the Sun”. Lou Reed cello cover, whaaat? (Gillet’s version of “Pale Blue Eyes” is my favorite.) Mesmerizing live shows–cello/french&english&hungarian vocals/on-cello percussion/loop pedal/magic.
13. Alex McMurray – “Beneath the Rain”. Amazing singer-songwriter… makes you feel the depth (and weight) of everyday life. Plus, plenty of neighborhood locales and only-in-New-Orleans imagery.
14.Lynn Drury: “Baby Do Right”. Powerhouse vocalist, and like McMurray (^), another songwriter that catches you off guard cutting right to the bone.
15. Josh Paxton – “Mess Around/Big Chief”. Great great New Orleans pianist! Used to love seeing Alexandra (↓) and him at Buffa’s whilst writing/daydrinking, until my work schedule changed. Fun duo.
16. Alexandra Scott – “Coney Island Baby”. Unlike “Ride into the Sun,” (see above) this is not a Lou Reed cover, haha. Lovely tune off a great album.
17. Johnny Mastro and Mama’s Boys: “Howling”. Hearing these guys at the Apple Barrel is one of the best parts of working on Frenchmen at night. Just picked up a bunch of their cds for the car.
18: Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show: “Light it on Fire”. Love this one.
19. Chris Smither: “Love You Like A Man”. One of Smither’s old tunes. Saw him in a church basement in Massachusetts way back in the day when I was in high school. He said he’s older/wiser/not as douchey now, or something, and pretty much only plays this song for nostalgic reasons. Dunno what he’s talking about; I love it. But I love the next one too.
20. Chris Smither: “Time Stands Still”. So, so beautiful. Title track off Smither’s 2009 album, which I “discovered” (Columbus-version of “discovered”) while making this playlist yesterday. Would’ve just liked to play the whole thing. It’s so heartrending. Check it out.
21. The Head and The Heart: “I Don’t Mind”. Snuck in a few jukebox picks at the end here.
22. Johnny Cash: “Flesh and Blood”. Songs to put up Christmas decorations at the Old Arabi to.
23. Spencer Bohren (feat. Aurora Nealand): “500 Miles”. Folk song also known as the Railroader’s Lament. An unexpected twist, this version (off Bohren’s 2015 album Seven Birds) opens and closes with a southeast Asian raga-sounding something, hauntingly beautiful and sad.