|
#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE |
Vol. 21 No. 4 | Thursday
January 20,
2022 |
|
Webber's NOLA Musical Interlude |
New
Orleans is, of course, one of America’s most important music cities.
Unlike the big music industry hubs where
much of the creative talent is drawn from elsewhere, New Orleans always
has been and continues to raise that talent. One of the reasons that I
chose Tulane for graduate school was the opportunity to see great NOLA
talent like the Neville Brothers with regularity. Below, I’ve put
together a playlist for you that leads with New Orleans artists and concludes
with a few homages to this incomparable city by artists who simply shared
my appreciation for it. Composer, producer,
musician Allen Toussaint left fingerprints on so many great recordings
by other NOLA greats and this was no exception. Lee Dorsey cut my favorite
version (Englishman Robert Palmer would soon record a great version backed
by New Orleans’ musicians) but I’ll offer this one. Glen Campbell had the hit but again, Allen Toussaint wrote and recorded it first. “Southern Nights”. Allen Toussaint was one of the greatest artists of his generation and one of the most elegant yet humble men you could ever have met. Dr. John had bigger
hits (“Right Place, Wrong Time” for one) but for me, this
is the song that most demonstrates why Dr. John could only have come from
one place. Each of the Neville
Brothers already had substantial careers before finally getting together
as a sibling unit. For my money, Art Neville was as fine a singer as his
generation produced and while this one may seem almost too obvious, I
can’t imagine putting together a New Orleans playlist without it. The best-known
version of this Mardi Gras staple, recorded by the Hawketts (which included
Art Neville) in 1954 When I was living
in New Orleans, I used to see the Rebirth Brass Band which featured an
impossibly charismatic young trumpet player named Kermit Ruffins who is
now better known than that great band ever was. All that and I
haven’t even mentioned the Marsalis family? That omission wasn’t
for a fault of respect but rather just to show how far one can go before
even touching upon another one of the greatest musical families this country
has ever produced: POCO is probably
considered a little lightweight by some of my friends but I always thought
they captured New Orleans beautifully with this one and bonus points for
whoever put together this video. Also, if anyone needs to hear the correct
pronunciation of Pontchartrain, here it is: Randy Newman had
some family in New Orleans, so maybe he gets an asterisk here as an ‘outsider’.
One of the most poignant renderings of this I’ve ever heard was
by a band of penitentiary inmates on temporary work-release to perform
live at a benefit concert for hurricane victims. Only in New Orleans! |
If
You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers Access complete issue by clicking on issue icon or Access specific articles by clicking on article title |
||
Vol.
21 No. 1 Cargo vs Cabin Fever A Cargo Cabin In The Sky Chuckles for January 6, 2022 Spirit Drive & Hopes Alive Qatar Cargo Makes The Going Great Airport Congestion Study Moves Forward |
|
|
Publisher-Geoffrey Arend
• Managing Editor-Flossie Arend • Editor Emeritus-Richard
Malkin Film Editor-Ralph Arend • Special Assignments-Sabiha Arend, Emily Arend |
Send comments and news to geoffrey@aircargonews.com 100% Green |