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‘Another Blues Song’ and ‘Meant To Be’ have jazzy touches and stylistically these

kind of sultry vocal numbers do not seem to crop up that often on contemporary
blues albums. That’s our loss judging from these performances.

Then there is the contrast between the acoustic based title track, the modern feel of

‘Wrong Place Wrong Time’, the heavy blues-rocker ‘Don’t Get In My Way’ and the
70s styled rock of ‘Alive And Breathing’ with both soaring vocals and soaring
blues-rock guitar. Of course, whatever the song, Eva’s vocals are impressive – as

indeed are all thirteen tracks of the whole album. Recommended, naturally.
Norman Darwen

Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra –

Crescent City Jewels – Troubadour Jass

(www.theujo.org)

You probably know the surname but maybe not
Delfeayo himself. He is of course part of the famed
New Orleans jazz dynasty, the trombone playing/
producer younger brother of saxman Branford, who

also guests here. Now, this might be considered a jazz
set, but things are frequently never quite that simple

in the Crescent City - that is certainly the case here.

Take brass bands for instance. In the 80s The Rebirth Brass Band introduced a hefty
dose of blues and funk into their street music. Kermit Ruffins was one of that outfit’s

founders, and he pops up here singing Jessie Hill’s big N’Awlins R’n’B hit ‘Ooh Poo
Pah Doo’ – and a raunchy rendition it is too (musically!). But then don’t be too
surprised, as Delfeayo describes his outfit as “we’re more like an R’n’B band playing

with jazz sensibilities”. Another strong example is provided by ‘Valley Of Prayers’,
sung by the band’s regular vocalist Tonya Boyd-Cannon in soul mode, sounding
rather like Aretha fronting a big soul band. She then channels Nina Simone for ‘I

Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free’…

Then there is the opener, the appropriately titled ‘Sidewalk Sizzle’, a smoking slab
of bluesy instrumental funk worthy of The Meters in their prime. I must make

mention of pianist Davell Crawford whose rolling piano is masterful throughout the
album, very much in the tradition, but of course everyone here is at the top of their
game. I’ve not yet mentioned the joyous ‘Lil Liza Jane’ either.

OK, some tracks are straight-ahead jazz performances; so if you are indeed partial
to some jazz with your blues and R’n’B, do investigate. And bring along your dancing
shoes – you’ll need them.

Norman Darwen