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The Earl of New Orleans
Earl Silas Johnson aka Earl King was a legend on the rhythm'n'blues scene of his hometown of New Orleans and far beyond. Few musicians are offered a flamboyant jazz funeral parade in the streets like the one the Crescent city organized when he died in 2003. Here is what I wrote about him in November 2021 : «His discography counts at least three or four times more compilations, collections and other "Best of" than "real" original albums. Why ? Because Earl King put out a good number of singles, and above all, because he certainly had more fun playing live than being locked in a recording studio, be it with excellent musicians.
«The rest is history : a gritty soul voice, a vintage thumb-picked guitar sound, an obvious liking of rhythm'n'blues horns arrangements, an evident admiration for Fats Domino and "Gatemouth" Brown, and... an unmistakable face topped by an incredible mop of hair and illuminated by the two big mischievous marbles of his eyes that reflect the man's jubilation at contemplating the world. In other words a great bluesman who couldn't hide his New Orleans blood even if he wanted to, and with whom the words "rhythm and blues" go back to the funky roots of their original meaning.»
The story of this album is somehow chaotic. Recorded in 1972 with The Meters and produced by Allen Toussaint (though he was never officially credited), it stayed in a closet for nine years before being released in 1981 on vinyl by the Charly label under the title "Street Parade", featuring only 12 tracks. In 1987, the Japanese record company P-Vine put out a 16-track LP. In 1990, Charly re-issued it on CD with 18 tracks. The 2003 release by Fuel 2000 (one of the numerous labels of Universal Music) also featured 18 tracks. Same thing for the 2005 release by the Australian AIM label. The same year (2005), Tomato published its own release, re-titled "New Orleans Blues" and reduced to 15 tracks. This is the one we're talking about here.
First notable thing, really worth mentioning, King is a talented and productive songwriter. He signed all the songs of the album. Second remark, King's vocal light vibrato exhales an unmistakable and catching sorrowful mood. Musically, his R'n'B is filled with funk, but in a very personal style, enhanced by the energetic work of the Meters' bassist George Porter Jr. Globally the album has a very appealing raw sound of its own. The powerful riffs blown by the horn-section (unfortunately not credited anywhere) gives a typical New Orleans jazz brass band atmosphere. On some titles, the horns sound almost like the opening calls of a knights tournament in the medieval days. 😉Hard to choose any outstanding songs as the whole 15 of them are really good. Such a highly even level of quality is rare on an album, especially one with as many titles. Each song has its own inventive musical trick : for example the daring rhythmic breaks on the opening 'Mother's Love". If the album features a good deal of energetic numbers, King can also turn to seducing melancholic tunes like "Part Of Me", a song that probably caused many couples to fall in love while dancing to it.
King sounds like nobody else, he has a special "something" that belongs only to him. If like me, you file "Trick Bag" in the top ranks of your list of all-time favorite songs, you should really love this superb album ! ■
Live videos
● With Bobby Radcliff Blues Band, Bop Festival, Lugano (Switzerland), 1990 :
[Earl King, guitar & vocals. Bobby Radcliff, guitar. David Hofstra, bass. Richard Dworkin, drums.]
● Earl King's funeral parade, New Orleans, 2003 :
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