Journey To Nawlins, Chapter V - New Orleans Funk (Vol. 1, 2, 3 & 4 - 2000, 2008, 2013, 2016)

→ Thanks also to the late Blue DeVille

The Big Easy...

The Big Funky

New Orleans is a fascinating musical melting-pot which not only gave birth to jazz more than a century ago, but also to funk. Funk is before all a matter of rhythm and groove, and both are historically printed in the city's DNA. This amazing four-volume 85-track collection (mostly rare singles) intends to show how this new genre of music evolved, from the pioneering steps of innovative musicians in the 1950s to adulthood in the 1970s.

Mardi Gras...

This couldn't have happened anywhere else but in New Orleans, a cultural crossroads whose inimitable magic sound results from many influences that have been detailed several times here : African rhythms brought by captured slaves, funeral brass bands dirges and second line, early jazz, Mardi Gras parades and Indians tradition, voodoo culture imported at the beginning of the 19th Century by Haitian immigrants…

... Second Line...

Actually there's a key word about funk : syncopation. And one of the reasons why funk blossomed in New Orleans was the existence in the city of top-notch drummers mastering the different syncopation forms that melted into the very particular New Orleans beat.

... Indians...

The parade compiled by Soul Jazz Records opens with an emblematic name of New Orleans funk : the Meters, a kind of prequel to the Neville Brothers. They are followed by a long march of singers, instrumentalists, songwriters, arrangers and producers. There's the familiar ones whose reputation reached far from their cultural cradle : the Meters, the Nevilles, Dr. John, Prof. Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Eddie Bo, Dave Bartholomew, the Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians, Lee Dorsey, Clifton Chenier...

... and Voodoo

And those whose fame never extended out of the Big Easy, condemned to relative obscurity outside. Honestly, today who knows or remembers Mary Jane Hooper, The Gaturs, The Explosions, Marilyn Barbarin, Chuck Carbo, The Prime Mates, Inell Young, Benny Spellman, Joe Chopper, Jimmy Hicks, Porgy Jones, Tony Owens, Eldridge Holmes, Diamond Joe, The Rubaiyats, James K-Nine, David Robinson, The Barons Ltd, Joe Haywood or Zilla Mayes?

Dave Bartholomew

The main reason for this was the specificity of the New Orleans music scene, divided into numerous small local labels which, for most of them, never managed to get national, even less international distribution.

The great interest of this collection is to bring these “forgotten” artists and music back in light. Either relatively unknown works of artists that are famous otherwise, or obscure musicians that were ignored outside New Orleans.

Professor Longhair

The first category counts prominent figures like the influential performers-songwriters-arrangers-producers Professor Longhair (featured on the Vol. 1 cover), Dave Bartholomew, and most of all Eddie Bo and Allen Toussaint, the “Godfathers” of New Orleans music who have been behind an incredible number of local hits. The four volumes are also haunted by the invisible presence of another prolific and successful arranger and producer : Wardell Quezergue.

Eddie Bo

Singers and musicians like the Meters, the Nevilles, Lee Dorsey, Betty Harris, Eldridge Holmes, Ernie K. Doe..., who largely contributed to forge New Orleans funk sound and whose fame managed to spread nation-wide and survive until today, but also less known artists were all working with either one of the holly trinity of New Orleans music : Bo, Toussaint and Quezergue.

Allen Toussaint (left)
with Wardell Quezergue

A fourth man could be added to the trio : Dave Bartholomew. Besides his work with his long-time friend Fats Domino, he wrote, arranged and produced many artists too. Actually, the very prolific New Orleans music scene was a small world where musicians all knew each other. 

Here, beside the “stars”, good surprises often come from those who never shined outside Louisiana, not because their talent didn't deserve wide recognition but because they were victims of the limited distribution capacities of their labels. The second were very often produced by the first.

SJR's boss Stuart Baker

They laid in darkness, waiting to be rediscovered by who knew how and where to look at, which is obviously the case of British label Soul Jazz Records' boss Stuart Baker who compiled the four volumes, an amazing parade running over three decades (1950s, 60s & 70s).

► Vol. 1  titled “The Original Sound of Funk, 1960-75”, features the funky second line flavor of Lee Dorsey's “Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further”; the jazzy mambo-flavored “It's Gonna Rain” of Gentleman June Gardner; the excellent “Free, Single and Disengaged” from Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns; the stirring pure funk of Chuck Carbo's “Can I Be your Squeeze”, of The Gaturs' “Gator Bait”, and of Danny White on “Natural Soul Brother”; the Mardi Gras atmosphere of Bo Dollis and his Wild Magnolias Indians; the soul duo Lee Dorsey-Betty Harris (“Love Lots of Lovin'”); the James Brown-sound of Ernie & The Top Notes on “Dap Walk”; Eddie Bo's “Hook 'n' Sling (Part II)”… Not forgetting a fascinating song which for me is the iconic symbol of Dr. John's unique style : “Mama Roux”!

On the cover :
Betty Harris

► Vol. 2 "The Second Line Strut" is probably the funkiest of the series. Imagine the playlist of a twinkling jukebox sitting in the back of a New Orleans bar in the 1960s or 70s!

Lee Dorsey

On the heavy weights side, Cyril (“Gossip”) and Art Neville (“Bo Diddley”) stand next to Eddie Bo with three excellent tracks (“If It's Good To You (It's Good For You)” which is good for us too (!), “The Rubber Band” with the Soul Finders band, and “Hey Bo” that could easily have been titled “Hey Mam… Bo”!), The Meters (“Chicken Strut”), Allen Toussaint (whose “Tequila” oddly smells more like Cuban rum), Betty Harris (“Show It” and “12 Red Roses”), Lee Dorsey (“Four Corners”), and the great Earl King's second line “Street Parade”.

The Gaturs

On the obscure side, the groove is not missing with the “Latin tropicalists” Prime Mates and their “Hot Tamales”, with the rocking Danny White who's suffering from a humorous affection called “The Twitch”, or Benny Spellman who also rocks on a song written by Toussaint, “Fortune Teller”.

Inell Young

Others like The Gaturs cooked a musical gumbo of funk and Latin rhythms on “Yeah You're Right, You Know You're Right” (tropical percussion, nasty electric guitar, organ and R'n'B-ish horn section). Formed by the Turbington brothers, R'n'B singer & pianist Wilson “Willie Tee” and jazz saxophonist Earl, The Gaturs teamed up with Indian chief Bo Dollis in 1974 and finally muted to become the Wild Magnolias.

Warren Lee

The remaining artists of this Vol. 2 are New Orleans R'n'B and Soul funkifiers; Ray J covers “Right Place Wrong Time”, originally written and recorded by Dr. John with the Meters and produced by... guess who… yes, Allen Toussaint! The vocal duo Bonnie & Sheila sang “You Keep Me Hanging On” produced by… Quezergue. Inell Young put her teenager's vocal texture on the almost disco “What Do You See In Her”. Warren Lee sound a lot like James Brown on “Mama Said We Cant Get Married” and “Funky Belly”.

Joe Chopper

Joe Chopper & The Swinging 7 Soul Band mix the typical funk sound of a wah-wah guitar with horns on “Soul Pusher”, a style that reminds the Gaturs so much that the unusual band name The Swinging 7 Soul Band has been suspected to hide the Turbington brothers themselves.

If Johnny Moore's “Haven't I Been Good To You” and Jimmy Hicks' “I'm Mr Big Stuff” honestly are the only disappointing tracks of the collection, but the stirring instrumental “Hold On Help Is On It's Way”, mixing New Orleans funk and Motown sound, makes up for it. It was recorded by two saxophonists-arrangers-producers, George Davis and Alvin “Red” Tyler. Their story is revealing of the weakness of the New Orleans record industry.

Porgy Jones

Their single came out on Parlo Records, the small label both men had launched. It was the company second output, just after the release of Aaron Neville's “Tell It Like It Is” which was such a big hit that paradoxically, it caused the fall of Parlo but also of the monopolistic local distributor Dover Records who had shares in Parlo, and indirectly of some of its subsidiary labels. To meet the huge demand, Parlo and Dover spent a fortune in numerous successive reprints drying up their cash flow because the printing plants imposed to be paid right away while the national distributors were hadn't even sent the least check!

Finally Porgy Jones closes this second volume with a much more interesting track : the instrumental “The Dap”, featuring jazzy guitar and horns.

► Subtitled “Two-Way-Pock-A-Way, Gumbo Ya-Ya & The Mardi Gras Mambo”, Vol. 3 was of course intended to be more particularly turned towards the influences of unique New Orleans traditions on the development of the funk sound : Mardi Gras parades and Indians, jazz funerals and Second Line... Featured on this third volume are Professor Longhair's emblematic “Go To The Mardi Gras” and the second part of the equally iconic “Big Chief”. Willie West sings “Fairchild”, a title using an original acoustic nylon string guitar, while the always appealing vocalist Betty Harris appears for the third and fourth times, with “Trouble With My Lover” and “What'd I Do Wrong”.

Willie West with Allen Toussaint

Tony Owens' “Got A Get My Baby Back Home” features a very funky wah-wah guitar, and the popular and talented Lee Dorsey is back on this volume with two more songs : “Little Baby” and most of all the definitely funky “What You Want”.

The Dixie Cups

With their hypnotic version of “Two-Way-Pock-A-Way”, the three Dixie Cups ladies unveil some of the secrets of New Orleans music : they transport us to a strange place in the bayou where the peculiar Mardi Gras Indians chants meet the African rhythms of a voodoo ceremony. An iconic moment of this third volume.

Eldridge Holmes

Totally different atmosphere with Eldridge Holmes, produced by Allen Toussaint, who delivers a funkified cover of the famous country-folk “If I Were A Carpenter” written by Tim Hardin, while his second title “The Book” is in my opinion musically much more interesting.

Chuck Carbo

The influence of another unique cultural specificity of New Orleans on the development of the funk groove, the Second Line, is greatly represented here by the exciting “Do It Fluid” of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (and not the Rebirth Jazz Band as mistakenly mentioned in the presentation). And fluid it is indeed!

“Jockey Ride” by The Explosions, coached by Bo, is heated up by a mix of the archetypal funk wah-wah guitar and horns,

Diamond Joe

Allen Toussaint was not only a producer and an arranger, he was also recording his own material like here “We The People”. Chuck Carbo was generally produced by Bo who also wrote this “Take Care Your Homework Friend”. Next come the Deacons with “Fagged Out”, full of horns, percussion and funky rhythm guitar, and Diamond Joe with a funkified R'n'B titled “Gossip Gossip” (not to be mistaken with Cyril's Neville's “Gossip” on Vol. 2). This third chapter ends with the Rubaiyats performing “Omar Khayyam”. The song was written by Toussaint and rumors ran around that The Rubaiyats were in fact Toussaint himself…

► For Vol. 4, subtitled “Voodoo Fire in New Orleans 1951-1977”, Stuart Baker was far from having a hard time finding artists as exciting as on the preceding volumes. Not at all ! This final (?) chapter of the series features some real hot funk from “new” artists. Only three already featured on the previous volumes are back with extra songs : Eldridge Holmes (“Pop, Popcorn Children”), Eddie Bo (“Can You Handle It”) and Betty Harris (“I'm Gonna Git Ya”).

Among the new faces, some are legends like the early funk experimenters Dave Bartholomew (with his humorous exotic “Monkey” recorded in 1957 but amazingly sounding like a 1970s track), like James Waynes (or Wayne) whose famous “Junco Partner (Worthless Man)”, a 1951 song with evident Afro-Caribbean influences, became a standard covered by Dr. John or James Booker, and Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band who infused funk into Zydeco with the 1978 “Party Down”, a tendency strongly confirmed a few short years later for example by Buckwheat Zydeco.

Chocolate Milk

Next to the oldies from the 1950s, most of the songs on this final volume were recorded between the late 1960s and the first half of the 1970s (except for Chenier's 1978 track, the most recent are from 1975), a period when funk had established its standards. That can be heard on “Action Speaks Louder Than Words” from Chocolate Milk's first album where the band uses a synthesizer. Or in James K-Nine's instrumental “Live It Up”, produced by Eddie Bo and carried by a typically funky bass line and featuring wah-wah rhythm guitar, two definite archetypes of the funk sound.

The funk virus has touched all the remaining artists : Gus “The Groove” Lewis (“Let The Groove Move You”, 1967) and Lou Johnson (“Frisco Here I Come”, 1971), both produced by Toussaint; Norma Jean (McDermott) (“No Competition”, 1971); David Robinson (“I'm A Carpenter - Part 1)”, an Eddie Bo production; The Barons Ltd (“Making It Better”, 1971, co-written by Quezergue); Johnny Adams (“You Make A New Man Out Of Me”, 1968) whose photo makes this Vol. 4 front cover.

Bob French infuses funk in his horn-dominated Storyville Jazz Band on “Y'er Comes The Funky Man” (1970). Follow artists like Joe Haywood (“Play Me A Cornbread Song”, 1967), Chuck Colbert & Viewpoint (“Stay”, 1975), and finally Zilla Mayes (“All I Want Is You”, 1968, written by Toussaint).

At the end of the 85th track, it is clear : the Big Easy has become the Big Funky. ■

Videos

The Meters

VOL. 1
■ The Meters
► “Look-Ka Py Py”, 1974 : https://youtu.be/3ekP_1oWEd4

■ Lee Dorsey 
► “Ya Ya”, 1966 : https://youtu.be/C1YusSmtBU0
► “Get Out Of My Life, Woman”, 1967 : https://youtu.be/guYawzM04rc

■ Eddie Bo
► With Snooks Eaglin, "Hook & Sling", New Orleans, 2006 : https://youtu.be/hEtt24htciQ
► With Marcia Ball, “Check Your Bucket”, 2008 : https://youtu.be/edgm6N5NWSw
► “Hook & Sling”, Jazz à Vienne, France, 2006 : https://youtu.be/LTicbiyT7kk
► Louisiana Music Factory, 2007 : https://youtu.be/K_3JBiHToJk

Professor Longhair

■ Professor Longhair 
► “Big Chief”, Montreux Jazz Festival, 1973 : https://youtu.be/bhYyFnFPhBg
► “Big Chief”, clip with Mardi Gras atmosphere : https://youtu.be/RcIThsI-RnA
► With the Meters, "Walk Right In”/”Shake, Rattle,& Roll", 1974 : https://youtu.be/ET_ZoFpsutA
► “Ball Head”, Finland, 1975 : https://youtu.be/jOci1aMlIpE
► “Jambalaya”, Finland, 1975 : https://youtu.be/jR6SteqnKxk

Huey "Piano" Smith

■ Huey “Piano” Smith & The Clowns
► “Don't You Just Know It”, 1958 : https://youtu.be/1gdDubu1L2Q

■ Chuck Carbo
► Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 2001 :
→ "The Real Thing" : https://youtu.be/UWKz6LzGL0c
→ "You're The One" : https://youtu.be/a24NGp-LNAg
► "I Didn't Want To Do It", 1999 : https://youtu.be/ABdLdYxKHBA

Mary Jane Hooper nowadays

■ Aaron Neville
► With the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, "Hercules" : https://youtu.be/NnhvqENPQC4?t=79

■ Mary Jane Hooper
► Comeback interview, Ponderosa Stomp Music Conference, New Orleans, 2017 : https://youtu.be/ojwxwEirTDk

Allen Toussaint

■ Allen Toussaint 
► Document : “The Allen Toussaint Touch” (BBC) : https://youtu.be/nnAG6duzsd0
► Playing a few Professor Longhair's tunes, British TV, mid 1980s : https://youtu.be/Q62qTlHfyWI
► About Professor Longhair's influence, 2010s : https://youtu.be/afPrC0H0vNI?list=RDQ62qTlHfyWI
► With Chick Carbo, Earl King, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe and Jesse Hill, New Orleans, 1992 : https://youtu.be/t8ruQJ2kskI
► Austin City Limits, 2010 : https://youtu.be/F3GY_E8DR_k
► "Southern Nights", Joe's Pub, NYC, 2011 : https://youtu.be/AZh4CJepMCU
► Live concert : https://youtu.be/NADhXyrEnek
► Final Concert ft. Irma Thomas, New Orleans, 2015 : https://youtu.be/lFKKfLjZmZE?t=297

Big Chief Bo Dollis

■ Cyril Neville
► "Fiyo on the Bayou" with Trombone Shorty, Austin City Limits, 2019 : https://youtu.be/jnHa4tK-FgU

■ Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias
► “Handa Wanda”, New Orleans Jazz Fest, 2008 : https://youtu.be/U3Q4wckrpSA
► Bo Dollis Jr., “Handa Wanda” :
→ Toronto, 2008 : https://youtu.be/EmEjp4b1FXw
→ French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, 2010 : https://youtu.be/K1W1izNj14k
► Bo Dollis Jr. & The Wild Magnolias, The Funky Uncle, New Orleans, 2020 : https://youtu.be/BYiOKlu3dU0?t=80

Marilyn Barbarin

■ Ernie Vincent and the Top Notes
► Mobile, AL, 2009 : https://youtu.be/GH2dxthMPUk
► Rehearsing in studio, 2009 : https://youtu.be/ZnB3-7x0shc

■ Marilyn Barbarin with The New Soul Finders
► “Boogaloo Mardi Gras”, New Orleans JazzFest, 2017 : https://youtu.be/yVDnhLA1fck
► WWOZ, 2019 : https://youtu.be/ZuGZz3npTJs
► 2021 : https://youtu.be/Am-WXbSW6pg

Dr John

■ Dr. John
► With Professor Longhair, The Meters & Earl King, 1974 : https://youtu.be/_Ni86fbehf8

Ernie K Doe

■ Ernie K Doe 
►  "Mother-In-Law", TV appearance, 1996 : https://youtu.be/49iEnlvEbpU
► 2001 : https://youtu.be/6Tz9eDpBlaw
► “A Certain Girl”, 2012 : https://youtu.be/qErVsPzzQ4w
► Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame Induction video, New Orleans, 2009 : https://youtu.be/vrttXESgnJM (also inducted that evening were Benny Spellman and Allen Toussaint).

■ Robert Parker
► “Barefootin'”, 1966 : https://youtu.be/azIytXgdggA

Betty Harris with Muddy Waters

VOL. 2
■ Betty Harris
► With Muddy Waters, Newport Jazz Festival, 1960 : https://youtu.be/iVwos_gQNyo
► “Love Lots Of Lovin'” with John Paul Young, 2010 : https://youtu.be/HRjChloJE_E

► New Britain, CT, 2012 : https://youtu.be/JC8CO-9SNNI
► Gijon, Spain, 2015 :
→ “Cry To Me” : https://youtu.be/k9419UqmlNg
→ “I Don't Want To Hear It” with Koko-Jean Davis : https://youtu.be/Ovy3JgM-GyI
► "There's A Break In The Road", Manchester, UK, 2019 : https://youtu.be/e_aePZ3U2Us

"Willie Tee" Turbington

■ Wilson "Willie Tee" Turbinton, co-founder of the Gaturs
► Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame induction performance, Mandeville, LA, 2007 : https://youtu.be/2L1kmig_XhY
► Myrtle Beach, SC, 2005 : https://youtu.be/dbholifCCuo

Earl King

■ Earl King
► With Roomful of Blues & Ronnie Earl, Montreux Jazz Festival, 1987 : https://youtu.be/rHz1z3rH1fY
► With the Bobby Radcliff Band, Blues to Bop Festival, Lugano, Switzerland, 1990 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/5CD2-_HfYmY
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/dyWCqtSSfj4
→ #3 : https://youtu.be/2DejuDwFQqE

Benny Spellman

■ Benny Spellman
► Induction to The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame featuring Deacon John, 2009 : https://youtu.be/zCgw3VEZ1_4

■ Joe Chopper
► “My Shining Star” : https://youtu.be/VMWlYGYNNew

Willie West in 1966

VOL. 3
■ Willie West 
► "I Got the Blues", 2010 : https://youtu.be/3mL0SUc_xZc
► Ponderosa Stomp Festival, New Orleans, 2017 : https://youtu.be/ZH27GeB0xXM (feat. guitarist Paul Sinegal as band leader)

The Dixie Cups

■ The Dixie Cups
► “Chapel Of Love”, 1964 : https://youtu.be/iURSBf5X0nM
► “Two-Way-Pock-A-Way” : https://youtu.be/f4V3grI6RWk?t=54
► "I Gonna Get You Yet” : https://youtu.be/Xqz4-WaSAnY
► “Chapel of Love”, New Orleans Jazzfest, 2010 : https://youtu.be/23uIV1ysmLI
► “Chapel of Love”, Savannah Center in The Villages, FL, 2015 : https://youtu.be/islA0TCRgLk
► "Iko Iko", Little Darlin's Rock 'n' Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida, 2015 : https://youtu.be/FFutVwDpK9c

■ The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
► “Do It Fluid” :
→ 2014 : https://youtu.be/EM1bYB9AQDc
→ New Orleans JazzFest, 2016 : https://youtu.be/72zbm-eBuvU
→ French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, 2013 : https://youtu.be/qNHTJhFAEi4
► “Everything I Do Gon' Be Funky” with Dr. John, 2002 : https://youtu.be/zhraPDIpi-k?t=17
► More videos here

VOL.4
■ "Two-Way-Pock-A-Way"
► Big Chief Jake Millon and the White Eagles Mardi Gras Indians rehearsing, Darrell's Lounge, 7th Ward, New Orleans, 1982 : https://youtu.be/7gKi7b8vVsI

Dave Bartholomew
with Fats Domino

■ Dave Bartholomew
► With Fats Domino, Austin 1986 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/ni7hSHu2ex4
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/ljMQKNNqUF0
→ #3 : https://youtu.be/JDJB0b2W4VY
→ #4 : https://youtu.be/IsoiYHzWQUA
→ #5 : https://youtu.be/6ILeze2CGAw
► Jazz à Vienne (France), 1990 : https://youtu.be/bNSZAmkVxfE
► "The Monkey" backed by Paul "Lil' Buck" Sinegal (guitar) and Stanley "Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural (organ), New Orleans, circa 2010 : https://youtu.be/E-yJW6nTdxk

■ Chocolate Milk
► "Action Speaks Louder Than Words", 2009 : https://youtu.be/Yfg5ff0B-wM
► “Blue Jeans”, New Orleans, 2008 : https://youtu.be/VKAbbnrwNgc
► “Coming For Your Love”, New Orleans, 2008 : https://youtu.be/wxuxLOd26qw
► "Groove City", French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, 2018 : https://youtu.be/YjRhnluDb3o

James Waynes

■ Lou Johnson
► “Always Something There To Remind Me" & "Kentucky Bluebird", American Bandstand, 1964 : https://youtu.be/PYAMigvWNC0
► “Unsatisfied”, 2007 : https://youtu.be/me8vAyI8GiE

■ “Junco Partner” (James Waynes)
► The Dr John version, Montreux Jazz Festival, 1986 : https://youtu.be/xuNALpGBxK0
► The James Booker version, Montreux Jazz Festival, 1978 : https://youtu.be/234Mq_xBR8Q?t=1476

Johnny Adams

■ Johnny Adams
► “Lost Mind”, 2010 : https://youtu.be/p-2Rt0AiEYo
► “Stand by Me” & “Body & Fender Men”, 2013 : https://youtu.be/Nm0_Lhi5no8

Clifton Chenier

■ Clifton Chenier
► Check this page for videos

■ Bob French
► The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Louisiana Music Factory, 2007 : https://youtu.be/IeHCPP3S6dU

King Funk