SwingDJs

Tough times in New Orleans. Here's my list of songs for a compilation so far:

When I Die You Better Second Line - Kermit Ruffins (138)(rjbedit)
Wake Up Nessie - Kermit Ruffins (135)
Wade in the Water - Eva Cassidy (114)
I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water - Lou Rawls (131)
Moaning - Karrin Allyson (113)(rjbedit)
Without Me Baby - Clarence Gatemouth Brown (150)
Beyond the Sea - RCR (130)
Stormy Monday - Barbara Morrison (139)
Smooth Sailing - Ella (132)
St. James Infirmary - Lou Rawls (114)

The Ruffins and Brown because they were from New Orleans. The others for the theme. Actually, it is kind of a morbid theme. And it is not with the intention of making light of their situation.

I'm sure you guys can contribute more suggestions.

I'm going to do a NO tribute night at a blues dancing night this Friday. Here are the songs I selected, all musicians are either from New Orleans or spend part of their career their:

Basin Street Blues-Louis Armstong
Frankie and Johnny-Champion Jack Dupree
Night time is the right time-Roosevelt Sykes
You don' treat me right-Guitar Shorty
Take me back baby-Gatemouth Brown
Boogie at Midnight-Roy Brown
Talkin Boogie-Little Brother Montgomerey
Sidneys blues-Sidney Bichet
Tipitina-Prof. Longhair
Meet me with my black drawers on-Chuck Carbo
Georgina-Champion jack dupree
Marys fine-Gatemouth Brown
Smells Good-Guitar Shorty
West End Blues-Louis Armstong
Weary Blues-Sidney Bechet
Strollin-Champion Jack Dupree
Hootie blues-Gatemouth Brown
Monday night in new orleans-Kermit Ruffins

Some artists who I might try to track down some blues for is: Earl King, Eddie Lang, Marva Wright, and Jelly Roll Morton.

It is nice to know y'all ARE doing tributes. Thanks for sharing your sets.

Here in Houston, tributes seem like a weird idea because so many New Orleans musicians, including Kermit Ruffins, are living in Houston for the foreseeable future. It would feel somehow wrong to create a tribute set of music when we can see some of these same musicians LIVE and make sure money goes into their pockets. So, a few of us decided to work on getting Houston to become a "live music" dancing city, at least for the next few months.

How can you not include....Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? by Louis Armstrong

Quick cheat sheet of artisit from New Orleans:

Buddy Bolden (never recorded but there are songs about him)
Satchmo
Sidney Bechet
King Oliver
Jelly Roll Morton
Kid Ory
Johnny Dodds
Baby Dodds
Henry Red Allen
Dr Michael White
Kermit Ruffins
Preservatoin Hall Jazz Band
Barney Bigard
Harry Connick Jr
Marsalis family
Edmond Hall
Pops Foster
JC Higginbotham
Lil Armstrong
Dr John
Prof. Longhair
Louis Prima

We might be doing a fundraiser for Red Cross in Seattle but that has not been confirmed yet. The goal would be a night of all New Orleans Musician.

Tin Roof Blues has lyrics that are entirely a love song to New Orleans. It's one of my new favorite songs.

Sullivan Dabney - New Orleans Is A 24 Hour Town

Ron wrote:I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water - Lou Rawls (131)

Seriously? Seems pretty tacky to me.

Yeah, I don't really see how that is not meant to make light of the situation.

Of course I'll be the first to admit that laughing at disaster is an entirely human coping mechanism.

Well, perhaps it is a bit early for that song in that context.

Maybe if you focused on musician from New Orlean or the New Orleans sound it wouldn't get the cliché "tacky" songs showing up.

Just a thought.

Swifty wrote:

Ron wrote:I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water - Lou Rawls (131)

Seriously? Seems pretty tacky to me.

That's what I first thought. Same with "Wade in the Water." But humor can sometimes make the best out of a bad situation once the initial shock has passed.

It's also consistent with the New Orleans tradition of not taking yourself too seriously and not letting anything get in the way of a good party: lively funerals and such.

I just didn't find it funny, either.

Anyway, I highly recommend Duke Ellington's New Orleans Suite.

Having been flooded out of my home a few years ago, there was something rather healing about singing songs like Muddy Water, like I was saying "hey, flood, you haven't beaten me down. I survived YOU." So, yes, it might be offensive to some, but for others, it isn't.

If you don't have it already, definitely pick up the New Orleans collection put out by Putumayo. There are several great songs on there to play with your theme in mind: "Drop Me Off in New Orleans" by Kermit Ruffins, "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" by Preservation Hall Hot 4, "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" by Topsy Chapman and "Going Back To New Orleans" by Deacon John ... heck, the entire CD is great.

And of course you need to include lots of Louis!

And be sure to listen to Keith's NO show that we are rerunning on Yehoodi Radio every Friday this month for more ideas (I've added quite a few CDs to my "wants" list after listening).

Jesse