Would You Like Fries With That? #2

I'm sitting here typing this wondering how much longer I'll have power.  I've already lost it once today for about two hours.  Isaac is bearing down on New Orleans almost exactly seven years since Katrina.  There's no comparing the two hurricanes.  Isaac I'm sitting in my home, intending to ride out the storm.  By this time in Katrina's path I was up in Tennessee staying at my Uncle's house.

It's always a decision on whether to leave for a hurricane.  For those that don't live down here you might be sitting there scratching your head and wondering what there is to think about.  There's a hurricane coming, get out of town.  For those of us that call New Orleans home (and even though I'm not in the city proper but live across the lake on what is called the Northshore I consider myself from New Orleans) hurricanes are part of our lives.  It's not a perverse sense of courting danger, even though it might seem that way with Hurricane Parties and such going on as a storm advances towards the city.  You don't live in this area for long without realizing that more so than in a lot of other cities and states the weather is part of your life here.  You consider the weather to be part of the city and something you have to live with and just learn to accommodate.  I've lived elsewhere and while you talk about the weather somewhere else you live with the weather here.

So when word comes that there's a storm brewing out in the gulf you start wondering if it will come here.  Even when they start out heading towards Florida and are projected to come on land in that state you know that hurricanes never follow the path expected.  Isaac was not supposed to be a problem for us, maybe some rain, but that was the extent.  Now it's bearing down for the mouth of the Mississippi.  Luckily it is a fairly weak hurricane, as far as that goes.  Weak being relative here, any wind that comes through at 100 plus miles and rainfall of perhaps twenty inches is still more than strong enough to cause a lot of damage and destruction.

Right now the wind is whipping through, every now and than you can feel it shake the house.  Looking outside the trees are bending to the strength of the wind.  Still the wind is nowhere where it'll be, maybe at the moment around forty miles an hour, double that coming.  The hurricane is coming ashore and heading towards us.

At first I was going to ride Katrina out.  I went to work that Sunday morning to finish preparing the store where I worked as best as possible for a hurricane and boarding up the last of the windows and doors.  When I went to bed the night before I had resolved to stay.  My parents were going to head towards Tennessee to stay with relatives of my Mom.  That morning the news was reporting that Katrina was likely to be a category 5 and heading right towards the city.  As I worked getting the store prepped I decided that I should head out and not risk it.  I called my Mom and Dad and told them I would be coming with them.

Even though I've decided to stay for Isaac and the strength of this storm will be nothing like Katrina there is always that moment when you stay that you second guess yourself.  I've stayed for most hurricanes, only leaving for a few and there is always that moment you wonder.  You're sitting there, more than likely in the dark because the power is gone, and the walls are rattling from the wind and you can hear the roar of the wind from outside and you think to yourself that maybe this was a mistake.  It goes, but there is always that moment you have to wonder.

After Katrina there was a lot of music made from the storm and the negligence of aid afterwards.  I've written on this site before about Bruce Springsteen's show at the first Jazz Fest after the storm.  Listening to John Boutte take the Randy Newman song "Louisiana 1927" and remake with the truth of Katrina is enough to bring tears to the most hardened of hearts.  But of all the songs I've heard about the storm my favorite is "Washed by the Water" by Will Hoge.



This version of "Louisiana 1927" features Paul Sanchez, John Boutté, John Thomas Griffith, and Sonia Tetlow perform an updated version of Randy Newman's Louisiana 1927 at Schuba's Tavern in Chicago, July 24, 2006. 

Take care.

French Quarter Fest: John Boutte

I should know by now that I am going to be amazed at a John Boutte show.  Everytime I have seen him live he pulls some song out that just leaves my mouth hanging open with the sheer artistry of it.  The first time I ever saw him, not really being that familiar with him I was literally blown away by his version of "City of New Orleans."  That was always a song I loved by Arlo Gutherie but after hearing John Boutte sing it live that song now belonged to him.  In fact I was so taken with that song by him I made it my phone ringer.  Than at a New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Show he did a version of Paul Simon's "American Tune" with just Paul Sanchez on guitar that again left me speechless.

Today's show was supposed to be another of Paul Sanchez's Rolling Road shows.  Paul acts as the ringleader for these shows, but he always brings a lot of guest musicians.  John Boutte was one of those that was supposed to appear with Paul today.  Unfortunately Paul was too sick to attend, so the show fell on John Boutte's shoulders.  You could tell that he wasn't prepared for this to be a solo Boutte show.  The musicians and he weren't on the same page of what songs they were supposed to play.  They braved their way through it, with a lot of long pauses between songs while they conferred on what to do next.  Up to that point I was enjoying the show, but it was really nothing spectacular.  Honestly they were taking too long inbetween songs when they only had ninety minutes to do their show.

Than John let the other musicians take a break and he did an Acapella version of Lennon/McCartney's "Blackbird."   Again he was creating art as he sang.  The band came back and he brought one of his sisters out to sing.  She did a couple songs and proved that talent did indeed run in the Boutte family.  Than again the band left and he did "American Tune" with no instruments but his voice.  Again he has taken a song best known by another and made it his own.

Than he did something I thought almost impossible.  He sat down at the piano and began the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah."  Now once upon a time I liked this song, but over the last year or so you can't escape it, especially Jeff Buckley's version of it.  Every TV show has to feature it at some point.  Truthfully I've grown tired of the song.  But as John played at the piano and sang I heard the wizardy in this song again.  As he sang Susan Cowsill came out with John's sister and they started providing harmony.  This song took on a new life.  I could only wish that these shows were taped like at the Jazz Fest, but regrettably are not.

Afterwards the band came back and they finished with a few more numbers.  It's shows like this that help me realize why I love music so much.

Video Wednesday:

John Boutte and Paul Sanchez.

The Best of 2009

I know most Best of the Years are out before the year is even over, but we here at the stately Voices mansion wanted to take our time and make sure that someone didn't slip a great album in at the last minute.  (In other words we're scrambling to try and not be too late in getting this thing up.)

A caveat about this list and best of lists in general.  We can pretend that we think this is the best music of the last year, but what we really mean is that this is the music we liked the most.  Another site or magazine will definitely have a different list, everyone's thoughts are different.  That doesn't mean there wasn't a lot of other good music out there, there was, this was what we found to be the music we listened to the most, that kept finding its way back to our cd players or kept getting hit on our Ipods.

Also we should point out that the point of this site is to highlight those artists that you normally don't see a lot of press for, so our Best of list is going to reflect that.  We run a thin line here between who we think should be featured here and those who appear in the mainstream mags such as Rolling Stone.  We don't want to ignore someone that is making great music just because they had a write up or review in the Stone or Spin, good music is good music.  But you won't see any mention of any acts like Geen Day or U2 who put out music that deserves to be on a Best of list themselves, they will undoubtly find themselves on plenty of such lists for the year.   We want to feature what we consider the Best of that may not get as much attention as we think they deserve.

We'll count down backwards to what we thought the best of the year, just to keep you in suspense.

10.  Some Assembly Required by Assembly of Dust:  A group that has been together for over a decade this roots rock group plays without a lot of flash, but its songs are heartfelt and its emotions sincere.  On this album they gather together a collection of friends and idols such as Bela Fleck, Martin Sexton and Theresa Andersson to help perform the music.

9. Time Stands Still by Chris Smither:  Chris has been performing since the mid-sixties, starting in the New York fold scene with such greats as Eric Von Schmidt.  This is his 13th release and is a stripped down affair, relying on mostly his voice and guitar with quiet help from his bandmates.  This is folk blues at the best.

8.  Middle Cyclone by Neko Case:  This is where the line becomes thin, some people might think Neko has had more than her share of attention.  This album debuted at number three on the charts.  But we love Neko and while she is probably one of the artists here with more recongntion she is still a far cry from being a sure thing.  (We're not sure that makes sense but like we've said before good music is good music and that's the end point of this site.)  Neko has  voice unlike anyone else out there and her writing continues to amaze.  She's moved away from her americana style and is creating her own style.

7.  I and Love and You by Avett Brothers:  This is the major lable debut from the North Carolina brothers.  Rick Rubin produces and while he cleans up their style they still put out a great disc of music.  Pop, bluegrass, punk, whatever the term you want to put to them they put out a great album.

6.  Golden Apples of the Sun by Caroline Herring:  Another singer that's been around for more than a few albums.  She moves away from her country influenced sound to more of a modern feel.  She contributes great original tunes such at "The Dozens" and others about her childhood and upbringing as well as covering songs you wouldn't expect like Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" but making it her own in doing so.

5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: In a band of great song writers like the Drive by Truckers Jason still stood out.  This is his release and is better than his solo debut. He writes great story songs and continues the streak here with songs about everday people and their lives.

4. Live at Jazz Fest by John Boutte:  This album is only available through the New Orleans Jazz Fest web page, but is more than worth seeking out.  John has a voice that reminds me of Sam Cooke and is best heard live.  He takes "City of New Orleans" and makes it his song, after hearing his version I can't imagine anyone else doing it as well.  He does a version of Paul Simon's "American Tune" with just Paul Sanchez on guitar that is haunting and beautiful.

3. Written In Chalk by Buddy and Julie Miller:  One of my favorite albums of the year.  Anything this husband and wife does I'm there to listen to.  The song opens with "Ellis County" a song written by Julie about her childhood.  From country to folk to rocking out this song covers it all.

2. Coldwater by Shannon McNally:  This album contains parts of Shannon's unreleased Windswept Moon which we called the best album of the year that it never appeared in but was supposed to.  Like the number one album this is an album made for adult relationships and features her own songs as well as some covers by Bob Dylan and others.  The centerpiece of the album is her own song "Bohemian Wedding Song".  "The battles that you've lost/Are as beautiufl as your victories to me" sums it up for me.

1. The Wreckage by Will Hoge:  Just a little over a year ago Will was seriously injured when a van hit him while driving home from a late night recording session.  Besides just learning how to play again he's had to learn how to walk again.  With the title of this album a lot of people might have assumed it was going to reflect on the accident, but he stays clear of that subject.  What he focuses on here is how two adults can try to live together, love together and what happens when that doesn't happen.  This is most mature work to date and just a remarkable album from the cover to the music itself.

SONG OF THE WEEK

When I first heard this performance I was literally blown away. Every now and than you hear something live that just reaches out and grabs ahold of you and moves you. That's what the best music does. And that's what this song did. It was at the recent New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The singer was John Boutte and he was accompanied only by Paul Sanchez on guitar. John is a singer in the tradition of Sam Cooke and can take a song from another writer and make it uniquely his own. That's what he did with this song, "American Tune" by Paul Simon. And Paul's playing is gorgeous.

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Jazz Fest: John Boutte

John Boutte gave one of his inspired performances at this year's Jazz Fest. Why this man isn't a bigger star I have no idea. His friend and frequent musical collaborator Paul Sanchez sat in with him for an amazing acoustic version of Paul Simon's "American Tune." With just Paul on guitar and John singing this was about as good as Jazz Fest gets.

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Song of the Week

This week's song is an old familiar done new. The song is Paul Simon's "American Tune" from his second solo album There Goes Rhymin' Simon. It is done today by New Orleans' John Boutte and Paul Sanchez and is from their collaborative effort Stew Called New Orleans.

SONG OF THE WEEK

This week we present another New Orleans native John Boutte. Every year John gets more praise as more people recognize how good he is. The first Jazz Fest after Katrina he gave one of the most powerful shows of the event. Combine Sam Cooke with Nat King Cole and throw in a gumbo of New Orleans sounds and experiences and you might get someone like John Boutte. Here he is singing "City of New Orleans."

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Interview: Paul Sanchez

Paul Sanchez was a founding member of Cowboy Mouth. He's recently left the group and is now on his own. His concerts are billed as the Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show where he performs with different special guests. At the French Quarter Fest this year I happened to catch his show there with John Boutte, Shamar Allen and Susan Cowsill. To call it one of my favorite concert moments is an understatement.


1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

I was asked this question a few years ago in a spontaneous moment and before I had time to think I answered. I remember that my father died when I was five and that is when I also started singing. I don't know that I was especially talented but I was encouraged to sing by my whole family. Looking back I realized it was probably that the sound of a five year old singing was prettier then a houseful of people crying.
I have been attracted to playing solo acoustic and my earliest t.v. music memory is McCartney performing Yesterday on the Ed Sullivan Show.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I like Sinatra, Dr. John, the Nevilles, John Boutte, the Boss, the Beatles, Nat King Cole, Cole Porter, a good tune and a great lyric.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

I really dig the sense of community a great live show has and that is more difficult to put on a disc, energy and community are intangibles that have to be lived and felt in the recording before they can be heard in the listening. I played in one of the most energetic live bands to come out of New Orleans and for ten releases we made albums lacking in energy and passion. I'm most proud that Dave Pirner, who produced Exit To Mystery Street, was able to put the energy that was bouncing off the walls, on to the disc for people to hear.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

Listening to music is a liberating feeling, giving one's self over to its joys. you can change your world and how you feel about it and connect to it with music. I believe in that way music does, has and will continue to change the world. It starts with a person, spreads to a crowd and echoes to forever.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

It is easier to make demos, cheaper to record records, easier to share music with musicians and promoters. I'm still basically an acoustic guitar guy with a batch of songs but it easier to spread the tunes around now.

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

The comfortable kind that you slide into and remember you've always loved, the pair you never knew you missed and don't want to take off.