JazzFM show #2
Some notes on a few of the songs from tonight's show
My second show on Jazz FM airs on Tuesday at 9.00 pm UK time. Here are some notes on a few of the records I picked to play. I hope you enjoy the musical selection, and I hope it inspires you to listen to more music from the town I love and that has been home to me for most of my life.
The Pitter Pats - “It Do Me Good”
Huey Smith was a pianist who is credited with bringing a style to the New Orleans sound in the 50s and 60s. He had hit records but was never successful in making any money from his talent. Disheartened, he found religion, became a Jehovahs Witness, moved to Baton Rouge and gave up entirely on the music business.
He tried various line-ups and recorded under different names. This tune is pretty obscure, but it provides a great example of that lazy gravy groove that wrapped so well around his piano feel. I’d love to know who is playing on it. Is that ‘Hungry’ Williams on drums, or perhaps John Boudreaux? I asked Dr John once when he was at my house and we were listening to the 45 on the Jukebox upstairs in the Cha Cha Cha room. He didn’t know either but pulled out his cell phone and croaked; “Lemme call Huey and ax him’’. Huey’s number, at least the one Mac had in his phone,however, had been disconnected and, so, the rhythm section remains - for the time being at least - a mystery. Check out the cool opening riff, musicians will tell you that’s called an apreggiated dominant 7 with a sharp 5. Doesn’t matter what it’s called, it’s just simply the coolest thing ever and brings joy to my heart. In essence, it’s very similar to what Fess did with Big Chief and is a tiny detail of Huey’s taste and style that left a mark that you can hear in the playing of all the piansts that came after him, especially Allen Toussaint, Mac and Booker (check out Mac’s piano intro on his ‘Huey Smith Medley’ and compare).
Here’s some notes on songs by Danny O’Keefe, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and James Booker, with footage from the Maple Leaf in 1983 and an interview I did with Walter during the Quarantini Happy Hour sessions:
