Lil' Liza Jane – Sweeney's Gumbo YaYa

Welcome to this site on New Orleans music. There are four posts about New Orleans standards that are attracting more attention now than when originally posted. Since these posts are accompanied by one of my shows, I thought I would make it easier to read and listen to them..

Recently, my number one visited page provides the back story on “Darktown Strutters Ball.” When I prepared for this show a few years back, I was conflicted over the use of a racist term for African-American neighborhoods and yet there was this amazing song that used it. The post and the accompanying show delves into the context of the song written by African-American composer Shelton Brooks and how various artists handle the song. If you listen to the show, you will hear five versions of “Darktown Strutters Ball.”

Next on the resurgent reading list is my post and show about Basin Street Blues. Composed by Spencer Williams who lived in Mahogany Hall on Basin Street and originally recorded by Louis Armstrong, who grew up in that neighborhood at the height of its notoriety, the song has evolved over the years including the addition of an opening musical phrase and lyrics (with a Glen Miller assist). You’ll get the full story and listen to the show here. The street has evolved too.

My post on Lil Liza Jane scores the next top spot in recent views. The post and show explores adaptability of this minstrel era song which has been updated and adapted by a variety of artists, including groups who follow in the tradition of the Black Indians of Mardi Gras. If you read this post (and listen to the show), feel free to leave a comment in a call and response style as one reader did.

Finally, the New Orleans standard (without a New Orleans back story) “St. James Infirmary” continues to get attention from readers and listeners. This was actually the first post and show I did focusing on a particularly standard. And I loved the history of it. Here it is.

A reminder that I’ve retired Gumbo YaYa and replaced it with a non-recorded live drive-time show on Thursdays on my community radio station KAOS. I play uptempo music and often draw from my New Orleans library. You can stream the show live and listen to the most recent shows using Spinitron (just type in the date and time into the ARK player that corresponds with my most recent show time adjusted for your location)

This week’s show has no overarching plan, just another two-hour showcase of New Orleans jazz, funk, R&B, brass, and old time swing by contemporary groups as well as more classic recordings. The first tune you’ll hear when you start the player below is “The Joint is Jumpin'” by the New Orleans Jazz Vipers.

The headline for this post is a reference to another rendition of the New Orleans standard “Lil’ Liza Jane” – this time by All That including a prologue by the band to drive home the point that the song is a standard for many New Orleans bands — even the pizza delivery guys knows that. (By the way, some background on Liza in a previous post.)

In the first full set you’ll hear George Porter Jr., the aforementioned All That, Hot 8 Brass Band, Kristin Diable and a rambunctious number by Egg Yolk Jubilee (“Kingfish”).

The second set takes a different direction with John Mooney, Papa Mali, Guitar Slim, Snooks Eaglin and Jean Knight. Later in the second hour, I have a set of old timey songs starting with contemporary band Frog and Henry doing a number made famous by King Oliver in 1923 called “Buddy’s Habit.” Oliver’s band of New Orleans musicians were living and performing in Chicago and they picked up the song from Charlie Straight’s Orchestra which had a tipsy tuba player who became a local legend when he tumbled off the stage backwards while playing his instrument. You’ll also hear the Boswell Sisters singing their number 1 hit “The Object of My Affection” along with the Big Dixie Swingers (“A Little Picture Playhouse”) and Danny Barker singing a novelty song called “Nagasaki.”

If you make it all the way to the end, Jon Batiste does his beautiful song “Don’t Stop.”

Well I hope I have given you enough reason to listen to the show. You can listen to it directly from this page, on KAOS on Thursday mornings starting at 10 a.m. (PST), KMRE on Friday evenings starting at 7 p.m. (PST) or go to my Mixcloud profile. My best to you until next week.