All Categories — All Formats  

The south rises again – in this excellent annual issue of Oxford American dedicated to music from below the Mason-Dixon line! This year, the publication's got a special focus on Louisiana – a great mix of soul, jazz, blues, and roots – served up in an issue that's heavy on Crescent City commentary – with articles on Shotgun Joe, Professor Longhair, and Amede Ardoinand – plus musings on the music of New Orleans by Stanley Crouch, a look at a NO strip club, and a long piece on "The Anxiety Of Authenticity". There's loads more little features too – on Louisiana music old and new – and as the biggest bonus, the issue comes with a 21 track CD – featuring cuts that include "Sugar Bee" by Cleveland Crochet & Hill Billy Ramblers, "Two Wings" by Rev Utah Smith, "Real Live Living Hurtin Man" by Johnny Adams, "Reconsider Me" by Margaret Lewis, "Shirley" by John Fred & The Playboys, "The Eyes Of Love" by Margie Singleton, "Parlez Nous A Boire" by Chris Stafford, "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats, "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere" by Robert Pete Williams, "The Patriotic Flag Waver" by Dr John, "Shine" by Kid Ory, "Bon Ton Roula" by Clarence Garlow, "Look What You're Doin To Me" by Professor Longhair, and "Old Man's Darling" by Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Cha.

Amazing! One of the few rare records cut by Bill Dixon during the 60s, and a perfect example of "new thing" jazz in action. Trumpeter Dixon plays in 3 different ensembles – a nonet, a quintet, and a duet – with players like Byard Lancaster, Reggie Workman, Robert Pozar, and Jimmy Garrison. The tracks are long, with an approach that begins with compositional structures, but which also showcases the avant solo talents of the players – in a manner that's similar to some of the Blue Note work by Anthony Williams or Grachan Moncur III. A darn tough record to find – and with the tracks "Voices", "Nightfall Pieces I & II", and "Metamorphosis".