Travel

J. D. Carpenter’s American Odyssey

DAY 25 — NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, Part II: We walked around the French Quarter for hours before we knew what it was we liked most about it: the people were friendly, the food was great, but it was the music that bowled us over.

1. MAISON BOURBON

The Dwayne Burns Band: Dwayne Burns, trumpet; Earl Brown, tenor saxophone*; Matthew Clark, banjo; Mark Wayne, bass; Aaron Washington, drums.

Among other tunes, the band played ‘St Louis Blues,’ ‘Mack the Knife,’ ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street,’ ‘Tin Roof Blues,’ ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ (twice), and ‘St James Infirmary.’

* jammed with tenor great Johnny Griffin in Germany in the ’70’s; evacuated out of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, lived in four different places before he could return six months later

2. PRESERVATION HALL

The Tenor Summit Band: John Gilbert, Elliot Callier, Daniel Farrow, tenor saxophones; Ralph Johnson, clarinet; Carol Leblanc, piano; Sidney Snow, bass; Cary Brown, drums.

Among other tunes, the band played ‘Blueberry Hill,’ ‘Ice Cream,’ ‘Muskrat Ramble,’ ‘When the Saints Go Marching In,’ and ‘St James Infirmary.’

3. FUNKY PIRATE

Big Al Carson & The Blues Masters: Big Al Carson, vocals; Harry Sterling, lead guitar; Harold Scott, bass guitar; Ron Joseph, drums.

Among other tunes, the band played ‘Crossroads,’ ‘Soul Man,’ ‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love,’ ‘I was High,’ ‘Pull Up Your Pants,’ ‘Take Your Drunken Ass Home,’ and ‘St James Infirmary.’

© 2007 Defining Canada.