Walking to the Big Easy
John Broven’s Walking To New Orleans history of New Orleans R&B celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer with a 65-track 2CD. Tony Burke asked him about them
What first attracted you to New Orleans R&B?
The first New Orleans R&B record that I heard was Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill, in 1956 (on London American). My father brought home some 78s to play on a new radiogram. Mike Leadbitter, a schoolfriend, and future editor of Blues Unlimited, discovered Fats’ records had New Orleans origins. The UK releases offer no clues, with their ‘Recorded by Imperial, Hollywood’ accreditation, though other New Orleans R&B hit artists on London American include Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, Jessie Hill, Chris Kenner, Ernie K-doe and Barbara George. So, what made you decide to write the book? I went to the US with Mike Leadbitter, and Robin Gosden of Flyright Records, in 1970. At the time, blues and R&B research concentrated on Chicago and Delta blues, so New Orleans was wide open. A breakthrough interview came in 1972, when Dr John championed musicians like James Booker and Walter ‘Papoose’ Nelson, rather than discuss his own career. My other favourite interviewees were studio owner, Cosimo Matassa, and session sax man, Red Tyler. In 1974, the book was published by Blues Unlimited, then licensed to Pelican of Louisiana. A third, updated edition was published by Pelican in 2016, and now has sales of over 25,000! It was inducted into the US Blues Hall Of Fame in 2011. The 2CD features giants of New Orleans R&B like Fats Domino and Smiley Lewis, and lesser-known artists, such as Jerry Byrne and Al Johnson.
I felt that there were enough New Orleans greatest hits, so this features rarer, but great recordings, uncovered in the book, like Single Life by Billy Tate, Smiley’s Lewis’ Real Gone Lover, Little Liza Jane, by Huey ‘Piano’ Smith & The Clowns, The Monkey by Dave Bartholomew, and Always A First Time, by Earl King. Rock’n’roll is represented by Jerry Byrne’s frantic Lights Out, Lenny Cappello’s Cotton Candy, and Frankie Ford’s What’s Goin’ On. There are Mardi Gras records by The Hawketts and Al Johnson, but I had to start with Fats’ Walking To New Orleans.
New Orleans had some fantastic session musicians and bandleaders.
The two major studios in New Orleans in the peak R&B period were run by the great engineer, Cosimo Matassa. Dave Bartholomew was the main producer in the 50s and he created the Fats Domino sound. Dave’s band members provided the core of the session musicians, including tenor sax, Lee Allen, and drummer, Earl Palmer, the “king of the backbeat”. At the turn of the 60s, younger producers, Harold Battiste, Allen Toussaint and Wardell Quezergue, took over, leading New Orleans into the soul era and beyond.
New Orleans R&B evolved into soul and funk.
During the 60s, Lee Dorsey and Irma Thomas became the New Orleans soul stars, then, in the 70s, The Meters gave the music an even funkier edge. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Troy ‘Trombone Shorty’ Andrews, and English pianist, Jon Cleary, continue the city’s music tradition today. The irresistible New Orleans street beat will never die, and there’s a lot more to come!
Walking To New Orleans 50th Anniversary Album... An Aural Accompaniment 2CD is on Jasmine by August.