LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Time Life Records) - For their new album 'Down In New Orleans' (Jan. 29/Time Life), four-time Grammy winners The
Blind Boys of
Alabama recorded in New Orleans for the first time in their almost seventy year history. "This particular flavor is new for us," comments
Blind Boys founding member Jimmy Carter. "New Orleans musicians have a different feel to their rhythm. They play with syncopation, a push and pull. We had to make some adjustments to get used to that beat. But it wasn't hard."
Those New Orleans musicians supporting The Blind Boys included legendary pianist/producer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint, Crescent City icons The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and The Hot 8 Brass Band, one of the city's most vital young acts. Top-flight New Orleans jazz and soul players made up the backing trio: David Torkanowsky (The Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, Solomon Burke) on piano, keyboards and Hammond B3 organ, Roland Guerin (The Marsalis Family, Marcus Roberts) on upright and electric bass, and Shannon Powell (Harry Connick, Jr.) on drums.
The Blind Boys pay tribute on the album to Mahalia Jackson, the New Orleans native and gospel siren with whom they shared concert billing. Carter exclaims, "One of the greatest gospel singers ever! We do two Mahalia Jackson songs on this album: 'If I Could Help Somebody' and 'How I Got Over.' And, like that Mahalia Jackson song says, if we could help somebody in New Orleans-help them by singing a song, help them by recording this album-then we will feel blessed."
The group also reimagines Earl King's secular song "Make a Better World." King was a lifelong New Orleans blues and R&B mainstay and guitar great. Carter reflects, "We like the message on that one. We do need to make a better world."
As New Orleans writer Ben Sandmel states in the liner notes, "The result is a fusion of style and nuance that links many disparate aspects-both chronological and geographical-of American musical tradition."
'Down In New Orleans' was recorded at Piety Street Studios, where Dr. John; and Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint; Ryan Adams; and others have laid down tracks. The Blind Boys of Alabama are Jimmy Carter, Eric 'Ricky' McKinnie, Joey Williams, Caleb 'Bobby' Butler, Tracy Pierce, Billy Bowers and Ben Moore.
