ORLEANS 2111
[This album] has a lot of historical value as well as being terrific music. It captures the legendary New Orleans couple Danny and Blue Lu Barker in their last joint appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. The first half of this CD is slow, nasty blues played with sleazy assurance by Danny's Jazz Hounds and sung amazingly by 75-year-old Blue Lu. Her voice is gravelly from a recent throat operation but sounding like Moms Mabley doesn't stop her from getting in the groove. The seductive and freewheeling nature of these tunes fit her like a second skin and she stirs up a raucous good time with them.
After her set, husband Danny steps to the mike and does his own charming, half-sing/half-rap routine on three tunes including his own classic, "Save The Bones For Henry Jones" and a version of "St. James Infirmary" that seems to have had its lyrics rewritten on the spot. He also shows himself to be a very underrated guitarist. His chord work on "Greenbacks" sounds like T Bone Walker. Finally, the set closes with extended New Orleans raveups where the entire band gets to strut and swing. Since the Barkers are gone now, this is a valuable artifact. It's also one heck of a party record.
---Jerome Wilson
The Georgia Grind* / Don't You Feel My Legs* / I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate* / Bring The Greenbacks When You Call* / Ballin' The Jack* / Save The Bones For Henry Jones° / St. James Infirmary° / You Got The Right Key But The Wrong Keyhole° / Bourbon Street Parade° / Second Line°
[41:55]
Blue Lu Barker, vcl*; Danny Barker, g, bjo, vcl°; Greg Stafford, tpt; David Grillier, clt; Frank Naundorf, tbn; Walter Lewis, p; Edmond Foucher, b; Shannon Powell,
d. 1989, New Orleans, LA
Originally published in Cadence (November 1998), pg. 101