Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans: I’m So New Orleans, Tipitina, Mexican Special, At Last (featuring Nayo Jones), I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Put Your Right Foot Forward, Jock-A-Mo (Iko Iko), Somewhere Over The Rainbow (featuring Kaylin Orleans Ruffins), I’m So New Orleans, Part 2
Personnel: Kermit Ruffins – trumpet, vocals, Kevin Morris – bass, Jerry Barbarin Anderson – drums, Yoshitaka "ZZ" Tsuji – piano, keyboards, Special Guests: June Yamagishi – guitar, Hanuka Kikuchi – trombone, Britney Chauntae – vocals, Percy Williams – percussion, Dexter Daily – steel drums
Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans was produced by Tracey Freeman and Executive Producer Mark Samuels on the Basin Street Records label.
Long time fans of Kermit Ruffins, this is Luxury Experience’s fifth review of his music with the latest April 21, 2015 release – Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans. (read reviews of previous Kermit Ruffins’ releases in the Music Scene section (Kermit Ruffins – Happy Talk, Kermit Ruffins – Livin A Treme Life, and Kermit Ruffins with the Rebirth Brass Band – Throwback, Kermit Ruffins – We Partyin’ Traditional Style!).
Kermit Ruffins, composer, singer, and musician has been playing New Orleans Jazz for over 30 years. His latest release, Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans is his 14th CD, with the last 11 on the New Orleans Basin Street Records label. He writes in the liner notes, "I really feel in my heart New Orleans musicians and people of New Orleans are living the best lives. We are blessed with what we have. I just made 50 and I have traveled the world for the last 30 years and nowhere makes me happier than New Orleans. This CD will make you laugh, dance, and cry…"
Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans is a great follow-up to his 2013 release, Kermit Ruffins – We Partyin’ Traditional Style! The release opens with the Kermit Ruffins’ song, I’m So New Orleans, a lively step-easy piece which shines and has some stellar piano work by Yoshitaka "ZZ" Tsuji to complement the catchy lyrics.
Next in the line-up is the 1953 Henry Roeland Byrd song, Tipitina that is pure New Orleans Jazz and cooks up the musical gumbo. Mexican Special follows, written by Kermit Ruffins and the brothers Keith and Philip Frazier during his time with the Rebirth Brass Band that opens with steel drums, horns, and delicious swagger.
Kermit takes the listener back to the year 1941 with the song, At Last, written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon for the musical film, Orchestra Wives, with vocals by Nayo Jones who works her magic on this gorgeously written song with her sultry voice.
Going further back into the vintage Jazz collection, Kermit and band travel to 1928 with the Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields song, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, with Kermit taking over the vocals.
Put Your Right Foot Forward another song written by Kermit Ruffins and Philip Frazier, brings funk into the mix, and then keeps you dancing in the street and singing along as the band segues into the familiar 1953 New Orleans classic Jock-A-Mo (Iko Iko) written by James "Sugarboy" Crawford.
Kermit enlists the vocals of his youngest daughter, Kaylin Orleans Ruffins, on the 1939 Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg song, Somewhere Over The Rainbow written for the film, The Wizard of Oz. Kermit writes in the liner notes, "… Get ready for my daughter Kaylin Ruffins, 8 years old, singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow! When I asked her to sing on my CD she said, and I quote, "Yes, put me on the cover and you will sell millions." Obviously she needs to work on her humbleness LOL." Her sweet little voice joined by proud dad, makes it indeed a special song on the release.
I’m So New Orleans Part 2 written by Kermit Ruffins closes the release as a tribute to his New Orleans heritage as he tells the story of his life, about where he grew up, the schools he attended, meeting Phil Frazier and starting his band, playing Jazz all over the world for over 30 years and much more, complemented by some fine musical accompaniment. Kermit Ruffins is a proud native son of New Orleans and rightly so.
Websites where you can procure Kermit Ruffins and The Barbecue Swingers – #imsoneworleans are Amazon, BasinStreetRecords, CDUniverse, and BestBuy.
For information on upcoming Kermit Ruffins Tour dates, please visit: www.BasinStreetRecords
Follow Kermit Ruffins on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/KermitRuffinsNola
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