New Orleans Funk Vol 4

Soul Jazz Records does a remarkable job in its reissues of Caribbean music and the New Orleans Funk series always engages. Soul Jazz's head honcho Stuart Baker has gathered 18 rare tunes, linking the songs thematically so the extensive sleeve notes in the beautiful booklet that comes with this CD (or double LP) look at the West African religious practices (commonly known as voodoo) that took root in the city in the 19th century and influenced much music making. Here are artists that even life-long fans of the music of southern Louisiana may not have heard of – Eldridge Holmes, Gus The Groove Lewis, Norma Jean – and fresh tunes from such established singers as Johnny Adams and Eddie Bo. There's also ‘Party Down’, a slice of funky zydeco from Clifton Chenier that is very different from the more folkloric material he recorded for Arhoolie but, I bet, had his audiences gyrating every time he cranked it out. New Orleans remains one of the planet's foremost musical hubs but today there are no little record labels issuing juicy grooves from local players. Savour this beautifully illustrated compilation and think of the days when the Crescent City was truly jumping.