The Blue Book of Storyville

Don Vappie is one of the world's preeminent banjoists and an out and proud New Orleans Creole (of French and African ancestry). Vappie's roots are in New Orleans jazz but his questing nature has seen him seek out West African string players (Cheick Hamala Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyaté) alongside blues, Caribbean and other genres. On this fine album Vappie leads a band featuring double bass, acoustic guitar, saxophone and clarinet.

The music they make is rooted in the jazz that was created in New Orleans a century ago and they use it to explore what Vappie calls a ‘Creole vibe.’ Thus things vary from ‘Buddy Bolden's Blues’ - a jazz standard - through the traditional Haitian song ‘La Ville Jacmel’ to the celebration of St Lucia ‘Port Bayou St John’ and ‘Abandon’, a composition by the late Martiniquais composer Loulou Boislaville. Across the album the ensemble play with ease and imagination, with Vappie singing on certain numbers. The acoustic instruments allow lots of space so that the music really breathes. Was this how the port of New Orleans sounded a century ago as musicians from across the Caribbean arrived and meshed? Music that's languid and lively and Creole in character.