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    City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music

    10/16/2007 | Rounder / Umgd 

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    All Music Guide Review

    Rounder Records began recording New Orleans musicians in 1981 and over a quarter of a century later the label has built up an impressive catalog of Crescent City releases across a wide variety of styles, from rag tag second-line street bands, blues singers, and hard pounding piano soloists to sleek and funky pop, soul, and funk sides. Although this four-disc, 48-track box set is essentially a generous sampler of that extensive catalog, it also functions as a lively and vibrant survey of the pre-Katrina modern New Orleans music scene, a scene shattered and altered by the great storm and its unprecedented aftermath. New Orleans musicians were driven from their homes by the devastation and many of them have been emotionally and financially unable to return. The loss in cultural terms is immeasurable, to say nothing of the crushing personal losses many of these performers endured and continue to endure. So, while it is virtually impossible to listen to this set without falling under the shadow of Katrina, it is nonetheless a joyous, exuberant journey through a city whose music is like no other place on earth. The first disc centers on blues and R&B selections, the second on street and festival bands, the third features funk and soul sides, while the fourth offers up solo pianists demonstrating the various dimensions of the distinctive New Orleans piano style. What isn't here is much jazz, although it's safe to say that everything that is included is informed by it in one way or another. The recordings are well done, with bright sound and a delightful immediacy, and tracks like Eddie Bo's "Check Mr. Popeye," Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's horn-driven "Dollar Got the Blues," the vibrantly scuffling "It Ain't What You Think" by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Walter "Wolfman" Washington's "Funk Yard," Tuts Washington's solo piano version of the poignant (especially given recent events) "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans," and the hard charging blast of "Go to the Mardi Gras," complete with some pretty nifty whistling by the immortal Professor Longhair, are timeless gems by any standards. Upbeat, vibrant, elegant, and so full of life that one wonders how this music could ever possibly pass from this earth, City of Dreams reminds us not to take anything for granted, and certainly nothing as grand as the music of New Orleans. It isn't brick and mortar, steel beam or strung wire, but the music of Crescent City is more precious and lasting than any of those things. It'll take a lot more than Katrina to blow it away. On that you can hang your hat. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

    City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • Artist
  • time
  • lyrics
  • 1
  • Carnival Time
  • Johnson, Al [1]
  • 2:41
  • Sound Clip for Carnival Time from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 2
  • Sing It
  • 4:20
  • Sound Clip for Sing It from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 3
  • Drawers Trouble
  • Carbo, Chuck
  • 4:31
  • Sound Clip for Drawers Trouble from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 4
  • Just Because
  • Adams, Johnny
  • 2:57
  • Sound Clip for Just Because from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 5
  • Don't Mess with My Man
  • Thomas, Irma
  • 2:22
  • Sound Clip for Don't Mess with My Man from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 6
  • Check Mr. Popeye
  • Bo, Eddie
  • 2:16
  • Sound Clip for Check Mr. Popeye from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 7
  • You Talk Too Much
  • Jones, Joe Craig
  • 2:32
  • Sound Clip for You Talk Too Much from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 8
  • Big Shot
  • Ball, Marcia
  • 3:57
  • Sound Clip for Big Shot from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 9
  • I Bowed on My Knees
  • Crawford, Davell
  • 3:55
  • Sound Clip for I Bowed on My Knees from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 10
  • Drink Jax Beer
  • 3:08
  • Sound Clip for Drink Jax Beer from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 11
  • Go on Fool
  • Brown, Ruth
  • 4:31
  • Sound Clip for Go on Fool from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 12
  • Dollar Got the Blues
  • Brown, Clarence [1] "Gatemouth"
  • 4:37
  • Sound Clip for Dollar Got the Blues from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 13 (2)
  • Feel Like Funkin' It Up
  • ReBirth Brass Band
  • 5:07
  • Sound Clip for Feel Like Funkin' It Up from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 14 (2)
  • Sew, Sew, Sew
  • 4:18
  • Sound Clip for Sew, Sew, Sew from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 15 (2)
  • Cuttin' Out
  • Professor Longhair
  • 2:37
  • Sound Clip for Cuttin' Out from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 16 (2)
  • Shoo-Fly
  • 6:11
  • Sound Clip for Shoo-Fly from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 17 (2)
  • Royal Flush
  • New Orleans Nightcrawlers
  • 5:37
  • Sound Clip for Royal Flush from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 18 (2)
  • It Ain't What You Think
  • Dirty Dozen Brass Band
  • 4:23
  • Sound Clip for It Ain't What You Think from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 19 (2)
  • All That
  • Chapman, Tyrus
  • 7:33
  • Sound Clip for All That from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 20 (2)
  • No It Ain't My Fault
  • Dejan's Olympia Brass
  • 3:58
  • Sound Clip for No It Ain't My Fault from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 21 (2)
  • Golden Crown
  • Dollis, Bo & The Wild Magnolias
  • 3:54
  • Sound Clip for Golden Crown from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 22 (2)
  • St. Louis Blues
  • Tuba Fats' Chosen Few Brass Band
  • 4:58
  • Sound Clip for St. Louis Blues from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 23 (2)
  • If My Shoes Hold Out
  • Tyler, Alvin "Red"
  • 4:32
  • Sound Clip for If My Shoes Hold Out from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 24 (2)
  • Just a Little While to Stay Here
  • ReBirth Brass Band
  • 6:17
  • Sound Clip for Just a Little While to Stay Here from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 25 (3)
  • You Can Stay, But the Noise Must Go
  • Washington, Walter "Wolfman"
  • 6:18
  • Sound Clip for You Can Stay, But the Noise Must Go from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 26 (3)
  • Ain't No Yachts in the Ghetto
  • DeClouet, Theryl
  • 4:51
  • Sound Clip for Ain't No Yachts in the Ghetto from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 27 (3)
  • Rough Spots
  • Porter, George Jr.
  • 4:13
  • Sound Clip for Rough Spots from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 28 (3)
  • Flow On
  • All That
  • 4:06
  • Sound Clip for Flow On from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 29 (3)
  • A Corn for Crip
  • Frank, Ed Quintet
  • 4:33
  • Sound Clip for A Corn for Crip from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 30 (3)
  • Keeper of the Crown
  • 4:50
  • Sound Clip for Keeper of the Crown from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 31 (3)
  • Body and Fender Man
  • Adams, Johnny
  • 5:33
  • Sound Clip for Body and Fender Man from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 32 (3)
  • Gemini Rising
  • New Orleans Saxophone Ensemble
  • 4:26
  • Sound Clip for Gemini Rising from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 33 (3)
  • Sweet Touch of Love
  • Thomas, Irma
  • 3:34
  • Sound Clip for Sweet Touch of Love from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 34 (3)
  • Here We Go Again
  • Burke, Solomon
  • 6:49
  • Sound Clip for Here We Go Again from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 35 (3)
  • Funk Yard
  • Washington, Walter "Wolfman"
  • 5:00
  • Sound Clip for Funk Yard from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 36 (3)
  • House That Jack Built
  • Crawford, Davell
  • 7:01
  • Sound Clip for House That Jack Built from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 37 (4)
  • Hard Times
  • Bo, Eddie
  • 2:37
  • Sound Clip for Hard Times from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 38 (4)
  • Classified
  • Booker, James
  • 3:16
  • Sound Clip for Classified from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 39 (4)
  • Every Day, Every Night
  • Professor Longhair
  • 2:22
  • Sound Clip for Every Day, Every Night from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 40 (4)
  • Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
  • Torkanowsky, David
  • 6:18
  • Sound Clip for Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 41 (4)
  • Tee Nah Nah
  • Washington, Tuts
  • 1:57
  • Sound Clip for Tee Nah Nah from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 42 (4)
  • On the Q-Tee
  • Tee, Willie
  • 2:04
  • Sound Clip for On the Q-Tee from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 43 (4)
  • Gumbo Piano
  • Crawford, David [6]
  • 3:35
  • Sound Clip for Gumbo Piano from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 44 (4)
  • All by Myself
  • Booker, James
  • 3:31
  • Sound Clip for All by Myself from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 45 (4)
  • My Children
  • Neville, Art
  • 3:18
  • Sound Clip for My Children from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 46 (4)
  • I Don't Know
  • Dupree, Champion Jack
  • 4:52
  • Sound Clip for I Don't Know from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 47 (4)
  • Go to the Mardi Gras
  • Professor Longhair
  • 2:50
  • Sound Clip for Go to the Mardi Gras from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


  • 48 (4)
  • Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
  • Washington, Tuts
  • 2:53
  • Sound Clip for Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans from City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music


    • City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music Notes

    For nearly three decades, Rounder Records has been among the pre-eminent labels recording the music of New Orleans - second line brass bands, rhythm & blues singers, Mardi Gras Indians, piano players, jazz and funk. Here is a definitive overview of Rounder's New Orleans catalogue, featuring such iconic Crescent City names as Irma Thomas, Professor Longhair and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, as well as lesser-known but equally exciting artists such as Chuck Carbo and Eddie Bo. Here is music that looks into every corner of the New Orleans musical landscape, always funky, rollicking and soulful. With extensive notes by Grammy®-winning Rounder producer Scott Billington.

    Credits of City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music

    • George Porter, Jr.
    • Bass, Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background), Producer, Vocals, Percussion
    • Scott Billington
    • Producer, Annotation, Compilation, Editing, Mixing, Liner Notes
    • Ron Levy
    • Organ, Piano, Producer, Vocals (Background), Percussion
    • Dr. John
    • Guitar, Piano, Rap, Organ (Hammond)


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